What happens on a retreat?

A typical Samye Ling retreat starts on the Friday evening. You are free to arrive any time on the Friday afternoon and collect your room key from me.

Breakfast is at 7am. At 8.30 we do a walking meditation, then followed by chi kung and tai chi until lunch time.

Lunch is at 12.30 and this is the main meal of the day. After lunch there is free time to do what you want. Visit temple, walks or just relaxation.

4pm is tai chi time. This is a good opportunity if you want to learn the tai chi form or improve your form. This will take us up to 6pm meal time.  

Each evening at 6pm is the evening meal - this consists of soup. After which there is an optional visit to the temple for Chenrezig Prayers. After prayers until about 9.30 we have a session which will include meditation. At 9.30 it is off to the coffee shop for hot chocolate before bed (Not Sunday night). Lights out and quiet time is from 10pm.

On the Monday we finish for lunch at 12.30.

Gartmore is fairly similar. This runs Friday - Sunday. We finish around 5pm on the Sunday.

7.30 am - meditation followed by breakfast at 8.

10 -1pm chi kung/tai chi then lunch

4-7.00 tai chi teaching/practice followed by meditation session.

The evening sessions will run until 7.30 then dinner is served. There will be no session after dinner.