mudra retreats

Developing the practice of Vajrayana

Meditation retreats and study retreats Led by

Rob Preece and Anna Murray-Preece

Retreats exploring the practice of Buddhist Tantra through the experience of meditation and movement.

  
 

Meditation retreats

The Tantric or Vajrayana school of Buddhism has a living lineage of experience passed down from the time of the Buddha and held in tact within the Tibetan tradition. During the past forty years Tantra has gradually been introduced to the west. Today it still remains one of the most profound esoteric approaches to spiritual transformation.

At the heart of Tantra is the principle of creative transformation, embodying and manifesting our essential nature in the world creatively and compassionately. To understand Tantra requires experience, not just intellectual knowledge. These retreat will focus upon specific themes of meditation aimed at providing a foundation of practice that can be built upon and deepened.

The purpose of these retreats is to provide an opportunity for those with some experience of meditation, to continue to develop their practice. They will also offer an introduction to meditation from the Tantric tradition for those who have not explored this kind of practice.

During these retreats many of the fundamentals of Buddhist psychology will be introduced. The heart of meditation will be the practice of Mahamudra for the cultivation of clarity and insight into the nature of the mind as well as exploration of the principles of deity practice central to Buddhist Tantra.

In the residential retreats meditation will be supported by a style of free movement that helps to embody experience more fully and adds a dynamic expression of our vitality. This movement helps the transformation and release of stagnant, blocked energy in the body which can result from prolonged sitting. It also facilitates the process of grounding and integrating meditation through the body.

These retreats are silent but time is provided for discussion and exploration of problems that can arise in integrating meditation practice. Those who attend these retreats are welcome to receive further mentoring to support on going practice if they so wish.

 

Retreat Programme

2008

BRISTOL (Non-residential)

with Rob Preece

2008: January 5-6

April 12-13

June 28-29

Venue: The Coach House, 40a Eastfield, Westbury on Trym, Bristol

Fee: £85 per weekend

Times: 9.45 - 5.30 Saturday 9.45 - 4.30 Sunday

Book early to reserve your place. Please note that your place cannot be held withouit a deposit of £40. Places are limited.

DEVON (Residential Retreat)

Vajrasattva retreat

with Rob Preece and Anna Murray Preece

2008: Feb 8-15

Times: To be clarified

Accommodation Fee: To be clarified

Venue: Brimpts Farm, Datrmeet, Devon

 

For information and to apply contact: robpreece@mudra.co.uk

or phone 01364 654044

For details of Rob and Anna go to Biography

  

 

Foundations

Study retreats led by Rob Preece in Bristol

Weekend study retreats exploring the essential foundations of the Tibetan Buddhist practice.

 

Study retreats
The Tibetan tradition of Buddhism is a comprehensive synthesis of both Sutra and Tantra. The Tantric path is one of the most profound aspects of the Buddha’s teachings and to engage in it requires a combination of dedicated skillful practice and sound understanding of the principles upon which it is based.


Many people are interested in practicing the advanced teachings of the Tibetan Tantric tradition without having a sound foundation of the path of the Bodhisattva. Without this foundation however Tantra does not bring great benefit. The traditional foundation is based upon what are sometimes called the common and uncommon preliminaries. The common preliminaries are primarily oriented towards deepening an understanding of the Sutra aspect of the Buddha’s teaching and the cultivation of the Bodhisattva's way of life. The uncommon preliminaries introduce the practitioner to processes that help to prepare the ground within which the practices of Tantra are sewn.


The aim of the foundation series of study retreats is to offer a context for study and meditation practice in which some of these foundation principles and practices can be explored. This will particularly benefit those who have already attended previous retreats as well as those who wish to begin to develop an understanding of Buddhist principles in practice. During these study weekends, which are not in silence unlike meditation retreats, there is opportunity to discuss in depth important aspects of the Buddhist path. This gives a space to address important issues relation to practice, western psychology and the relevance of Buddhist ideas within a contemporary western life.

2008 Program

The Practice of Emptiness

The three foundation weekends for the year 2008 will explore the practice of emptiness and dependent origination. The understanding of emptiness or Shunyata is at the heart of Buddhist philosophy. It is the insight that cuts through the ignorance that binds us within the cycle of existence. Once we have seen through the veil that obscures the true nature of reality we are on the road to the liberation from suffering.

During these weekends we will explore the two primary ingredient in the understanding of emptiness one is know as Shi.ne (Sanskrit: Vipassana) or penetrative insight. The other is Lhak.tong (Sanskrit: Samadi) or tranquil abiding. Together these two practices bring about a state of mind that has the power to see deeply into the nature of reality.

These three study weekends will be valuable to anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of the basic principles of the Buddhist path. They also form a foundation vital for developing the practice of Tantra.

For further information contact Rob .


 

  

2008 PROGRAMME
in
Bristol
(Non-residential)

March 8-9; May17-18; July19-20

The Practice of Emptiness


Fee: £255 for the three weekends. (£85 deposit)


Times: 9.45 - 5.30 Saturday
9.45 - 4.30 Sunday
Venue: Bristol


For further details or to apply contact:
robpreece@mudra.co.uk

or phone 01364 654044

To reserve a place please send
a deposit of £85
(Please make cheques payable to
Rob Preece)
Please note: A place cannot be held without a deposit and deposits are non-returnable unless your
place can be filled. Numbers are limited.