To attend this retreat you will need to have been regularly meditating for at least two years and regularly attend retreats, a centre or a group within the context of the Triratna Buddhist Community. You must also be comfortable with extended periods of sitting meditation, Buddhist devotional practice and spending most of the retreat in silence.
‘The uncarved block’ is a central image in the Taoist tradition. It represents a way of being that has limitless potential and creativity. It also suggest that there is a way of experiencing that goes beyond, or perhaps below, our conditioned sense of self, free from manipulation and the need to seek a sense of control and dominance of other and the world. It is perhaps also something of a remembering of our natural state, unshaped by craving and fear. We will together on the retreat create the conditions that can support such an experience through meditation and ritual, periods of silence and living in solidarity with one another.
Paramananda has been teaching meditation and leading retreats around the world for over 30 years and is also a poet and author of four books on meditation: Change Your Mind, A Deeper Beauty, The Body and The Myth of Meditation.
Mandarava regularly leads retreats at Rivendell and is an artist, puppet maker and story teller, who has a particular gift for creating meaningful and engaging rituals within the context of retreats.
Concession information
Unfortunately, due to this requirement to restrict our retreat numbers we will not be able to offer a concessionary rate. This decision had to be made as Rivendell’s current financial situation is of great concern – we had to close for most of 2020 and this has had a seriously detrimental effect on our finances.
Change to cancellation policy
If you wish to cancel, we now require a minimum notice of 4 calendar weeks before a retreat is due to take place, in order that a refund will be possible. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable in any circumstances. If you cancel and we can't replace you, you will be required to pay half the total cost of the retreat. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel, as there may be other people waiting for a place on the retreat to become available. It will still be on the basis that we can the fill your space.
However, if Rivendell has to cancel your retreat due to increased Covid restrictions, then you will be given the option of a refund, to transfer your money to another retreat, or to perhaps offer a donation.
Covid-Secure requirements
In addition to the confirmation email you will receive at the time of your booking, you will also be sent some Covid-Secure information about your stay at Rivendell. We have made many changes to ensure that Rivendell is Covid-Secure and we will only accept bookings on the basis that those who attend our retreats abide by the requirements of our Covid risk assessment.
NB Please be assured that should someone repeatedly ignore our Covid guidelines, we reserve the right to ask them to leave the retreat, with no refund, as potentially they will be putting others’ health at risk. We want those that come to Rivendell to be confident that we are making it as safe as possible.
Prices for this event are: £360