Retreats

A retreat is an opportunity to spend time in quiet surroundings at a residential location (other than day retreats). They can be weekend, five-day, week-long or longer, and held locally, nationally (see Plum Village UK website) or internationally – for instance at Plum Village, in France – see the Plum Village website for details. The format of retreats will always include meditation, and usually Dharma teachings, but they will vary according to theme.

Bursaries

Bursaries may be available for sangha members who wish to go to Community of Interbeing retreats or Plum Village but are constrained by financial concerns.

Martin and Murray with retreatants, mostly from Scottish Sanghas
Martin and Murray with retreatants, mostly from Scottish Sanghas, on the “Transforming Compost into a Rose Retreat”, 19-21 October 2007, Wiston Lodge, near Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Wild Geese facilitators Retreat
February 2009: Wild Geese facilitators Retreat, near Oban. Left to right – Suzanne, Pete, Kate and Gill (with Paul behind the camera)

Plum Village

Plum Village (Làng Mai) is the Community of Interbeing’s main practice and meditation centre in the Dordogne, in southern France. It was founded by Thây and Sister Chân Không in 1982. Today, Plum Village is made up of four major residential hamlets.

Retreats, open to everyone, are held regularly. See www.plumvillage.org for more information.

Plum Village montage