This weekend silent retreat will offer a chance to deepen your meditation and mindfulness practices as well learn about the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, a fundamental teaching of the Buddha and the core instructions for Vipassana (Insight) meditation practice in the west. This will be offered in a pleasant natural setting at the Centro El Abedul in Camorittos area of Cercedilla with the Siete Picos as our backdrop.

Our goal will be to create the conditions for participants to touch on the calm and spaciousness that can come from extended practice away from our busy lives, similar to what you might experience in a longer retreat.

This retreat will be ideal for people who already have some experience of meditation, though beginners are also welcome. There will guided meditations and unguided meditations of normally between 30-35 minutes. We will also offer small group interviews and dharma talks about the Buddha’s Four Foundations of Mindfulness as well secular mindfulness practices.

Centro el Abedul consists of a large villa in a beautiful natural setting in a green valley in Cercedilla. It has sleeping accommodations, dining room, a meditation hall and lots of outdoor space with views of the Siete Picos.

All meals will be provided and the food will be vegetarian. (If you have any dietary restrictions please contact us to see if we are able to accommodate them.)

To register please go to Darran’s webpage and complete the form:

Registration Form
 
Itinerary
Our estimated schedule for the weekend:

Friday
6 – 8pm Arrive, check in, unpack, meet the other yogis.
8 – 9pm Tea (Cena)
9 – 10pm Opening talk and meditation

Saturday
7:30am Guided Sitting Meditation
8:15 am Breakfast
9:15 am Sitting and Walking Meditations (30-40 minute meditations), Teachings, Mindful walk in nature
2pm Lunch
3:30pm Sitting and Walking Meditations (30-40 minute meditations), Teachings, Mindful walk in nature
8pm Tea (Cena)
9 – 10pm Sitting Meditation. Teachings and questions and answers.

Sunday
7:30am Guided Sitting Meditation
8am Breakfast
9am Sitting and Walking Meditations (30-40 minute meditations),
Teachings, Mindful walk in nature. Mindful talking.
Closing circle.
1:30pm Lunch (optional)

The retreat will be led by Jim Forbes and Darran Kilbride. This will be Jim and Darran’s second time to lead a weekend retreat at El Centro de Abudel. Both Jim and Darran have participated in several long term silent retreats. Jim approaches practice from a Buddhist perspective while Darran has trained at the Mindfulness Center at the University of Massachusetts. The guidance and teachings will be in English with some Spanish.

At the dinner on Friday we can talk and meet the other participants. After the dinner we will go into noble silence, which means we will not talk to each other except when absolutely necessary and we will turn off our cell phones. The silence helps us to deepen our meditation and mindfulness practice and to maintain a greater continuity of awareness and to see more clearly what is going on in our minds. We’ll end the silence on Sunday morning after breakfast in order to also have enough time to get to know each other and build community (sangha.)

Pricing:

The cost of accommodation and meals for the 2 days is:

– Bed in shared dormitory (2-4 people): €95

– Lunch on Sunday is optional for an additional €14.

If you need some financial assistance to attend, please contact us.

The teaching of the retreat is being offered on a donation basis and participants will have an opportunity to make a donation at the end of the retreat.