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Meditation Centres
| Amaravati Buddhist Monastery and Retreat Centre
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Amaravati is set in beautiful, rural surroundings in Hertfordshire (UK). It is
a working monastery of the Theravadan, Forest tradition of Northern Thailand with numerous monks
(bhikku's) and nuns (siladhara's) in residence. Amaravati offers a variety of opportunities
for a deeper personal understanding of Buddhism and of oneself, in an environment that encourages
peaceful reflection. Visitors come from all over the world. Some stay for a day, a weekend or longer,
perhaps to bring an offering, to learn meditation, or to have a time of refuge from the stresses
of the world. The site includes a self-contained Retreat Centre, itself offering a full programme
of formal meditation retreats, each one led by a senior member of the monastic community.
The programme includes weekend retreats of an introductory nature, while longer retreats provide an
occasion for deeper investigation and practise of meditation. Broadly speaking, the teaching
is from the vipassana or ‘insight’ meditation tradition; on some retreats a particular theme
or approach to practice is emphasised. Advance booking is necessary for all retreats, many are filled
weeks or months beforehand. Always check with the Guest Monk or Guest Nun before visiting Amaravati.
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| Gaia House
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Set in a former convent among the gentle hills and woodlands of South Devon, Gaia House offers a sanctuary of contemplative calm open to all. Founded in 1984, Gaia House is the only non-affiliated retreat centre in Britain which offers guidance in different meditative disciplines from the Buddhist traditions. Our retreats are designed for both experienced meditators and beginners, of any faith or none, who seek to cultivate a path of wisdom and compassion. All retreats (with the exception of the Family and Friends retreat) are held in silence and explore the essential themes of calm attentiveness, equanimity, insight, peace and freedom.
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| Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center is dedicated to the teachings of the Buddha as presented in the vipassana tradition. The practice of mindful awareness, called Insight or Vipassana Meditation, is at the heart of all the activities at Spirit Rock. The Center hosts a full program of ongoing classes, daylong programs, and residential retreats.
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| Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey
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Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey is a Buddhist monastery and retreat centre in the Serene Reflection Meditation tradition (Soto Zen). It was established in 1972 by Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett. The Abbey is under the spiritual direction of the Abbot, Rev. Master Daishin Morgan, a senior disciple of the late Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett. All are warmly invited to join the Abbey's programme of lay training. The purpose of spiritual practice is to become one with the Truth, Buddha Nature, which is at the heart of ourselves and all beings and to express this with our body, speech and mind at all times. Nothing is outside the Buddha Nature. Meditation and daily training enable us to let go of the clinging which causes suffering, thus allowing the compassion and wisdom within our hearts to enrich our lives.
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| The Meditation Centre
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THE MEDITATION CENTRE is situated in Dent Village, Cumbria, between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District and within easy reach of the M6. The Centre provides a place of stillness that anyone can use for meditation, quiet reflection or retreat, whatever their faith or belief. It is a beautiful and inspiring place with no distractions and visitors are always welcome. The Centre is open every day of the year, coffee and tea-making facilities are available, and there is a garden at the rear.
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| Plum Village Practice Center
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The Most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh (Thây), our spiritual teacher, founded the Unified Buddhist Church (Eglise Bouddhique Unifieé) in France in 1969, during the Vietnam war. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, a poet, a scholar, and a peace activist. His life long efforts to generate peace and reconciliation moved Martin Luther King, Jr. to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. He founded the Van Hanh Buddhist University in Saigon and the School for Youths of Social Services in Vietnam. When not travelling the world to teach “The Art of Mindful Living”, he teaches, writes, and gardens in Plum Village, France, a Buddhist monastery for monks and nuns and a mindfulness practice center for lay people.
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