Jan 12                     Day of Practice           led by Martin Evans

                            Feb 09                     Day of Practice           led by Nick Carroll

                            Mar 09                     Day of Practice           led by Jenna Ghouse

                            April 12 – 14            Weekend Retreat

                            May 11                    Day of Practice

                            Jun 01                     Day of Practice  

                            July 12 – 14            Weekend Retreat

                            Aug 10                    Day of Practice  

                            Aug 30 – Sept 3     5-day Retreat

                            Sept 28                   Day of Practice  

                            Nov 09                    Day of Practice  

                            Dec14                     Day of Practice  

Once a year we organise a slightly different Day of Practice which happens the day before the Kathina celebration – one of the two main Buddhist festival days at the monastery.

Registration is from 9.30am in Retreat Centre Kitchen for a 9.45am orientation talk and 10am talk from Ajahn Amaro (in the RC Kitchen).   That will be followed by an opportunity to volunteer to assist in the preparations for the Kathina festival from 10.15am to 11.15am. Bring warm outdoor clothing and suitable footwear if you would like to volunteer for leaf sweeping.

At 11.15 am we will all gather in the Retreat Centre Shrine Room for meditation. There will be a shared meal at 12.30pm.  In the afternoon Ajahn Amaro will give a talk, followed by questions and answers.  The day will be facilitated by Martin Evans.

Please bring some vegetarian food to share if you can.  No booking required.  All are welcome.  There is no charge but there will be an opportunity to make a donation towards the running costs of the Retreat Centre.   Donations can be made by cash or cheque.

During this day of practice, we will be exploring how self acceptance and
compassion can support us not only in times of difficulty but also during our daily
lives.  We will start to discover how simple self-compassion practices can help us to
develop inner resilience and how they can impact positively on our relationships
with others.
The day, which will be led by Jenni Jepson and Chris Blain, will include periods of
sitting and walking meditation, reflections and sharing on the theme.
Meet in the Retreat Centre Kitchen from 9.30am for a 9.45am orientation talk and a
10am start. Please bring some pre-prepared vegetarian food for a shared lunch if
you can. The event will finish at 5pm.
All are welcome, including beginners and newcomers to Amaravati. No booking is
required and there is no fee, though donations towards the running costs of the retreat centre are always appreciated.

The uncomfortable truth is that freedom from suffering is only possible through facing reality, not through running away from it.  We learn nothing from running away – yet we can be very reluctant to let go of our strategies to escape from suffering, and we may not even be aware of them. Turning towards and facing the uncomfortable truth – this is the point of Buddhist meditation.    

The primary focus of the retreat will be meditation and mindfulness, and there will be opportunities for Q&A and discussion on the theme.  All welcome – although previous meditation experience is desirable before undertaking a 5 day retreat.

To book on our retreats click on the ALBA Retreats page and complete the booking form.

11 August – day of practice – Awakening to Life – led by Jenna Ghouse

1 September – day of practice – Self Compassion – led by Jenni Jepson and Chris Blain

26-28 October – weekend retreat- led by Nick Carroll

17 November – day of practice (day before Kathina) – led by Ajahn Amaro

15 December – day of practice – led by Nick Carroll

Days of Practice start at 10am unless otherwise stated – registration from 9.15am – please aim to arrive by 9.45am.  No booking is required.  There will be a shared lunch – bring some vegetarian food (which doesn’t need any preparation) to share if you can. 

Retreats (in bold) require prior booking by completing the ALBA retreat booking form. For more information view our web page about ALBA retreats or email: buddhacommunity@gmail.com.

All events take place at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery Retreat Centre.

Please note that ALBA retreats must be booked by completing the ALBA retreat booking form. To learn more about our retreats view the web page about ALBA retreats. All retreats and Days of Practice are held at Amaravati Retreat Centre. ALBA retreats are led by lay Buddhist teachers from the Theravada Forest Sangha Tradition.

The retreat on 26-28 October 2018 is fully booked and the waiting list is c;losed.

You can now book on ALBA retreats for 2019:

12-14 April 2019 – weekend retreat

12-14 July 2019 – weekend retreat

Aug 30 – Sept 3 2019 – 5-day Retreat