Smritiratna first took up Buddhist practice in 1977 at the age of 21 while studying Developmental Psychology at Sussex University. At 27, he began training in earnest with the FWBO and entered the Western Buddhist Order in 1991.
In 1996, he came to Scotland, joined the Dhanakosa project and spent five years on-site, teaching and house-keeping. In 2001, he gave up house-keeping to concentrate on study, contemplation and teaching. He now lives in a forest hut near Dhanakosa. He still leads Dhanakosa retreats and continues to delight in introducing meditation to newcomers.
As well as giving us a thorough introduction to meditation, this retreat will provide an excellent grounding in the fundamental principles of Buddhism and how we can apply these Buddhist tools to enrich our busy and complex lives.
For more information read the retreat information sheet
‘Simply being’ points to a quality of awakeness and receptivity that we can recognise at any moment, both in and outside of formal meditation. It’s an openness to full presence in our being - in our body, senses and awareness. It suggests opening to what we really are, beyond conceptual fabrication, inseparable from nature itself, which is undivided and ungraspable.
These are meditation retreats and will be conducted mostly in silence. They will normally have between 5 and 7 hours a day of sitting meditation.
These retreats are an ideal first regulars retreat. They take successful themes from our introductory programme and gently introduce more silence, meditation and a stronger Buddhist context through teachings and ritual (including 7-fold Puja). They are open to anyone who has done an introductory retreat or has been attending a local Triratna Buddhist centre and is looking to take their practice deeper.
For more information read the retreat information sheet.
When your heart is in the right place, the rest is easy. Loving Kindness, or metta is the gateway into compassion, appreciative joy and insightful serenity. With a little music and film to help inspire us along the way, we will thoroughly explore the four meditations of the sublime abodes or Brahma Viharas.
For more information, please read the retreat information sheet.
These retreats provide an excellent short introduction to both meditation and Buddhism. They will introduce you to two simple traditional meditation practices and give you a grounding in the basic principles of Buddhism. They are an ideal situation in which to take a fresh look at yourself and your life.
For more information, please read the retreat information sheet.
On this retreat we will explore the Buddha's four noble truths and eightfold path to awakening through talks discussion meditation, reflection and ritual. There will be more silence, meditation and a stronger Buddhist context (including an introduction to and practice of 7-fold Puja) than on our introductory retreats. They are open to anyone who has done an introductory retreat or has been attending a local centre and is looking to take their practice a bit deeper.
When your heart is in the right place, the rest is easy. Loving Kindness, or metta is the gateway into compassion, appreciative joy and insightful serenity.
With a little music and video to help inspire us along the way, we will thoroughly explore the four meditations of the sublime abodes or Brahma Viharas.
For more information please take a look here
We begin this retreat at the time of the Winter Solstice. Folk have been marking this special time since the deep past. For us, the coming of the light signifies faith in awareness prevailing over ignorance, humanity prevailing over inhumanity. This retreat is an opportunity to gather and re-affirm that faith through ritual, shared communication and restorative meditations.
On this retreat we will be exploring some of the core principles of Buddhism and meditation. In particular, how the Buddha’s clarity on the human condition can bring more meaning, richness and purpose to our lives. The teaching will seek to keep things simple and direct, so practical and relevant to the challenges of modern life in the west.
Seeing the dangers confronting humankind these days, we can feel depressed, demoralised and helpless to avert disaster - or even to talk about such feelings. This retreat provides a space not only to talk but to explore an extraordinary sequence of reflections and communal practices that can rekindle an active hope and vision for humanity.
