Entering the Dhamma - Retreat
“The stream of Dhamma, the stream of Dhamma, it is said.
What is the stream of Dhamma?
Sāriputta: ‘It is this Eight-Spoked Path of the Ariyas.’”
-SN 55.5
1. Retreat Overview
Audience: Accessible for anyone
Experience: No experience required
Natural Samādhi is the original teaching of the Buddha on how to develop mental collectedness (Samādhi), by way of uplifting the mind and relaxing bodily tension. This is what the Buddha called wise practice (Right effort). Learning to use the vehicle of Calm and Clarity (Samatha-Vipassanā), meditators deepen in their experience of a happy and composed mind, and drink deep, the bliss of the higher mind (Adhicitta).
For a mind well trained in this timeless wisdom and free from the five mental obstructions, there is no need to wish for happiness, since happiness pervades every moment of existence. The collected mind is happy, and a happy mind is collected (Sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati).
Developing awareness of Loving-Kindness to Nibbāna, using right effort (6Rs). In the spirit of Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation (TWIM) taught by Most Ven. Bhante Vimalaramsi, Bhante Ānanda’s teacher.
This means the threefold training in:
Virtue (Sīla),
Collected Mental Harmony (Samādhi)
Discernment (Pañña).
Which includes understanding and practicing:
1. Boundless love meditation (Mettā) & the Brahmavihāras
2. The nature of mental states & mental development
3. Virtue and Generosity on the path to happiness.
4. Collectedness of mind through Joy and Letting go.
5. The Four Steps of Wise Practice
6. The Four Awakened Understandings in actual practice
7. The Seven Supports of Awakening.
8. The Eight-Spoked Path of the Awakened
9. Wise Awareness: Four Resting Places of Awareness
10. Wise Samādhi: Navigating blissful stages of meditation
11. The experience of Release & Nibbāna here and now.
12. Entering the Dhamma
2. Guidelines and Requirements
- Undertaking the 5 or 8 virtues
- 7 hours of sitting meditation per day
- Read at least ‘Part 1’ of the book Open Heart.
- Attend to the morning Pūjās (When is flexible) see book Pūjā
- Attend to the Evening Dhamma Talks
- Attend to the guided meditations (Optional)
- Smiling mandatory
- No other activities.
- No phone, no computer, no television…
- No reading except Open Heart & Ariya Dhamma
3. Schedule
This schedule is flexible.
The first days of the retreat should be relaxed.
Then, as the mental energy clears and picks up, meditators are invited to follow more closely.
- 6:00 am Morning Meditation
- 7:30 am Pūjā & Recital
- 8:00 am Breakfast
- 9:00 am Meditation & Interviews
- 10:00 am Meditation
- 11:00 am Lunch
- 12:00 pm Rest/Walking Meditation
- 1:00 pm Meditation
- 7:00 pm Pūjā & Dhamma Talk
- 8:00 pm Meditation
- 10:00 pm Rest or personal practice.
*Interviews are on Zoom.
20 min/participant
Book a time for interview, day-by-day.
Out of respect for the teacher’s limited personal time on retreat,
please sign up one slot after the other, without gaps.
Meditator's Experience Form
Please fill in the meditator’s experience form,
so Bhante Ānanda has some background to help you during the interviews.
Please take the questions lightly 😉
Send to info@heartdhamma.love
4. Dates & Registrations
Please visit the Retreat Registration Page to see when the nest available guided retreat will be offered. If none are offered, please feel free to undertake the retreat by yourself.
You can send a request to info@heartdhamma.love for a guided online retreat.
Free Dhamma
“The Dhamma is for free. At all times. For everybody.
Bhante Ānanda is a monk (and hence a member of the Saṅgha) and is dedicating his life to the Dhamma. He is dependent on others for his modest livelihood. He does not need a lot, but as pointed out by the Buddha himself, food, shelter, clothing and medicines are the minimum requisites for life and to practice in peace. Monks do not (and cannot) handle money, and do not ask for anything.
All donations will go to the support of the Saṅgha’s livelihood and thereby, Bhante’s. Since the meager needs of monks are rapidly and easily met, what is given will go directly to offering the Dhamma to as many other people in the community as possible, in the shape of retreats, both online and physical, publication of Bhante’s Dhamma books for free distribution only and much more…
We are deeply and forever grateful to your magnanimous hearts.
Please visit our Dāna page for all donation options.
