Energetically the heart occupies the central position in the human body. As such it can be understood as the ruling centre and represents the middle way. The posture that we take when meditating can be experienced as a physical gesture that invites the earth energy and the sky energy into the heart centre.
From a Buddhist perspective, we can see this as the bringing together of form and emptiness which can be reconciled in the secret chamber of our hearts
Meditating sitting on the earth under the sky in the conditions offered by Buddhafield presents us a unique and precious opportunity to strengthen our connection with both earth and sky and to open our hearts to each other and the world.
The retreat will be held largely in silence with experienced guidance and the opportunity to speak one-to-one with members of the teaching team. Come and join us in this exciting opportunity to explore our relationship with the world and our own hearts.
Daily bodywork: Chi Kong/Qi Gong and Kum Nye with Siddhimala.
Team info
Paramananda
Paramananda is an inspirational and much loved Buddhist teacher who has written a number of books on Buddhism and the craft of meditation, including Deeper Beauty, and mostly recently The Myth of Meditation: Restoring Imaginal Ground through Embodied Buddhist Practice.
He worked for a number of years as a psychiatric social worker and did voluntary work in the community for the Samaritans, in drug detox, and in a hospice. His time is now dedicated to teaching.
Dānābhayā
Dānābhayā has recently joined the Order and is so pleased to be joining the team for this retreat. She lives in the Scottish Highlands. She worked for half her working life as a nurse specialising in end of life care and the other half in remote and rural healthcare research. She is a Breathworks mindfulness teacher and marine medic/volunteer with the Whale Conservation Society.
Siddhimala
Siddhimala has lived and worked for Triratna since the 90s giving up her profession to live in a retreat centre. Until she moved to Dhanakosa in 2014, she attended Buddhafield retreats. Still teaching but now living surrounded by the sea, sky, trees and mountains in the Highlands, Siddhimala brings her love of the natural world and embodying nature awareness into practice, also sharing movement using Qi Gong and Kum Nye (a form of Tibetan yoga taught by some of the Nyingmapa practitioners) to help connect inner and outer.
Dharamabandhu
Dharmabandhu learnt to meditate in 1974 when he was travelling around America and became a Yoga Teacher in 1976. He was ordained in 1984. Since 2003 he has been engaged in a number of retreats and most of the Buddhafield festivals working especially in the ritual area, the opening and closing ceremonies and in the kids area. He practised tai chi and Chi Kung for a number of years and has trained in yoga again for the last four years.
Dharmabandhu teaches Scaravelli-inspired yoga which is an enviro–somatic approach to yoga and bodywork. Simply put is about the way we relate to ourselves, to our bodies and our bodies relationship to us and the environment that we are in. The quality of attention which we give to our body, through the way we touch and connect and the way we express ourselves. Whether that’s through our body, our mind, our heart, or through our breath. It’s also about our relationship and connection with space, ‘the space around us’ which can be accessed through the breath.
Further information
Experience level: Experienced meditators – at least 3 years
Suggested donation:
For 2 weeks: £780 generosity/£500 standard/£330 supported
For 4 weeks: £1400 generosity/£900 standard/£600 supported
(For an explanation of donation levels check here)
Vehicle pass: £10