Calendar of upcoming events and retreats – Bristol Insight Meditation

Below is a list of upcoming retreats and other events. Some are regular events and you will see the next session below. At the bottom of the page you can view details of past Teacher-led retreats.

Jul

Tuesday evening sitting group

The sitting group meets every Tuesday evening at the Central Quaker Meeting House, Champion Square, Bristol BS2 9DB. These evenings are a good way to meet others and have a taste of what we have to offer. All are welcome.

Aug

Saturday self-led day retreats

These popular, well-supported day retreats are a great way to create spaciousness and stillness in our busy, daily lives. They are based sitting and walking meditation. They are not led by a teacher and no meditation guidance is given, so they suit participants who are comfortable with a basic meditation practice. We also have an archive of all the recorded talks we have listened to. Please go to our Resources page for these.

Aug

Sangha Walk – Gray Hill & Wentwood Forest

The next Bristol Insight sangha walk will be a circular 3–4 mile walk up and around Gray Hill (near Caerwent, Monmouthsire) on Sunday 4th August. Gray Hill stands next to Wentwood Reservoir (near Caerwent, Monmouthshire) and the top of the hill offers excellent views of the Severn Estuary and surrounding countryside including the Brecon Beacons, and is a good spot for kite flying. This is a 2 hour walk at a gentle pace, with one brief but steep ascent of Gray Hill…..Cont.

Sep

A Path of Wisdom and Love with Jake Dartington

In this silent day retreat we will explore our potential to bring wise and loving responses to each moment in our lives. Through sitting and walking meditation, we will learn ways to respond creatively to the obstacles that appear to block our capacity to live in a wise and loving way. We will explore what it means to bring these beautiful qualities to our meditation practice and to our everyday lives.

Oct

Introductory Course

We are offering another 4 week Introductory Course this October. The aim of this short course is to introduce people to the basics of Insight Meditation – enough to get started. The course covers the practicalities of posture, breathing, sitting and walking meditation as well as exploration of the experience of Insight Meditation: how it can be beneficial for ourselves and for others………Cont.

Oct

Dharma for our times with Suvaco

This daylong retreat offers the chance to develop practices that move towards a recognition of the systemic levels of suffering we co-create. We will explore how Dharma-based perspectives and practices can inform and resource life-affirming action in these times of great ecological destruction. We will develop the deep resources of courage, insight, clarity and emotional resilience……Cont.

Dec

A day with Julia Wallond and Andrea Hosfeld

More information about the theme for this retreat will be available soon. How to Book Booking will be available soon. For more information about our day retreats generally, please visit our ‘General information and practicalities’ page. Please note this retreat will be held at St Michael’s Parish Hall. Directions can be found in the General … Continued

Past retreats - 2019

2019 2018 2017 2016

Jan

Seeing things differently with Mark Ovland

When life is so full and seems to demand so much from us all the time, where and how can we find peace? Is it even possible, without escaping into a convent or up a mountain?

Feb

Sangha Walk – Sea Mills, Blaise Castle, Kingsweston House

The first Bristol Insight sangha walk of 2019 will be a circular walk from Sea Mills station via Blaise Castle and Kingsweston House led by Katie Dick on Saturday 9th February. The walk is a fairly gentle 4-5 miles and will include a stop for lunch either at the Blaise Castle cafe or at … Continued

Feb

Equanimity: Dancing with Uncontrollable Life with Stephen Fulder

The last words of the Buddha to his disciples as they gathered to say goodbye included: ‘Be an island to yourself’. This sense of autonomy, quiet and steadiness are certainly needed in times of uncertainty, anxiety, conflict and difficulty. But how can we stay quiet and yet speak our voice and go out and make change in the world?

Mar

Bristol Insight Sangha Walk – Ebbor Gorge and Wookey Hole

The next Bristol Insight sangha walk will be a circular walk around the Ebbor Nature Reserve led by Gordon on Saturday 9th March. Walking time will be about 3 hours and will include a fairly steep ascent of Ebbor Gorge…Continued

Mar

Ground, body, breath, space – the art of knowing support with Kirsten Kratz

During our day together we will explore creative ways to perceive ground, body, breath, space and gesture as possible resources, as means to support, hold and nourish us in our practice and in life.

Apr

Love in the time of extinction: dharma practice, non-violent civil disobedience and Extinction Rebellion

Love in the time of extinction: dharma practice, non-violent civil disobedience and Extinction Rebellion. How practices of awakening and compassion converge with conscientiously choosing to break the law in the face of the climate emergency. A talk by Yanai Postelnik.

Apr

Annual sangha celebration day and AGM

Our Annual sangha celebration day will be on Saturday 13th April 2019 from 10am to 4pm. We are delighted that Suvaco is able to facilitate this day. Many of us have worked with Suvaco before and find him to be an inspiring teacher. We are hugely grateful that he is willing to give his time and … Continued

May

Table Mountain & Pen Cerrig-Calch, Black Mountains Sunday 5th May

This 6-mile walk climbs northwards from the centre of Crickhowell (near Abergavenny) to the flat-topped summit of Table Mountain, crowned with an Iron Age fort. Continued…….

May

The silence of the heart – 3 evenings with Suvaco

We are delighted that Suvaco is willing to make the journey to Bristol for 3 Wednesday evening sessions in the Spring. These evenings will be a wonderful chance to deepen and sustain our practice right on our doorstep.
On these evenings we will draw attention to the mystery of the heart, or Citta. The heart not only as a physical organ, but as an imaginal and spiritual centre of stillness. Please click on the image for more information and to book a place.

May

Inherent states of wellbeing with Maura Sills

The day concentrates on interconnection; belonging; attunement; acceptance and generosity. We will include the Four Sublime States of Love (metta); Compassion (karuna); Sympathetic Joy (mudita) and Equanimity (upekkha). How to Book Click on this link to book with Eventbrite. For more information about our day retreats generally, please visit our ‘General information and practicalities’ page. … Continued

Jun

The heart of mindfulness with John Peacock

Metta is both the literal and metaphorical ‘heart’ of mindfulness. Without Metta at its heart, mindfulness can fall into being the mere practice of attention with a ‘cold’ contemplation of what we discover in experience. The presence of Metta within the practice of mindfulness turns it into a caring practice.

Jun

Sangha Walk – North Stoke & Kelston Round Hill

This 3-4 mile walk starts from the picturesque village of North Stoke between Bitton and Kelston on the A431 from Bristol to Bath. Taking a footpath behind the church we head uphill to join The Cotswold Way and then head south towards Kelston Round Hill, taking in the fantastic view at Prospect Stile…….Continued

Jul

Focusing group

Focusing and Insight meditation have in common a willingness to sit with one’s experience from a place of presence, acceptance, warmth and curiosity. If you’d like to attend a meeting please contact Gordon to book a place.