Date/Time
Date(s) - 21 Jun 2025 - 26 Jun 2025
8:30 am - 8:30 pm

What Others Are Saying:

I feel really moved meditating under your guidance in this retreat. Tears streamed down my face during the talk. Feeling, not just intellectually knowing, that there is a way to freedom, there is a way to end suffering. And I feel like I really live a good life, but that feeling of liberation, that I sense coming from you is so profound and all pervasive, that no joy or peace I have ever experienced gets near it. I want to make full use of my time with you. Let go and surrender to the truth, even though it is hard at times.

~ Susanne, a participant in Ajahn Brahm & Ven Canda’s “Wisdom of Silence” online retreat, June 2024

About The Retreat

Join Ajahn Brahm and Ven Canda for an inspiring online retreat this summer! Over six transformative days, the teachers will guide you through profound teachings and meditation practices, helping you discover inner peace and true freedom—all from the comfort of your own home (or a lovely place of your choice).

Ajahn Brahm & Ven Canda are renowned for creating safe and loving spaces for learning the Dhamma and their complimentary styles present a rich offering that combines story-telling, compassion and wisdom. Practical insights for overcoming life’s challenges and finding joy in the moment are given through the use of examples from their many decades of Buddhist practice and meditation. Through engaging talks, guided meditations and opportunities for Q&A, you will learn how to navigate the challenges of life with a calm and open heart, finding freedom from the burdens of stress, worry and afflictive emotions.

“Finding Freedom” is an invitation to uncover the peace and joy that reside within you. The teachers will share insights on how to let go of attachments, embrace impermanence and cultivate a mind that is free from suffering. Their teachings will inspire you to live with greater awareness, kindness and resilience, no matter what is happening in your life.

Whether you are new to meditation or have years of experience, the teachers’ gentle, encouraging approach will ensure that everyone, of every gender, background and skill level, can benefit from this retreat. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your life and discover the true essence of freedom!

Full attendance is ideal to make the most of your retreat. Please be sure to give yourself the very best opportunity for developing inner freedom!

As this is an online home-retreat, you may choose whether you wish to observe the Eight Precepts or the Five Precepts.

The Ethical Precepts

Venerable Ānanda once asked the Buddha:

“Venerable, what is the purpose and benefit of skillful ethics (sila)?” The Buddha answered, “So, Ānanda, the purpose and benefit of skillful ethics is not having regrets (avippati). The purpose and benefit of not having regrets is joy (pamojja). The purpose and benefit of joy is bliss (piti). The purpose and benefit of bliss is tranquillity (passaddhi). The purpose and benefit of tranquillity is happiness (sukha). The purpose and benefit of happiness is stillness (samadhi). The purpose and benefit of stillness is seeing things as they truly are. The purpose and benefit of seeing things as they truly are is revulsion (nibbida). The purpose and benefit of revulsion is dispassion or fading away (viraga). The purpose and benefit of dispassion is knowledge and vision of liberation (vimuttinyanadassana). So, Ānanda, skillful ethics progressively leads up to the highest.” (Anguttara Nikaya 11.1)

This profound and beautiful teaching shows us how practicing ethical precepts creates the happiness that becomes an essential foundation for deep meditation. We therefore warmly encourage you to take the precepts – and you may choose whether you wish to observe the five or the eight precepts, during the retreat.

The Five Precepts – Pañcasīla

I undertake the training-precept to abstain from killing living beings.

Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from taking what is not given.

Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from sexual misconduct.

Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from false speech.

Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from alcoholic drink or drugs that cloud the mind and cause heedlessness.

Surā meraya majja pamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.

The Eight Precepts – Aṭṭhaṅgasīla

I undertake the training-precept to abstain from killing living beings.

Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from taking what is not given.

Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from all sexual conduct.

Abrahmacariyā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from false speech.

Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from alcoholic drink or drugs that cloud the mind and cause heedlessness.

Surā meraya majja pamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from eating at the wrong time (after solar noon).

Vikāla bhojanā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing jewellery, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.

Nacca gīta vādita visūkadassanā mālā gandha vilepana dhārana maṇḍana vibhūsanaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.
I undertake the training-precept to abstain from using high or luxurious beds and seats.

Uccāsayana mahāsayanā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.

Tentative Retreat Schedule

(8:30 on 21st Jun ~ 17:00 on 26th Jun, UK time ~ BST)

The retreat starts at 8:30 on Saturday 21st June, and finishes at 17:00 on Thursday 26th June. On the last day, there will be an opportunity to share your experience with other retreatants and ends with a blessing. The schedule is deliberately designed to be spacious and allow for plenty of personal practice time and rest, so that you can take a break from the screen and find a supportive rhythm and pace. You will be guided as to how best to make use of your personal practice time and given instructions in walking meditation.

*Please note that the bold-type indicates online group sessions.

Sat 21st June:

08:30 – 10:30 Dhamma talk, guided meditation (Ajahn Brahm)
10:30 – 12:30 Cooking and lunchtime for those on 8 precepts offline
12:30 – 15:00 Rest and personal practice offline
15:00 – 15:45 Guided Meditation with (alternate days) Ajahn Brahm or Ven Canda
16:00 – 17:00 Sutta teachings and discussion with (alternate days) Ajahn Brahm or Ven Canda
17:00 – 18:30 Personal practice offline
18:30 – 19:20 Metta chanting and silent group meditation
19:30 – 20:30 Q&A with Ajahn Brahm and/or Ven Canda

Sun 22nd – Wed 25th June:

06:00 – 07:00 Recommended morning meditation, offline
08:30 – 10:30 Dhamma talk, guided meditation (Ajahn Brahm)
10:30 – 12:30 Cooking and lunchtime for those on 8 precepts offline
12:30 – 15:00 Rest and personal practice offline
15:00 – 15:45 Guided Meditation with (alternate days) Ajahn Brahm or Ven Canda
16:00 – 17:00 Sutta teachings and discussion with (alternate days) Ajahn Brahm or Ven Canda
17:00 – 18:30 Personal practice offline
18:30 – 19:20 Metta chanting and silent group meditation
19:30 – 20:30 Q&A with Ajahn Brahm and/or Ven Canda

Thu 26th June:

06:00 – 07:00 Recommended morning meditation, offline
08:30 – 10:30 Dhamma talk, guided meditation (Ajahn Brahm)
10:30 – 12:30 Cooking and lunchtime for those on 8 precepts offline
12:30 – 14:30 Rest and personal practice offline
14:30 – 15:15 Closing Dhamma Talk (Ajahn Brahm)
15:30 – 17:00 Small group meetings, Q&A (both) and final blessing (Ven Canda)

*Full time attendance – including the personal practice period – is advisable for this retreat, so you can experience the full potential of the practice and participate in creating a conducive community space. Due to the time zone, it will therefore work best for people in the UK and Europe (or the east coast of the US if you are willing to adopt forest monastery time and rise early!) If most of the online schedule will not work for you, we kindly ask that you leave the space for someone else and instead watch the recordings once we upload them to our YouTube channel.

Please check the retreat schedule against your time zone here.

How To Have A Home Retreat

Practicing in an online retreat can be a very rewarding experience. Unlike simply watching online teachings on your own, you become part of a mutually supportive spiritual community. An online retreat also differs from an in-person retreat, by giving you the opportunity to carve out a tailor-made space for yourself, (at home or in a place of your choice), where you can dedicate yourself to silent practice without the usual distractions and disturbances, and gain confidence in your ability to practice wherever you are.

To support yourself in this process, Noble Silence is encouraged throughout the retreat. This means remaining in silence as much as possible and abstaining from the use of electronic devices, especially mobile phones! It is also important to attend all or most of the online sessions so you can receive proper teacher guidance.

To help you decide whether this format would suit you, we offer some thoughts about the benefits of an online retreat and consider some of the potential challenges – as well as possible solutions – so you can make fruitful use of your time.

Benefits:

Continuity of practice which helps you gain more benefit from meditation
Safety, intimacy and support of an enclosed group
Opportunity for personal guidance through questions to the teachers
Increased confidence in your ability to practice wherever you are
The food that suits your tummy ~ and no one snoring in your dorm!

Challenges and solutions:

If you are living alone you have a ready-made hermitage! Turn off your phone, put on the vacation responder and do your weekly shop in advance. Use ear plugs if it is especially noisy and take a walk in a peaceful park at the quietest times of day. This will help you immensely in observing Noble Silence and cultivating sense restraint, which inclines the mind toward inner happiness and facilitates quietening the mind.

For those who do not live alone, home retreats may pose the challenge being around family members, friends or lodgers who are not on retreat! In this case, you may need to put a few extra measures in place to enable you to observe Noble Silence and maintain your inner focus. Perhaps consider asking them to support you on retreat by keeping interactions to an absolute minimum and having a note system for any absolutely necessary communication. Maybe someone kind could offer to cook your favourite food and leave your meals outside your door, or you could arrange times to use the kitchen alone? If you have children or teens it might be difficult to keep the noise down, so you could consider booking into a quiet hotel or apartment and tune in to the sessions from there.

Registration Fees

The registration fee ensures your commitment to attending the retreat, as we generally experience a 25% no-show rate to online events. Places are limited, so when this happens others may lose a potentially life changing opportunity to practice.

The registration fee also helps cover the administrative costs of running our Charity and Monastery, which includes IT, electricity, council tax, and other expenses. If you are unable to afford this, please contact us. Alternatively, you may choose to watch the recordings once we upload them to our YouTube channel.

The retreat teachings themselves are offered on a donation basis. Our volunteers have generously organised this in their own free time, and neither they nor the two teachers receive any remuneration. To help us continue spreading the Dhamma, you will be invited to offer donations at the end of the retreat. Your donations help us build the Bhikkhuni Sangha by providing monastic requisites and helping us develop and maintain Anukampa Grove Bhikkhuni Monastery ~ the physical hub of our community and training place for bhikkhunis in the UK ~ to help it become a haven of peace for more people. Please give with a heart of generosity and joy, whilst respecting your own personal financial situation.

Please note that the registration fee is NON REFUNDABLE.

Application Procedure

1. *Please ensure you have read all the above information carefully before you fill the application form below!

2. After submitting your application form, you should receive an email confirming that we have received it within a few minutes. Please check your junk mail inbox if you do not receive it. If it is not in your junk folder please contact us; you might have submitted a wrong email address! We advise you to add our email address, bookings@anukampaproject.org, as a contact to prevent emails from us going into your junk folder.

3. We aim to approve your application within a day or two. Once your application is approved, your registration fee is needed to secure your place. Upon receipt, your ticket will be automatically sent to you.

Joining from the same household

If more than one person from the same household wishes to join the retreat, please make separate bookings and log in from separate computers. This ensures our numbers are manageable for the Q&A sessions and enables you to practice as though alone.

~ IMPORTANT !! ~ Before you fill in the application form YOU MUST REFRESH your browser by pressing F5 or clicking the ↺ reload sign. This will update the form to show the current number of spaces available.

Bookings

£170

Registration Information

Booker details

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Have you attended a Buddhist meditation retreat before? If yes, please give details. *

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Do you have a regular home meditation practice? If yes, please describe. *

Do you have any physical condition that may be aggravated by sitting and walking meditation ? Please describe : *

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Are you currently taking any medication for any physical or psychological condition? If yes, please specify the condition and list medications and dosage: *

Are there any particular issues you are working through currently eg depression, anxiety, or bereavement? *

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If you are not from the UK, what time is it 8:00 and 20:30 BST/UK Time, in your time zone? And are you able to manage this time difference? (Please answer in details so we can consider your application)

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For the Waiting List applicants: Are you able to join the retreat on a short notice? Please give us detailed information on your availability.

Thank you for filling in this form! We will contact you after we have reviewed your application and at that time your registration fee will be due. We will then send you your confirmation. Please note that the registration fee is NON REFUNDABLE. *

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