Insight Meditation in the Mahasi tradition
Residential retreat
Friday, 3 May – Monday, 6 May (3 nights)
With Bhante Bodhidhamma and assisted by Mark Arthur
This retreat is nearly full or has recently become full 
Special criteria This retreat is an opportunity to practice Vipassana Insight Meditation in the Mahasi Tradition. The Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma, one of the most influential meditation teachers of the last century, developed a combination of techniques – a robust schedule, noting, noting intentions and going slow. The accent is on relaxation and curiosity, rather than striving and concentration in order to develop the steadiness of attention needed for insight into the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self. Investigating these Three Existential Characteristics leads to liberation, peace and happiness. Mettā/Goodwill and body care are also developed and there will be advice on how to practice in ordinary daily life. There will also be time for questions.
This retreat includes the renunciation practice of not eating a meal after lunchtime (except for those with health reasons). Bhante Bodhidhamma offers this information:
“When people go to a monastery or meditation centre in Theravada Buddhist countries, they follow the rules of the monastics and do not ‘take solids’ after lunch. It is a practice in renunciation. We practice renunciation to show us where our attachments and fears are. But there is another reason for fasting these. When we feel hungry, we have some inkling of what it means to go hungry, to be undernourished. This helps us to experientially connect with the billion people who today suffer from one form or another of hunger and the children who die from hunger every 10 seconds. It awakens in us the empathy we need before compassionate action can activate. Finally, no-one has yet fallen ill or died for not eating after lunch. The Romans ate one meal a day and thought you were a glutton if you ate more! There are exceptions for health reasons e.g. diabetes – please inform the office.”
Special criteria
This retreat is suitable for all levels of experience.However, it is likely that this retreat will not be advisable if you have a history of any of the following:
- Severe psychotic interludes or psychosis (even if controlled with medication)
- An active addiction to drugs or alcohol.
A person with at least one year of recovery and abstinence is welcome.
If you have any history in relation to a suicide attempt or if you have questions or concerns about the above, please contact our Retreat Manager by email to arrange a suitable time to have a conversation. Laura can be reached at retreatmanager@gaiahouse.co.uk.
Teachers
BHANTE BODHIDHAMMA started training in Soto Zen in 1977, then in the Mahasi Theravada Tradition with Sayadaws U Rewata Dhamma, U Janaka and U Pandita. In 1986 he ordained, subsequently spending eight years at Kanduboda Mahasi Meditation Centre in Sri Lanka. He has been teaching in England, Ireland and internationally since 1998. From 2001- 2005, he was the Resident Teacher at Gaia House. He founded the Satipanya Buddhist Retreat in Wales, a meditation centre devoted to the Mahasi tradition.
Listen to one of Bhante Bodhidhamma's Talks: Mae Chee Kaew: Awakened! (Duration 41:40) More talks are available on Dharma Seed and Satipanya.
Assisted by
MARK ARTHUR began meditating in 2003 and started practicing regularly at Satipanya with Bhante Bodhidhamma in 2007. Following years of regular retreats at Satipanya, he took a year’s sabbatical in 2021 during which he committed to more intensive practice, including time in secluded solitary retreat. He has recently started teaching under the guidance of Bhante Bodhidhamma in the Mahasi tradition.
Mark also works as a children’s mental health worker for CAMHS in the NHS, and has been rekindling his love of nature in response to the climate emergency, recently conducting a wilderness vigil alone in Dartmoor.
Rates
Please consider paying at the highest rate that you are able to. Your generosity is vital in supporting Gaia House to sustain its Dharma offerings for the benefit of all.We are committed to ensuring that our programme is available to everyone who wishes to participate. If our rates are too high for you, we invite you to apply for support from our Financial Assistance and Bursaries Fund (FAB Fund).
Accommodation
This retreat will be offered in a mixture of shared and single rooms. Some single rooms are available to book in advance for those that need them to come on retreat. If these are still available, you will be able to select this option. Some single rooms are also held for people to request, but these cannot be guaranteed. These will be allocated in the days leading up to each retreat so we cannot let you know in advance. Priority will be given to those with specific medical needs.
Extend your retreat
If you have previously been on a residential retreat of a weekend or longer at Gaia House, you are welcome to join us a day earlier than the retreat start date. All retreatants are welcome to stay an extra night at the end of the retreat. There is an additional cost of £73 per night.
Please note, retreat conditions will still apply from arrival:
- Observe silence
- Follow the daily schedule
- Practise meditation
Camping
In addition to our in-house accommodation, we can offer a few camping places during the warmer months.
There are a limited number of camping places available, please email reception at info@gaiahouse.co.uk to check availability, please don't forget to include the retreat you wish to book in the email.
- Each retreatant needs to bring their own tent (small one/two person tents only).
- Toilet and bathroom facilities are shared with the in-house occupants.
- Please note: In poor weather we cannot accommodate campers in the house.
Dana/generosity
None of your registration fee goes to the teacher. Gaia House teachers rely on the generosity of students for their livelihood. At the end of the retreat, there is an opportunity to make a dana offering to your teacher(s), the residential community team and Gaia House. We are deeply grateful for your generosity.Click here to read more about the practice of dana.
Gaia House and covid-19
We hope to make everyone's retreat at Gaia House as supportive as possible. Please click here for further information on how we are creating as supportive and safe a retreat environment.Arrival and departure times
- Arrive for registration between 2.00pm-4.45pm on the opening day.
- Depart after 12.30pm on the final day (or 1.30pm if staying for lunch).
Please note:
- We will need everyone to commit to the full duration of their retreat.
Cancellation terms & conditions
We have now updated our Booking Terms and Conditions which includes cancellation information, please click here. Please take time to review these before you book.Before booking
In support of your retreat, two weeks before you arrive, we will send a list of questions about your physical, mental health and dietary needs. This will help us to support you during your retreat. If you are unsure whether or not to book due to needing specialist support due to significant physical or mental health needs, including checking availability of our only ground floor bedroom (also wheelchair-accessible), please email retreatmanager@gaiahouse.co.uk.
For more information on our retreats please check our frequently asked questions page.
Well-being and silent retreats
This is a silent retreat: apart from during individual or group meetings with the teachers you will be invited into silence for the duration of the event.
Before you book, please read these guidelines about mental well-being and the Mahasi retreats:
It is likely that this retreat will not be advisable if you have a history of any of the following:
- Severe psychotic interludes or psychosis (even if controlled with medication)
- An active addiction to drugs or alcohol.
A person with at least one year of recovery and abstinence is welcome.
Meditation retreats can be very nourishing; however, as they require sustained meditation practice, they also need some stability of psychological health. If you have recently (within the past year or so) experienced significant trauma or psychiatric illness, or if you are currently experiencing acute emotional distress such as serious depression or anxiety, it may not be the best time for you to participate in a retreat. The teachers might not be able to give you the kind of individual psychological care you need at this time. A setting with more opportunities for interpersonal engagement may be more appropriate.
- If you are currently under the care of a mental health professional, please discuss your attendance with them. You should be in a relatively stable period of mental well-being and have adequate psychological resilience.
If you have any history in relation to a suicide attempt or if you have questions or concerns about the above, please contact our Retreat Manager, Laura Ruiz, by email, to arrange a suitable time to have a conversation. Laura can be reached at retreatmanager@gaiahouse.co.uk.
Join the Waiting List
This retreat has recently become full or almost full; we are operating a waiting list to prevent overbooking.
Please confirm the following and complete the checkout process. No payment is required for joining the list. We will then contact you to offer you one of the remaining places or if the retreat is full you may be offered a place if there is a cancellation.
To find out more about how we operate our waiting lists please click here.