Manchester Buddhist Centre

An urban retreat is a dif­fer­ent way to retreat! You carry on liv­ing and work­ing in your nor­mal cir­cum­stances, but with a difference.

This week is the first ever FWBO International Urban Retreat. All over the world, FWBO centres are run­ning urban retreats between 20th — 27th June.

• Gain con­fid­ence in your prac­tice… the urban retreat shows you how you can cre­ate pos­it­ive states of mind in the midst of every­day life
• Go deeper… link up with other people at your centre and help each other to prac­tise more intens­ively for a week
• Be inspired… you’ll be part of an inter­na­tional event, prac­tising with people from the FWBO all over the world

International FWBO Urban Retreat Website

The basic idea of an urban retreat is to help us learn how to prac­tice in every­day life, and to gain con­fid­ence that we can really sus­tain such a prac­tice and actu­ally change ourselves and our lives! It is about how to live an “ideal urban life”. It is also really effect­ive at cre­at­ing stronger con­nec­tions between people and intro­du­cing the bene­fits of sangha. It is per­haps espe­cially help­ful for people who find it dif­fi­cult to get away on retreat because of fam­ily or work com­mit­ments. However, even those who do go on retreat often find return­ing from retreat and sus­tain­ing prac­tice is dif­fi­cult : the urban retreat can help us learn how to do so.
– Vajragupta, FWBO Centre Liaison

Theme

Living life with full atten­tion is the theme but the the idea is that we each decide for ourselves what areas we want to focus on in the week

How do I take part?

There are three ways to get involved:

1. Saturday 20th and 27th June, 10 — 5pm at Manchester Buddhist Centre

On the first day we’ll gain sup­port and encour­age­ment to reflect on our lives, choose what we want to cul­tiv­ate and prac­tice. We’ll explore ways to achieve that and identify what might hinder us

We’ll also be tak­ing part in a ritual tol link us to all the other people around the world par­ti­cip­at­ing in the urban retreat

Morning Meditations
During the week you’ll be able to come to morn­ing med­it­a­tions at the Buddhist centre if you want to, Monday — Friday, 8 — 8.45am (arrive 7.45am)

Online resources
You’ll have access to talks and resources online, includ­ing some inspir­ing ten minute talks from people all over the world

Retreat diary and buddy
You’ll have the chance to use a retreat diary and buddy up with someone else on the retreat

Saturday 27th June, 10am — 5pm On this second day retreat we’ll be able to share our exper­i­ences and reflect on what we have learnt to help us in the future

Closing Ritual
We’ll fin­ish with a ritual to con­nect us again to the inter­na­tional FWBO sangha

2. Morning meditations

Anyone can come to these — you don’t need to be booked on the retreat
Monday — Friday 8 — 8.45am (arrive 7.45am)

3. Online retreat

If you are unable to attend the centre for the retreat then you can join in through an online ver­sion International FWBO Urban Retreat Website

Booking and cost

Please book at recep­tion. We are run­ning this event on a Dana (dona­tion) basis. We’d like as many people as pos­sible to join in and simply give what you can when you come. Please fill in a Gift Aid form at recep­tion if you pay tax.