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August 2021
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4 August to 8 August (online)
A five day silent retreat in Spanish
co-taught by Bernat Font-Clos and Ramiro Ortega
This 5-day (4-night) retreat, organized by the Oxford Mindfulness Center, will be taught in Spanish by Bernat Font Clos and Ramiro Ortega, who have extensive knowledge of mindfulness and mindfulness-based programs. The retreat includes guided practices, talks, group meetings, as well as substantial periods of silence, and is designed to deepen the experiential understanding of mindfulness through sustained practice.
For more information and/or to register for the course, click here.
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19 August to 22 August (online)
Rainbow Dharma: An online retreat for the LGBTQI+ community
With Katrin Auf der Heyde, River Wolton and Bernat Font-Clos
On this retreat, the first of its kind in the history of Gaia House, we hope to co-create a space of acceptance, reflection, connection and support in which to cultivate mindfulness, embodied kindness and wisdom through Insight Meditation. A community of shared intention and practice allows us to make greater peace with ourselves and our lives, and to grow our capacity for freedom.
We welcome anybody who self-identifies as lesbian, gay, bi, trans, non-binary, gender fluid, bi-gender, gender diverse, gender non-conforming, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, agender….. and more.
For more information and/or to register for the course, click here.
September 2021
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8 September to 21 December (Online)
Secular Buddhist Network’s course on Exploring a secular dharma
taught by Ciara Cullen, Lorna Edwards and Mike Slott
In this online course we will explore the key ideas and practices of secular Buddhism, an important trend which has emerged in western Buddhism in recent years. We will be using as primary sources for this course Stephen Batchelor’s book, After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age, and After Buddhism: A Workbook, written by Winton Higgins, and based on a series of dharma talks he gave on Batchelor’s book in Sydney, Australia.
The course will provide both secular Buddhists and those curious about secular Buddhism the opportunity to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of a secular approach to the dharma. In this course we will:
- Identify and explain the key concepts of secular Buddhism
- Contrast secular Buddhism with traditional/institutional forms of Buddhism
- Sketch a vision of secular Buddhist practice for individuals and communities
For more information, click here.
November 2021 to November 2022
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2 November 2021 to 9 November 2022 (in-person)
Secular Dharma: An Extended Programme of Study, Practice and Community – Bodhi College
taught by Martine Batchelor and Stephen Batchelor
This course takes a secular rather than a religious approach to the teachings of the Buddha. In it, we will emphasize the humanity of Gotama and the practical applications of his teaching in this world, and encourage each student to find his or her own way of practice within the secular/religious spectrum of their own lives.
For more information, click here.