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

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!

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 ;) )

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.

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

International Meditation Centre UK is only a short train ride from London.

Ive been to both the International Meditation Centre UK (Mother Samaygi) and Dhamma Dipa. They are both U Ba Khin lineage "Scanning" retreats and I would recommend Dhamma Dipa for the more hardcore and pragmatic course and IMC for those feeling like they need more cake during the day (and more buddist dogma)

Amaravati Buddhist Monastery - looks good but like the other guy says, its all booked up already.
Tisarana Vihara - seems to have website down


Has anyone been on any Mahasi Sayadaw lineage "noting" retreats in the UK? I am willing to travel to find a good one....