Refuge Retreat (Unguided)

"Going for refuge" means seeking protection from suffering in Buddha, Dharma (Buddha’s teaching) and Sangha (the spiritual community). By applying effort to receiving Buddha’s blessings, putting Dharma into practice and receiving help from Sangha, we can find inner protection from our physical suffering and mental pain.

This retreat is the perfect opportunity to strengthen our experience of refuge by deepening our reliance upon the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The refuge practice has 5 parts or meditations that are methods for developing realizations. These are:

1. Developing fear of taking rebirth in Samsara
2. Generating Faith in the Three Jewels
3. Meditating on the assembly of holy beings
4. Actually going for refuge by developing the determination to attain Dharma Jewel realizations in conjunction with relying on the Buddha Jewel and Dharma Jewel
5. Putting this determination into practice by engaging in the 6 preparatory practices and meditating on the stages of the spiritual path.

Each session includes chanted prayers and silent time for meditation practice.

We will be using the Essence of Good Fortune sadhana during this retreat.\

This retreat is free. Donations are welcome. All donations go directly towards the International Temples Project, whose mission is to build spiritual sanctuaries worldwide.

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Timetable:

Saturday (Unguided):

8.30am - 10am : Session 1

10.30am - 12pm: Session 2

1.30pm - 3pm: Session 3

3.30pm - 4.40pm: WFJ with Tsog Offering

Sunday (Unguided):

8.30am - 10am : Session 4

10.30am - 12pm: Session 5

1.30 - 3pm- Session 6

3.30pm - 4.40pm: WFJ with Meditation

** First-time participants should contact [email protected] before signing up for this retreat as some experience may be needed.