The Art of Looking Within

Understanding the Mind, Opening the Heart

We will begin the weekend by exploring the nature of our minds and how it shapes our experience. Through reflecting on samsara (the cyclical neurosis of the mind) we can begin to understand that the mind is very often turned outward, becoming lost in its own projections, stories and opinions. Nirvana, its antithesis, is introduced as the mind turned inward, recognising its true nature. This is supported through a deepening practice of guided meditation, followed by time for feedback and integration. In this way, we begin to notice how we live our lives, where we look for contentment, and how reliable our senses and the world around us truly is.

Building on this foundation, we move into the wisdom of the heart by drawing on the Buddha’s teachings on loving-kindness from the Metta Sutta and cultivating kindness towards ourselves and others. Through reflection and practice, we explore the awakening of the heart as a sense of immeasurable love and warmth. This naturally opens into the spirit of the Bodhisattva path, where there is a shift from struggle to compassion, from contraction to openness, and from being a “worrier” to be being a “warrior”, embodying a deeper, more natural strength grounded in care and connection.

Approach

Over the weekend, the retreat weaves together guided meditations, reflective inquiry, and short teachings, with space for discussion, feedback and integration. The journey unfolds as a gentle progression from understanding the mind, to directly experiencing awareness, and into opening the heart.

Location

The retreat will be held in our Temple, which is a modern example of a traditional Tibetan monastery designed to be an inspiring symbol of the Buddha’s teachings for our times.