Venerable Canda: “Time to Love the Breath” three day retreat with Sheffield Insight

Each day of this retreat can be attended in person or online

You may attend any combination of days but we encourage you to attend all 3

Please book a ticket for each day that you would like to attend

Both beginners and experienced meditators are welcome

Time to love the breath… more information about the retreat

Do you struggle to keep your mind on the breath and wonder if you should try a different technique? This retreat will explore the powerful practices of loving kindness (metta) and mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati). Together we will discover how they can work in harmony and synergy to help brighten and calm the mind, leading to insights that relieve suffering.

We will start by establishing an attitude of metta as a way of opening our heart to the present moment, in a non-judgemental way. This will form the basis of practice that can be returned to throughout the retreat.

We will also cultivate metta meditation as a joyful means to to develop stillness (samadhi) and overcome restlessness and discontent; hindrances that can make it difficult to stay with a subtler meditation object like the breath. As feelings of contentment and ease develop through metta practice, mindfulness increases and the breath becomes easier and more enjoyable to watch. The stages of breath meditation may then start to unfold naturally. With guidance, we will learn to intuitively sense how loving kindness and breath meditation can be alternated or even combined, to deepen our meditation – through wisdom rather than force.

The schedule will be relaxed and include Dhamma reflections drawing on the Bhuddha’s teachings, guided meditations and opportunities for Q and A. On the closing day we will share the metta phrases we have been practising with and offer blessings out to the world.

Meditation sessions will be between 30 and 45 minutes.

The retreat will take place in a general atmosphere of companionable silence, including the lunch period, although there will be teachings, and opportunities for questions and discussion.

Venerable Canda

Ven Canda began meditating in 1996 with SN Goenka and practised intensively in India for many years. In 2006 she was ordained in Burma as a Buddhist nun and in 2012 went to Australia to learn under the guidance of Ajahn Brahm, where she received full (bhikkhuni) ordination.

Ven Canda’s teachings emphasise kindness and letting go as a way to deepen samadhi (stillness) and clear the path to liberating insight. Her approach is warm, engaging and richly informed by the pragmatism and compassion of the early Buddhist texts.

In 2016, Ven Canda founded Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project with Ajahn Brahm – a UK charity aimed at establishing Britain’s first Forest Monastery for the full ordination of women open to all. You can read more about this exciting project here: www.anukampaproject.org

Booking

Go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/time-to-love-the-breath-tickets-453381866367 for more details and to book.