At Home with the Elements - Be with the Trees - Online Retreat 2023

This event is no longer open for bookings

Led by: Various
Location: Online
Ticket cost: £75/ £100/ £125 or £35 then dana - see below for more on this. 
Experience level: Open to all. 
Age group: Adults

 

The imagination is the rich ground into which the truth roots and out of which pours forth image, symbol and riches.

- Maitridevi, Imagining the Earth - Free Buddhist Audio, 2022

 

Our yearly journey with the elements takes us through the forest in 2023.

 

Our relationship to the trees that we depend on and share our world with is special – and often unseen. Our exploration takes us from the soil and mycelium up to the leaves and out into the seasons and our sense of time.

 

With daily meditation and Dharma talks every other day, you can spend time connected to community as well as the elements around you.

 

We have our opening ceremony at 7.30pm, 12th February and then the meditations begin the next morning. After that we’ll spend two days in each element with the following themes:

  • Earth with Subhadassi- roots and soil
  • Water with Viryanaya - capillaries, sap rising and the special tides of trees
  • Fire with Singhashri - wood and warmth
  • Air with Dhivan- leaves and breathing with trees
  • Space with Ratnadeva - life cycles and seasonality (impermanence)
  • Consciousness with Maitridevi- mycelium, ecological interconnectedness and sangha

The last two days are devoted to overview and bring it all together with Amaragita. 

Here is a link to full programme

Allow yourself to be inspired and nourished by the imagination while gently guided through the beauty of an elemental forest.

 

How does it work? 

We’ll be hosting sessions on Zoom. Links and further details will be sent out by 8.30pm, 10th February, 2023. 

The first event will be the opening ceremony on the evening of 12th February. The first morning meditation will be 7.30am, 13th February and the closing ceremony will be in the evening on 26th February. Each day there will be a meditation at 7.30am and then on one day of each element there will be an evening Dharma talk at 7.30pm. The closing ritual will be on 26th February in the evening. 

As we change from one element to the next, you will receive another email with thoughts, details and other loveliness. Emails will be sent via Mailchimp.

If you book your place after 10th February you will receive the event details email from us as soon as possible but definitely by 8.30pm on the day that you book.

Please check your spam and other folders for the preparatory email on 10th February or after you book. Get in touch ASAP if you don’t have anything so we can make sure you are receiving the emails that will be sent during the event.

 

Programme

We will be focused on each element for two days at a time and then all six elements for the final two days. Dates for these are: 

  • Opening ceremony - 12th
  • Earth - 13th & 14th 
  • Water - 15th & 16th
  • Fire - 17th & 18th
  • Air - 19th & 20th
  • Space - 21st & 22nd
  • Consciousness - 23rd & 24th
  • Six Elements - 25th & 26th (Closing ceremony on 26th) 

A full fortnight of events can seem overwhelming so we suggest that you choose the path that works for you. You are invited to listen deeply to your needs and take what nourishes you from this event. There is no obligation to attend a certain number of sessions and you are welcome whenever you can make it. Here are a few suggested ways to journey through... 

Give me all the love
Attend everything and soak up everything on offer.

Weekend Dharma warrior
Working during the week? Meditations are held at 7.30am so maybe you can sneak a little practice in before you go. And we’ll have recordings available so you can catch up on missed sessions at the weekend.

Pick an element, any element
You could pick your favourite element and commit to everything in those two days - each block is designed to be self-contained.

So tired of Zoom?
The support emails will be awesome and full of ways to be independent of Zoom – just read those. But the magic is that you know you’re on a journey with others – you’re connected to it all. We will be uploading videos for catch up but we can’t guarantee the timings on when they will be posted.

 

Recordings

We will endeavour to record sessions and get them online asap for catch up but unfortunately, we cannot offer any guarantees as to how quickly this will happen after the original broadcast.

 

How much does it cost?

As well as a way to connect through the Dharma and other expressions of joy, this is a chance for you to support Buddhafield. We have two ticket options to suit different pockets and temperaments. 

Option 1
If you prefer to commit to the whole fortnight, need the motivation of having bought a full-price ticket or you want to be clear upfront about the give, you can buy your ticket for the whole event at the tier that feels right for you financially - £75/ £100/ £125. You can still give throughout the two weeks if you feel moved but you also can relax knowing you’re covered. 

Option 2
If you want access but you’re not sure how much you will attend and you are happy to commit to ‘donate as you go’, you can pay a £35 deposit and then offer dana throughout the retreat. We ask that you donate £2-10 for each event you attend, via our donation platform.

 

Further info & terms and conditions

  • Tickets for this event are non-refundable. Exceptional circumstances will be considered. Please email information@buddhafield.com with further details.
  • The published programme will be as accurate as possible but will be subject to change at the discretion of the organisers. Up-to-date programme information will be available via www.buddhafield.com as well as sent with the daily emails.
  • We cannot be held responsible for any technical difficulties that prevent your participation in a specific session within the programme. However, we are, of course, on hand to help prevent this. 
  • The minimum age for this event is 18. Anyone under this age must be accompanied by an adult and hold an adult ticket. We may ask for proof of age for anyone attending an event.
  • Most of the Zoom sessions will be recorded. By taking part, you indicate that you agree to this recording and subsequent sharing of the recording on our website and social media channels.
  • We do not want to exclude anyone on the basis of financial hardship. Please get in touch if you need a discounted ticket. We have a limited number of subsidised places available.