Amoghavira first encountered Buddhism in 1979 while struggling through a mathematics degree at Glasgow University. Ordained into the Western Buddhist Order in 1982 he then started working at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre.
He worked for 2 years at the Sydney Buddhist Centre in Australia from 1988, and on his way back to Britain in 1990, spent 3 months in Kathmandu helping run meditation and Buddhism course there. Falling in love with Nepal, he’s been a regular visitor there ever since.
In 1996, he moved to Dhanakosa to help with retreat leading here, which he’s been doing ever since. He loves being in the mountains and this has led to a passion for landscape photography and he now lives in the village of Callander, about 15 miles from Dhanakosa.
Friday, 9 September 2022 to Friday, 16 September 2022 2022
Explore the Satipatthana, the Buddha's teaching on the direct path to awakening, by interweaving movement and stillness. Candradhi and Suryadarshini have both trained in Bodhiyoga, a yoga school founded on Buddhist principles, set up by Sadhita and Sudaka. On this retreat, we'll move seamlessly between physical postures and seated meditation, recognising each as a gateway to embodied awakening.
For more information please read the retreat information sheet.
Friday, 21 April 2023 to Friday, 28 April 2023 2023
This is an intensive meditation retreat with the emphasis on the natural awareness that we can learn to sustain in each moment, from waking to sleeping, and through the different activities of the day. We will be drawing on the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha's primary teaching on Mindfulness. We are learning to watch our minds and to learn what will support continuity of awareness.
Friday, 27 January 2023 to Friday, 3 February 2023 2023
This retreat will be based around talks, discussion and reflection on the teaching of the 4 Mind Turning Reflections.
Friday, 7 January 2022 to Sunday, 9 January 2022 2022
This online retreat offers an excellent short introduction to Buddhism and Meditation. We will cover an introduction to two traditional Buddhist meditations: the mindfulness of breathing and the development of loving kindness (Metta Bhavana). We will also introduce some key elements of the Buddhist tradition.
Friday, 9 July 2021 to Monday, 12 July 2021 2021
This online weekend retreat from Dhanakosa will be exploring bringing meditative photography into your own home and surrounding environment. Any kind of camera is suitable - even your phone!
Saturday, 8 May 2021 2021
A series of Dharma micro-adventures live from the Scottish Highlands!
Saturdays May 8, 15, 22
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First daily session (2 hrs): IE & UK 07:30 | Europe CET 08:30 | India 12:00 | Australia AEDT 16.30 | New Zealand 18.30
Second daily session (2 hrs): USA PST 11:00 | México 13:00 | USA EST 14:00 | IE & UK 19:00 | Europe CET 20:00 | India 23:30 | Australia AEDT 04.00 (next day) | New Zealand 06.00 (next day)
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Saturday, 13 February 2021 to Thursday, 18 February 2021 2021
The 3 lakshanas (Impermanence, Unsatisfactoriness and Insubstantiality) are a fundamental expression of the Buddha’s vision of Reality. In this teaching, the Buddha is pointing to the transformative effect of acknowledging, allowing, and opening to the ways in which we experience these 3 aspects of our lives and gives us practical advice on how to stay firmly on the path of practice and awakening.
Friday, 22 January 2021 to Sunday, 24 January 2021 2021
The online weekend retreat offers an excellent short introduction to Buddhism and Meditation. We will be explore together how integrating the practice of meditation and the principles of Buddhism into our lives can give us a fresh outlook and guide us towards more freedom and joy.
"Just as the mighty ocean has but one taste, the taste of salt, even so the Dharma-vinaya (Buddhism) has but one taste, the taste of Freedom".
During the retreat we will explore two traditional meditation practices and give you grounding in the basic principles of Buddhism.
Saturday, 14 November 2020 to Thursday, 19 November 2020 2020
The retreat will draw on the inspiration of Padmasambhava, Tantric Guru, who was invited to Tibet to transform the deeper, more unruly forces of the mind. Through meditation, silence and ritual we will explore the ‘Heart of Awakening’ practice which he taught.
The retreat will start on Saturday evening at 7.30pm. The programme for Sun – Wed will be:
Friday, 2 December 2022 to Friday, 9 December 2022 2022
This going deeper retreat will draw on inspiration from Padmasambhava, the original Tantric Guru, who guides us to transform the deeper, more unruly forces of our mind.
Padmasambhava is seen to be both a historical and mythic figure within Buddhism. He was a renowned Yogi, Dharma Teacher, Shaman, and Healer.
On the basis of mindfulness and metta, and with the support of silence and ritual, we will explore the practice of ‘just sitting’ where we open to direct experience and the heart of awareness.