The Radiant Quality of Loving Kindness - a two-day retreat
Schedule
Fri, 02 Jan, 2026 at 10:00 am
UTC+00:00Location
Whirlow Spirituality Centre at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit | Sheffield, EN
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*Online tickets are still available with a choice of ticket options.In-person tickets are now fully booked. There is a waiting list. Please choose the supported ticket option if you wish to be placed on the waiting list. This is a reduced rate but is open to everyone.*
You are warmly invited to join a two-day, non-residential, silent meditation retreat devoted to the cultivation of loving-kindness (mettā), the boundless friendliness taught by the Buddha as one of the four divine abidings. Through Dhamma reflection, guided meditation and discussion, we will learn how to cultivate goodwill toward all beings including ourselves and discover how this simple yet profound practice can steady the mind, soften the heart and nurture joy and genuine connection.
Loving-kindness is not a secondary or sentimental practice, but a direct expression of wisdom, a way of seeing clearly that all beings seek happiness and freedom from pain. As the heart becomes more open and inclusive, joy arises, not as fleeting emotion, but as the quiet happiness of understanding. In this way, mettā becomes both the foundation and the fruit of practice: a radiant mind grounded in wisdom and joy, able to meet the world with compassion, courage and peace.
On this retreat we will have periods of stillness and walking meditation as well as meditation instructions and reflections. There will also be opportunities for questions and discussion with the teacher.
This retreat is suitable for beginners and those wishing to refresh their practice.
About the teacher
Venerable Canda first encountered the Dhamma in India in 1996 and went on to meditate and serve on numerous Vipassana retreats, before ordaining in Myanmar in 2006. In 2012, she moved to Australia where she received full bhikkhunī ordination under the guidance of her teacher Ajahn Brahm.
For the past ten years, Ven. Canda has been leading a UK charity dedicated to establishing a monastery where, for the first time in the nation’s history, women can train as fully ordained members of the Saṅgha. In March 2024, this cherished vision began to take shape with the acquisition of a suitable property in the secluded hamlet of Boars Hill near Oxford. Whilst the monastery, Anukampa Grove, serves primarily as a residence for bhikkhunīs, it also welcomes people of every gender identity, race, sexual orientation, and background to visit or stay as guests, providing an opportunity to deepen practice within an inclusive, loving community.
Alongside this work, Ven. Canda teaches widely and spends several months each year on silent retreat. Her teachings draw deeply from the Early Buddhist texts and emphasise loving-kindness and letting go as essential supports for developing samādhi (stillness) and the liberating wisdom that follows.
Sample talk:
We expect this retreat to be popular, and so would advise booking early to secure your place if you intend to come. You can book your place here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-radiant-quality-of-loving-kindness-tickets-1921601203929?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl
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Where is it happening?
Whirlow Spirituality Centre at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Sheffield, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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