Retreats & Programme
Rooted in the the buddhist teachings, especially the Forest meditation tradition of Ajahn Chah, we are inspired by nature, inner and outer. We offer meditation and eco retreats with many ways to explore and open.
Our retreats are holistic, helping us to be present and connected in body and mind. Re-minding us of our intimate links with the natural world, they are nourished also by sustainable living.
TYPES OF RETREATS WE OFFER
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Scheduled guided retreats
Our retreats are silent apart from the activity retreats where there are times of speaking.
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sitting retreats
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contemplative walking retreats
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group activity retreats
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chanting retreats
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solitary retreat times in community
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Throughout the season
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activity retreats for individuals: sharing in the daily routine of Ekuthuleni, including daily sittings, guided meditations and working together on eco projects. Offers the great possibility of integrating meditation and activity.
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locals: you are welcome to come and join our morning and evening meditations. You can also contact us about retreat days or weekends.
Spiritual influences
Also, rooted as we are in buddhist teachings, we are inspired by many different paths and invite participation from people of all faiths and spiritual leanings
Spoken language
Retreats are offered in English or in French with translation on certain retreats
TEACHERS AT EKUTHULENI
Guided retreats are facilitated by Noon and other teachers who inspire and resonate with the vision of Ekuthuleni. In the last few years this has included especially nuns (and ex nuns) of the forest tradition and teachers from Nirodha in Finland, as well as Jaya from Open Dharma.
2024 RETREAT SCHEDULE
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Retraites à ekuthuleni
With Noon Baldwin
1st to 7th and 7th to 14th February 2024
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A time to share dhamma, to follow one's own schedule & a moment of log cabin community life. Warmed by wood stoves & human hearts, nestled on a sunlit plateau in a wild valley, leading into endless hills of peaceful forests.
SILENT MEDITATION - NATURE - SOLO TIME - COMMUNITY - GUIDED MEDITATIONS & ONE ON ONE’S AS NEEDED
Retraites à ekuthuleni
With Noon Baldwin
28th March to 3rd April 2024
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Finding keys to living sustainably, through meditation, ecological building, permaculture & Focusing.
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SILENT AND GUIDED MEDITATIONS - DHARMA TEACHINGS - FOCUSING DIALOGUES - ORCHARD VISIONING & HEDGE PLANTING - IN FULL NATURE- COMMUNITY LIFE- INTEGRATING MEDITATION INTO DAILY LIFE
Retraites à ekuthuleni
With Ayya Brahmavara & Noon
10th to 15th July
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This silent retreat will offer dhamma teachings, guided & silent meditations, one to one support, time for Q & A's, meditative walking, buddhist chanting.
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Come home to this body and mind to ground and resource ourselves in order to be able to skilfully navigate the stormy seas and many challenges that present themselves in our life, the life of all beings around us and globally.
The teachings of the Buddha are always relevant and immediate, inviting us to come and see for ourselves, to be experienced individually by the wise. Here is an opportunity to learn more from the Buddha, to practise the great Dhamma teachings he gave and to be guided and protected by the wisdom and compassion that arise as we do so.
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More Information available soon ...
CHANTING - SILENT WALKS TOGETHER - COMMUNITY - MEDITATIONS & ONE TO ONE SUPPORT- DHARMA DIALOGUES
Retraites à ekuthuleni
Janna Ferret & Noon
23rd to 27th July
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Gospel, African spiritual chants, mantras...( this is not a singing course: no need to be a singer!),meditation guidance, dhamma talks,silent walking.
CHANTING - NATURE - COMMUNITY - GUIDED MEDITATIONS & DHAMMA TALKS- SILENT WALKS
Retraites à ekuthuleni
15th to 20th August
With Noon Baldwin & Tisara
Relaxing & Activity for our bodies & minds. Meditation, making natural clay walls, clay sculptures, times of silence, times for community connecting.
NATURE - - MEDITATIONS & ONE TO ONE SUPPORT- YOGA & SENSUAL MOVEMENT- SOMATIC BODYWORK & DRAWING- LAST DAY: EXSTATIC DANCE ENDING WITH SOUND BOWLS.
Retraites à ekuthuleni
6th to 12th September With Noon
This meditation retreat will be a "Yatra": a meditative walking retreat, with dhamma talks, guided & silent meditation times, poetry sharings, community life together in a friendly campsite by a river & time to breath the fresh air of the high mountains with many quiet lakes.
A pilgrimage with no aim to get anywhere, just feeling the ground under our feet, being present with the movement of our bodies… & listening to poetry, & allowing words to flow into our own poems.
SILENT AND GUIDED MEDITATIONS - DHARMA TEACHINGS - IN FULL NATURE
Retraites à ekuthuleni
Deep Rest Retreat
With Jaya Ashmore
28th of September to October 4th
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Silence and finely tuned meditation instructions in an atmosphere of welcome help us drop out of our programmed ways of operating. As we fall more in touch with our direct experience, we may be surprised by many things: how busy the mind is, how rich our innate capacities already are, how simple and important to meet what we had avoided, how sweet to touch aliveness beyond ideas.
SILENT & GUIDED MEDITATIONS - SANGHA - MEDITATING
Retraites à ekuthuleni
Dates TBC
SILENT MEDITATION - NATURE - SOLO TIME - COMMUNITY - GUIDED MEDITATIONS & ONE ON ONE’S AS NEEDED
Retraites à ekuthuleni
Resting into daily life, letting the knots unravel.
Ekuthuleni is also open for people to come to stay to join in a schedule of meditation & daily life practice. This includes day to day chores & activities we run to maintain the center as a sustainable & contemplative place.
SILENT & GUIDED MEDITATIONS - ALONE TIME AND COMMUNITY - ONE TO ONES
"If it isn't good let it die. If it doesn't die, make it good."
Ajahn Chah​
