Detailed List of Retreats

This retreat will focus on revealing the distinctive way in which the Buddha understood the human condition and how this vision provides a basis for his ideas about the way to resolve its fundamental questions and challenges. Contrary to the widespread view that the Buddha taught there was no self, we will look at sutta texts from the Pali canon that suggest a far more nuanced and complex approach to the issue of human identity. We will argue that the Buddha saw the self as an unfinished project to be realised rather than an obstacle to be transcended. Key to this analysis will be a consideration of the relation between vinnana (consciousness) and namarupa (name-form). Time will be divided between talks, meditation and discussion. The retreat will be in silence apart from group discussion periods, the talks and any necessary communication