Photo by Brian Breeden on Unsplash
The retreat will be led by UK Dharma Teachers Murray Corke and Angie Searle at Purley Chase Retreat Centre in the beautiful North Warwickshire countryside.
It will also be available on Zoom for those who prefer that or who are unable to attend in person.
It has been said that the things we find difficult in others are the things that we need to work on in ourselves. On this retreat we will explore how by reconciling ourselves with our past, we can live more fully and happily. Happiness and self-awareness enable us to communicate more skilfully, and to reconcile our differences with others using the practice of Beginning Anew.
In Buddhist Psychology, the word samyojana refers to internal formations, fetters, or knots. When someone says something unkind to us, for example, and we don’t understand why the person said it, we become irritated and a knot is tied inside. Lack of understanding is the basis for every internal knot. Practising mindfulness, we can learn the skills of recognizing a knot the moment it is tied and finding ways to soon untie it.
– Beginning Anew, by Sister Chan Khong. Introduction by Thich Nhat Hanh.
The retreat is suitable for those with an established understanding of mindfulness and a regular meditation practice. The retreat will include:
- Opportunities to practice guided and silent sitting meditations, walking meditation, mindful eating and noble silence
- Opportunities to learn from others through dharma sharing and exploration
- Dharma teaching from UK Dharma Teachers. We encourage people to have a look at Beginning Anew, Four Steps to Restoring Communication in preparation for the retreat
We ask everyone coming on residential Dharma Training retreats to be a member of the Community of Interbeing (see our website at Become a Member ).
The Residential Retreat
Please organise your plans to allow you to be present for the whole retreat. Details of the timetable for the retreat will be available one week before it starts.
The Retreat on Zoom
There is the option of attending the retreat online via Zoom. Those attending on Zoom will be able to join meditation sessions, Dharma talks, dharma sharing and other activities. You can fully participate in the programme; it can be a wonderful opportunity. Start time will be at approximately 6:00 PM on 7 February – we will inform all ticket holders of the exact timing a week beforehand.
We invite you to create a retreat atmosphere at home – planned meals, a quiet corner for meditation, some time away from being online. We are aware that some retreatants will have caring responsibilities and household members around them and we fully support your need to take care of these responsibilities. We suggest sharing a copy of the programme with your household so that they can support you for the sittings, the talks and the dharma sharing.
Organisers
The retreat is being organised by the Community of Interbeing. We are a growing network of people in the UK who practice mindfulness and aspire to develop peace and happiness in ourselves and in the world by living according to the teachings on global ethics of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (“Thay”). His teachings, which can be followed by people of all ages and any religion or none, are notable for their emphasis on joy, engagement in the world, and integrating the practice of mindfulness into daily life. We are a registered charity which offers a programme of courses, retreats and events, and which encourages and supports local groups that meet to practice mindfulness.
Retreat Information
Agenda
Friday 7 Feb 2025
4:00 PM onward – Arrival for residential retreatants
6:00 PM – Start of retreat
Sunday 9 Feb 2025
3:00 PM – End of retreat
Location
Purley Chase is a retreat centre and event venue set in the beautiful North Warwickshire countryside. Originally a “gentleman’s residence”, Purley has been extended to offer spiritual retreats in a hospitable environment, serving simple and delicious vegan food. If travelling by car, the centre is just over 2 miles south of the A5 near Atherstone. It can be approached from all points of the compass via the motorway network, using M1, M6, M42 or M69, for example. The nearest railway station is at Nuneaton, about 8 miles away. Both Nuneaton and Atherton are served by various bus and coach services.
Accommodation
There is a mixture of twin or double non-ensuite bedrooms, some dormitory accommodation and a smaller number of ensuite singles. Purley Chase has full disabled access, with a lift, and adapted en suite accommodation. Accommodation is allocated on a needs-responsive basis. Please indicate any specific accommodation needs in the google booking form, linked to on Ticket Tailor. If we are unable to accommodate you in the way you require, we will let you know and you will be able to cancel your booking, in line with our cancellation and refund policy.
Diet
Purley Chase will be providing a simple vegan diet for this retreat. Please confirm any additional special dietary requirements in the booking form.
Dana
The fee for the retreat does not include a fee for the teachers who offer a great deal of time, love and experience in delivering their teaching. There is an opportunity to offer dana (generosity, giving) in support of their continuation of this work at the end of the retreat.
Cost
The standard cost of residential retreat ranges from £260 – £320, with additional options available when you click Book Your Place. The Online retreat tickets are by suggested donation of £125. Any surplus, after administrative costs, will be donated to our charity Plum Village UK.
Supported Places
The supported places on the residential retreat are intended for people who have been practising for at least 12 months with the Community of Interbeing and who are in receipt of state benefit or who are in financial difficulty. Supported places are offered on an honesty basis (first come first served).
Refund Policy
Refunds up to 14 days before the retreat.
Ticket Tailor’s fee is non-refundable.
Covid Policy
We ask you to carry out a Covid test before coming to the residential retreat and not to come if you obtain a positive result on the morning of the retreat.
Should you have to cancel at the last minute for this reason, we are unable to refund the cost of your residential place, but we will endeavour to offer you a Zoom place instead.
About the Dharma Training Program
Originally the DTP was seen as a training programme for those practitioners who wanted to deepen their practice as a group. People were encouraged to sign up to all three DTP sessions in a year so that a sangha could be created amongst participants and spiritual friendships nurtured during these retreats. We would like to encourage you to consider the programme in this way if that is possible for you.
The Dharma Training Programme operates in England over a weekend in February, a long weekend in May and a five day retreat in October. We would be delighted to welcome you at all three. Additionally, every other year there is a DTP retreat in Scotland, offering a further option. The next Scottish DTP retreat will be in 2026.
Upcoming dates for 2025:
7 – 9 Feb 2025 | Purley Chase, Warwickshire
Reconciliation and Beginning Anew
Led by UK Lay Dharma Teachers Murray Corke and Angie Searle
23 – 26 May 2025 | Briery Retreat Centre, Yorkshire
Topic and teachers tbc
24 – 28 Oct 2025 | Sidcot School, Somerset
Coming Home to our Body
Led by UK Lay Dharma Teachers Jane Coatesworth and Lesley Collington
with Aspirant Lay Dharma teachers Lindsay Lumsden and Harry Bradshaw.
