BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.8//EN TZID:Europe/London X-WR-TIMEZONE:Europe/London BEGIN:VEVENT UID:1792@anukampaproject.org DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261113T153000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261120T130000 DTSTAMP:20261103T130515Z URL:https://anukampaproject.org/events/ajahn-brahm-ajahn-canda-8-day-resid ential-retreat-the-bliss-of-enlightenment/ SUMMARY:Ajahn Brahm & Ajahn Candā: 8-Day Residential Retreat "The Bliss of Enlightenment" DESCRIPTION:\nAbout the Retreat\nImmerse yourself in the early Buddhist tea chings and experience the Noble Eightfold Path as a perfectly complete\, h olistic training ~ something to be explored\, enjoyed and allowed to unfol d in its own time. Rather than striving\, the emphasis will be on cultivat ing the conditions in which insight arises naturally\, giving rise to inne r joy and ever-deepening bliss.\n\nAt the heart of the retreat is the prac tice of letting go (vossagga) and the gradual refinement of happiness (suk ha) described in the Suttas. Grounded on virtue and as this process mature s\, such wholesome happiness becomes increasingly independent of external conditions ~ stable\, trustworthy and conducive to the ultimate happiness of Nibbana\, where all craving and suffering ceases.\n\nYou will be in saf e hands with our deeply compassionate and approachable teachers\, who brin g over seventy years (!) of combined monastic experience. Through storytel ling\, humour and wisdom\, they create a warm and loving environment that supports deep yet relaxed meditation practice.\n\nSet in the beautiful cou ntryside of rural Dorset\, the extensive grounds of Gaunts House allow for plenty of space to meditate\, relax and surround yourself with nature and views of the huge lake. This retreat also includes inspiring teachings an d guidance from both of our vastly experienced teachers\, including teachi ngs from the Early Buddhist Texts\, silent and guided meditations\, Dhamma talks and Q&\;A sessions. The schedule will be flexible and you will h ave use of two main halls\, a large sitting room\, library\, dining room a nd grounds.\n\nWe are excited to be able to hold a retreat of such a lengt h for the first time since 2018 and for the first time at this venue.\n\n \nLocation &\; Venue\nGaunts House is a large country house "from anoth er era\," set in the beautiful Dorset countryside. The quiet environment i s very conducive to peaceful meditation practice. If you bring walking boo ts you can go on lovely walks and explore the forested areas and lake (wit hout getting too muddy!). We will have sole use of the centre\, which will allow you to meditate with minimum distraction.\n\nThe venue is comprised of multiple buildings\, three of which we will be using. The accommodatio n and dining room are in the Main House\, additional accommodation is in t he Stable Block and the meditation hall is in the Barn Theatre. The Barn T heatre is located just outside the main building and it is a short walk fr om the Stable Block. Please see the map below so you are confident that yo u understand the layout.\n\nIMPORTANT INFORMATION! \n\n Please be aware that Gaunts House has limited accessibility\, as most rooms and toilets ar e on the first\, second or third floors. The nearest toilets to our medita tion hall (the Barn Theatre) are located in the Main House on the first\, second and top floors. This means you need to be fit enough to walk up and down stairs (there is no lift!) several times a day and between meditatio n sessions to go to the toilet!\n Gaunts House has a "Mobile-Free" policy . You must give your phone to our retreat manager for safe-keeping until t he final day of the retreat.\n\n\nAccommodation &\; Facilities\n1. Bedr ooms &\; Bathrooms\nShared rooms are allocated at our discretion on a s ame-sex basis\, with consideration given to health and age. In order to su pport stillness and investigation of one’s own inner world\, family memb ers\, friends and couples will not be able to share a room. Most shared ro oms have two or three beds with plently of clean shared bathrooms in the m ain corridor.\n\nIf you require an accessible room\, please state that in your application. There are a limited number of single and shared rooms wi th en-suite bathrooms. Those with a genuine medical need will be given pri ority.\n\nRooms in the Main House look out to a view of either the lake or beautiful big trees\, giving the feeling of truly being with nature.\n\nI f you need to use the toilet between sessions\, you will either need to go to your room or to the common toilets\, mostly located on the first and s econd floor in the main building\, so please consider your physical abilit y.\n\n[gallery link="none" size="full" columns="2" ids="13166\,13165\,1316 3\,13164"]\n2. Meditation Hall\nThe meditation hall is located in the Barn Theatre. It is a spacious\, peaceful building surrounded by trees and is just outside the Main House.\n\nMats and basic chairs will be provided for sitting\, but please bring your own cushions\, as we cannot provide them for this retreat.\n\nYou are welcome to practice walking meditation in a s eparate room called The Ballroom\, or on one of the many forest paths or t he grass lawns around the buildings.\n\n[gallery size="full" link="none" i ds="13168\,13167\,13169"]\n3. Dining Room\n The Dining Room is located on the ground floor of the Main House. It's an elegant\, spacious room with a view of the grounds on one side\, where you can enjoy a relaxed meal.\n\n Hot water\, tea and milk will be provided in the Tea Station by the Garden Door. You are advised to bring a thermos or takeaway cup if you think you may like to have tea in between meals.\n4. Food and drinks\nFood will be  simple vegetarian with a vegan option. Tea and coffee is available aroun d the clock. During this retreat we will abstain from eating in the evenin g\, to support the deepening of meditation practice. Please therefore note that only breakfast and lunch will be provided. \n\nIf you require food in the evening for medical purposes\, please ensure that you bring along s imple snacks such as flapjacks or nuts\, that can be disreetly kept in you r room.\nWhat Will I Need to Bring?\n• Meditation cushion(s) (we cannot provide cushions for this retreat\, only mats)\n• Flask (for hot water/t ea) and water bottle\n• Torch/flashlight\n• Comfortable\, warm clothes and a shawl\n• Warm jacket &\; a raincoat/umbrella\n• Outdoor boot s &\; indoor slippers\n• Toiletries (soap\, shampoo\, toothpaste\, et c.)\n• Bath towel\n• Hair dryer\n• Hot water bottle\n• Any snacks for medical purposes only\nTentative Retreat Schedule\nFriday 13th Novembe r:\n\n15:30 – 17:00 Arrival &\; settling in\n17:30 – 18:00 Introduc tion talk from Gaunts House staff in the dining room\n18:00 – 19:00 Ligh t dinner or own snacks\n19:30 – 20:30 Short welcome talk &\; guided m editation\n\nSaturday 14th – Thursday 19th November:\n\n06:00 – 07:00 Meditation\n07:00 – 08:00 Breakfast\n08:30 – 10:00 Teaching &\; gui ded meditation (Ajahn Brahm)\n10:15 – 11:10 Personal practice or group i nterviews (1 per person) on Sun\, Mon\, Tues\, Wed\n11:30 – 12:30 Lunch\ n12:30 – 15:00 Rest/ personal practice\n15:00 – 15:45 Sutta or guided meditation (Ajahn Canda)\n16:00 – 17:30 Personal practice\n17:30 – 18: 30 Tea break\n18:30 – 19:30 Q&\;A session (both teachers)\n19:45 – 20:30 Group meditation &\; metta chanting\n20:30 – Further practice o r rest\n\nFriday 20th November:\n\n06:00 – 07:00 Meditation\n07:00 – 0 9:00 Breakfast &\; pack up personal belongings\n09:00 – 10:15 Closing talk &\; metta meditation\n10:15 – 11:15 Anukampa discussion &\; dana talk\n11:30 – 12:30 Lunch\nDepartures by 14:00\n\nRetreatants must pack up on the last day of the retreat at 09:00 and leave promptly by 14:0 0.\nGetting There\nThe site’s remoteness is part of what it makes it so special\, but it does mean that some planning is required if arriving by p ublic transport.\n\nBy Air: London Heathrow or Gatwick\, Bristol\, Exeter\ , Southampton or Bournemouth.\n\nBy Coach: From All Airports there is a Co ach service to Poole https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/offers/cheap-coach -tickets Then continue by taxi from your last stop to reach Gaunts House. See "Local Taxi" section below.\n\nBy Train: London Waterloo\, Bristol Tem ple Meads to Bournemouth or Poole. Then by Coach: London Victoria and Hamm ersmith and most cities to Bournemouth or Poole. By Bus: 13 from Bournemou th or 3 from Poole to Wimborne. Then continue by taxi from your last stop to reach Gaunts House. See "Local Taxi" section below.\n\nBy Train: Our cl osest rail station is Poole but there are also travel options from Southam pton and Salisbury. Then continue by taxi from your last stop to reach Gau nts House. See "Local Taxi" section below.\n\nBy Bus Travelling Via Salisb ury: BUS 20 SALISBURY-BLANDFORD FORUM: Ask the driver to drop you at the H andley Cross roundabout. The bus leaves Salisbury (Endless Street\, stop D ) at: 08:40\, 13:10\, 16:10\, 17:50. Monday to Saturday\, 25 minute journe y\, no service Sundays.Timetable here https://bustimes.org/services/20-bla ndford-forum-salisbury Then continue by taxi from your last stop to reach Gaunts House. See "Local Taxi" section below.\n\nVia Poole: BUS NUMBER 4\, STAND E POOLE – WIMBORNE. Bus Number 4 leaving from stand E in Poole bu s station and run’s every 30 minutes to Wimborne. https://bustimes.org/s ervices/4-poole-broadstone-merley-wimborne Then continue by taxi from your last stop to reach Gaunts House. See "Local Taxi" section below.\n\nLocal Taxi: 01202 888888/884444 (approx. £25 from Bournemouth\, £22.50 from P oole and £8 from Wimborne)\n\nCar Share: Life’s a journey – share it! We ask you all to consider your environment and the effect your travel ha s on it. We will provide a ride-share spreadsheet so you can arrange to of fer a lift or share a taxi with fellow retreatants.\n\nParking is availabl e for those who are driving. For navigation\, please use Google Maps and e nter "Gaunts House Retreat\, Petersham Lane" instead of using the post cod e to bring you straight to the main building.\n\n\nCost\nThe total amount for the residential retreat is between £680 - £890 per person depending on the room type:\n• Single en-suite room (£890 per person)\n• Single room with shared bathroom (£800 per person)\n• Twin en-suite room (£7 60 per person)\n• Twin or triple room with shared bathroom (£680 per pe rson)\n\nPlease note that the retreat cost is for the venue hire only\, wh ich includes accommodation\, meals\, and use of the meditation hall\, othe r rooms and grounds. No fee is taken for the invaluable teachings! The ret reat is organised entirely by hard-working\, good-hearted Anukampa monasti cs and volunteers\, to keep costs as low as possible.\n\nAjahn Brahm is ki ndly coming all the way from Perth in Western Australia to England to supp ort Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project’s charitable aims - of spreading the Dham ma and developing Anukampa Grove. As the first residence for bhikkhunis in the UK\, Anukampa Grove gives women an opportunity to practice as bhikkhu nis and provides a place for our warm-hearted and diverse community to pra ctice and serve alongside spiritual friends. The volunteers who organise t hese retreats give their time freely\, helping us keep costs as low as pos sible.  At the end of the retreat\, there will be an opportunity to donat e towards the running costs of Anukampa Grove and requisites for the resid ent nuns.\n\nIf you would like to contribute to sponsoring costs for Ajahn Brahm\, Ajahn Candā and Samanerī Upacālā please donate here\, refere nce: 'monastic costs.'\n\nWe may be able to offer some financial assistanc e to those of limited means through our bursary fund\, collected entirely through the generosity of others.\n\nYou are welcome to donate to our burs ary fund here.\nApplication Procedure\n1. Please ensure you read all the a bove information carefully first\, and then fill in the application form b elow. At this stage you will not be required to make a payment.\n\n2. Afte r submitting your application\, you should receive an acknowledgement emai l immediately. If you do not see it\, please check your junk or spam folde r. We recommend adding our email address (bookings@anukampaproject.org) to your contacts to ensure our emails are not filtered as junk. If you do no t receive the email\, please contact us.\n\n3. We aim to approve your appl ication within two weeks. If you are applying for waiting list\, we will o nly contact you if there is space available.\n\n4. Once your application i s approved\, your registration fee is needed to secure your place. Upon re ceipt\, your ticket will be automatically emailed to you.\n\n We will allo cate your room based on the room type you selected in this application for m. When it comes to payment you must stick to the room type you originally chose in this application form\, because we have organised the room chart on the basis of your choice and cannot change it at the time of payment!\ n\nIf the room type is no longer visible to you below\, it means the room is currently taken and you can apply to be on the waiting list. If you spe cifically need a single room\, please state your reason. If a single room becomes available in the future\, we will contact you to let you know.\nCa ncellation Policy\nDue to the cancellation policy at Gaunts House\, the re gistration fee is refundable minus £150 until 13th August 2026 only. \n\n After 13th August\, no refund will be given\, unless someone on our waitin g list is able to take your place. If your ticket can be taken by someone else\, you will be refunded minus £150. Whilst we will make every effort to offer your ticket on\, we are sorry that this cannot be guaranteed.\n\n Health and community care: Please do not attend if you feel ill (e.g. if y ou have any symptoms of Covid or any other viral infections).\n\nAll ticke t proceeds go toward covering venue hire\, food and other arrangements. An y excess will go toward general running cost of Britain's first vihara (re sidence) for bhikkhunis\, "Anukampa Grove."\n\n~ IMPORTANT !! ~ To ensure you see our most up-to-date page and bookings availability\, YOU MUST RE FRESH your browser by pressing F5 OR click the ↺ reload sign on the addr ess bar. ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://anukampaproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2 026/03/Gaunts-House.jpg CATEGORIES:2026 LOCATION:Gaunts House Retreat\, Petersham Lane\, Wimborne\, Dorset\, BH21 4 JQ\, United Kingdom X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Petersham Lane\, Wimborne\, Dorset\, BH21 4JQ\, United Kingdom;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Gaunts Hous e Retreat:geo:0,0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/London BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20261025T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR