Urban Retreat

We will maintain silence whilst in the retreat venue. Ideally, minimising talking as much as possible outside the venue would also be helpful. This will not apply to regular discussion periods during the retreat. As part of this noble silence, some might also refrain from writing and reading except for materials directly related to the practice of meditation. The purpose of noble silence is to allow the mind to let go of outer distractions and to focus as much as possible on the inner world. It can also be helpful to minimise eye contact with other retreatants. Practising restraint of the senses provides a solid foundation for inner work on the retreat. Volunteers helping out with the retreat may need to talk but will honour the silence as much as possible.

Most spiritual tradition use some form of retreat to deepen and extend contemplative life. Meditation retreats are a very old form of mind training having been practiced for at least several thousand years. In the Buddhist tradition various conditions are useful for intensive meditative training.

1. Supportive Environment or Location

The idea place for a retreat should be convenient (readily accessible), free from pollution and contamination, close to supportive friends, and with independent means of material support. Ideally it should be a place associated with pro-social activities, well away from busy commerce and close to a natural environment.

2. Few desires

When in retreat it is important to have one’s basic needs easily met. There should be simple food, with readily available fresh water and comfortable living conditions. There should be as few distractions as possible, which nowadays means limited access to TV, phones, internet, and other forms of entertainment. A well-supported living space and few distractions will help to minimise desire and craving in the mind.

3. Contentment

Having few expectations about the success or otherwise of a retreat experience is enormously helpful. Just being in the retreat space is a unique opportunity to slow down and begin to rest the body, speech and mind. The chance to spend even a few days simply “being” rather than “doing” can be a wonderful healing.

4. Few activities

Doing as little as possible with no overt responsibilities and especially limited talking (noble silence) helps reduce stimulation and settle the mind.

5. Ethical discipline

An attitude of non-harmfulness is a very powerful practice for pacifying and calming the mind. Making a promise not to kill (even insects), lie, steal, or engage in abusive speech or behaviour for the duration of the retreat creates an overall mood of care and compassion.

6. Letting go of compulsive ideation

An effective way to begin calming the hyperactive mind is to reduce stimulating activities. In practice this means not reading news or novels, not engaging in sexual activity, not watching movies, not eating too much and not taking alcohol and other intoxicants. Not texting or checking emails or using the internet are also very helpful ways of empowering the retreat experience. In short, this means “doing” as little as possible. Walking, simple stretching, yoga, reading relevant material—these are alternative “doings” that can help cultivate a relaxed and easy state of “simply being.”