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Retreat centres near London

Retreat centres near London
Answer
9/18/12 12:48 PM
Hello everyone,

was just wondering if anyone knew any good retreat centres near london? been searching on the internet and only really come across gaia house, which is still a-bit far. Ideally it would offer affordable silent retreats, either concentration or insight focused... any ideas?

Thanks!

Scott

RE: Retreat centres near London
Answer
9/18/12 1:56 PM as a reply to Scott P.
How's about going to a monastery?

Amaravati Buddhist Monastery

This is a Thai Forest community in Hertfordshire, I've never been, but it looks worth a visit.

Tisarana Vihara

I don't know where you're based, but this is a small Burmese sangha near me in Twickenham, they do short retreats. Again, I've never been there. Check the links on this website as there are also Burmese communities in North and East London, but I've no idea what the retreat situation is like.

I hope that is some help..I wish I could go too!

RE: Retreat centres near London
Answer
9/25/12 9:56 PM as a reply to Dodge E Knees.
Ohhh.. could you elaborate on the Burmese communities in North and East London please?

RE: Retreat centres near London
Answer
9/26/12 2:26 AM as a reply to Svetlana Grishina.
Svetlana Grishina:
Ohhh.. could you elaborate on the Burmese communities in North and East London please?


Here is the links page, I don't know anything apart from that:-

http://www.tisarana.info/otherlinks.html

RE: Retreat centres near London
Answer
9/26/12 6:21 AM as a reply to Svetlana Grishina.
International Meditation Centre UK is only a short train ride from London.

RE: Retreat centres near London
Answer
9/18/12 3:27 PM as a reply to Scott P.
Gaia House is well worth the time and money it takes to get there from London. For group retreats you can even get a lift with someone else heading that way. But Amaravati is also a good recommendation, although their retreats seem to get booked up very quickly and it's that little bit more traditional being a monastery and all.

Cittaviveka is another Thai Forest monastery, in Hampshire, about 70 mins out of London - limited possibilities for retreat there: http://www.cittaviveka.org/

The Triratna Order (formerly FWBO) have a retreat centre in Suffolk that you might like to try (I haven't been there)
http://www.lbc.org.uk/retreat.asp

I also did a Goenka retreat at Dhamma Dipa in Herefordshire: http://www.dipa.dhamma.org/ Not too far away

Seriously though, go to Gaia House!

(Presumably the people on this forum who live in big countries rather than tiny islands think this discussion is inherently ridiculous ;) )

RE: Retreat centres near London
Answer
9/24/12 12:38 PM as a reply to Andy W.
Thanks for the replies both of you! Sorry I've only just got round to replying myself.

A monastery does sound good, i'll give it a look. I'm hoping to goto Dhamma Dipa some time next year.

I probably still will goto gaia house, the train tickets are just pretty expensive thats all, but if you really recommend it I suppose I should go for it.

Thanks again.