Details:

Date: 13th -20th October 2023

Retreat Leader: David Midgley

Requirements: Everyone is welcome to participate to their capacity, physically and within their time constrains of life’s commitments.
If you are interested to attend but not for the entire duration, please email bookings@landofjoy.co.uk and we will happily endeavour to accommodate you.

Cost: Generosity Model – Donation only (via the donation form at the bottom of the page; no set amount)

Format: Onsite only.

Start & Finish Times: A schedule will be shared closer to the time

Accommodation: Land of Joy wishes for everyone who visits the centre to feel welcome, accepted, safe and secure. Our accommodation options are very limited, with mostly single sex shared accommodation and only one single room (which is sometimes needed by volunteers). This means single accommodation can only be offered to those who need it the most, but still won’t always be available. Camping can be an option at certain times of year if you have your own tent but space is very limited. Please read the relevant sections of the booking form carefully.

About the Retreat

With awareness of the ecological and climate crisis, and the challenge of hovering between
hope and despair, this retreat will take participants through a range of experiences to develop personal resilience and awareness through connection with Mother Earth and all of life.
Encounters in the environment surrounding Land of Joy, including ancient woodland, a lake and river, together with wildlife, and the spacious view of the distant horizon in the beautiful Northumberland National Park, will provide an opportunity for participants to experience the six elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space and consciousness, within the perspective of their interdependence. This practice outdoors will help generate connection with the land and sky, through meditations in the deep peace of the Land of Joy shrine room.
The concept of interdependence is fundamental to the ecological theory of Gaia; the view that the Earth’s biosphere operates as a single living entity, a super-organism that actively
maintains the conditions for life. We will relate this concept to the intuitive direct experience of our essential relationship with Nature arising from the outdoor sessions, and go on to explore how as individuals and as a human community we can best respond to the existential threats to the natural world posed by misdirected human activity.

Retreatants will need clothing suitable for outdoors in all weathers. Be prepared for cold and wet, include mud underfoot. Wellingtons and good waterproofs are recommended.

About the Leaders

After ten years study of Western philosophy, in 1980 David met with the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and at the same time began a lifelong engagement with peace and ecological activism. In 1996 he established Jamyang Buddhist Centre Leeds, and has taught there for over 25 years. Subsequently he founded Schumacher North, an interdisciplinary forum for alternative economics, ecology and spirituality, attended the Paris Climate Summit and launched Zero Carbon Yorkshire in 2015. He now teaches Thupten Jinpa’s Compassion Cultivation Training programme and directs the annual Kinder Leeds Festival of Compassion.

A Way to Say Thank You

As we don’t receive any subsidies from other organisations we rely solely on the kind generosity of others. If you would like to make a donation to help us cover our considerable monthly costs (including via an online bank transfer or postal cheque), please choose the amount you would like to offer using the form below (or enter a custom amount), click ‘Donate’, then choose a payment method and provide all the details we require to process your donation. Your generosity will help us continue to offer beneficial services to yourself and others.

You may also like to make a regular contribution to the centre by becoming a Branch of Joy. This kind of support gifts us a steady and ongoing income, which in turn provides the confidence and means for us to continue to flourish for many years to come.

Thank you and may you be happy.

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