Clear and Joyful Meditation: Silent Tranquil Abiding Retreat

About the Retreat

Would you like to experience a silent meditation retreat?

It’s not always easy to be still with your own mind, so you might want to take advantage of this opportunity to do so in a safe, supportive environment. The emphasis will be on training in meditation in several sessions each day, following the instructions on how to attain tranquil abiding, which is a special type of concentration. A brief explanation of how to engage in the retreat will be given in the introduction Friday evening, most other sessions are silent and self-guided. In between sessions, you can enjoy our beautiful meditation center or go for a walk in the neighborhood!

What are the benefits of a silent retreat? 

Maintaining verbal silence and physical isolation with a spiritual motivation makes it easier to recognize and reduce more subtle distractions, thereby experiencing a deeper level of inner peace than we normally experience in daily life. With our mind clearer, our meditations can lead to deeper insights and experiences than in daily life alone.

How can I get the most benefit from the retreat?

Participants are encouraged to prepare for this retreat by training in meditation on a daily basis leading up to the retreat. If you are interested but unsure of how to prepare, please ask us! If you are brand new, just let us know and we can explain how to meditate in a simple way.

“Eliminating the distractions of my mind completely,
Observing and holding a single object of meditation with mindfulness
And preventing the obstacles of mental sinking and excitement from arising,
In this way I will control my mind with clear and joyful meditation.” – Request to the Lord of All Lineages, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

The Teacher

Matthew has practiced and taught Kadampa Buddhism and meditation for many years under the guidance of many senior teachers of the New Kadampa Tradition.

Matthew previously lived at the Kadampa World Peace Temple in New York where he engaged in in-depth study and retreat, and in 2023 he completed the Intensive Teacher Training Program at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in Northern England. Matthew teaches from the heart in a clear, warm and relaxed way, that is always practical and relevant to our daily lives.

Schedule

Friday, November 13th
7:00 – 8:15 pm  Introduction

Saturday, November 14th
9:00 – 10:00 am    Session 1 (silence begins)
11:00 am – 12:00 pm   Session 2
2:00 – 3:15 pm      Session 3 w/ teaching
4:00 – 5:00 pm     Session 4
7:00 – 8:00 pm      Session 5

Sunday, November 15th
9:00 – 10:00 am    Session 1
11:00 am – 12:15 pm    Session 2
(session 2 will be part of regular Sunday morning meditation class; silence not maintained)
2:00 – 3:15 pm    Session 3 w/ teaching
(coming out of silence after session 3)
4:00 – 5:00 pm    Session 4
7:00 – 8:00 pm   Wishfulling Jewel w/ Tsog

Cost

Full Retreat
$60 | $30 for basic members

Friday Introduction Session
$12 | $6 for basic members

Saturday / Sunday (per day pricing)
$30 per day | $15 per day for basic members

Single Sessions
$10 per session | $5 per day for basic members

Retreat (all sessions) Free for full members and benefactors

Learn more becoming a supporting member

No one is turned away for lack of funds. Please contact the Administrative Director at admin@meditationinconnecticut.org if you need to make arrangements.

An in-person event

Held in-person at Odiyana Buddhist Center, 450 New London Turnpike, Glastonbury, CT 06033.

For more information contact: info@meditationinconnecticut.org or 860.266.6041