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There are many things in life that are beyond our control. So how do we deal with the unexpected when they arise? According to Buddhism, cultivating patience and equanimity through meditation is only way to transform the mind. By developing a sense of connection to all things and concentration, wisdom arises to reveal greater clarity, emotional balance and seeing things as they are.

Retreats Offered at Paramita

1. Basic Meditation Retreat
This retreat is the natural starting point if you’re new to Buddhist meditation. It aims to guide you along to experience the joy and benefits of meditation – starting with mindfulness of breathing and gradually presenting different types of meditation to cultivate tranquility, insight and loving kindness in the four basic postures. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn how to cultivate new, more positive ways of being.

2. Tranquility (Samatha) Meditation Retreat
Samatha or tranquility is considered to be a prerequisite of concentration and a preparation for insight (Vipassana) meditation. This retreat focuses on techniques which assist in calming the mind. One of the principal techniques taught by the Buddha for this purpose is mindfulness of breathing. With regular practice, the untamed mind gradually settles down into calmness and develops clarity. How our habitual mind works becomes more apparent to us and this increased awareness assists us in making better decisions to make the most of ourselves in our daily lives.

3. Insight (Vipassana) Meditation Retreat
Having discovered that the cause of suffering in life can be solved by seeing reality as it is, the Buddha taught Vipassana meditation, an insight into the three marks of existence: impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self. Insight meditation is concerned with the present moment by observing the one’s own body and mind, gradually purifying the mind and eliminating all forms of attachment. In this retreat, see yourself as you really are through contemplation, introspection and observations of bodily sensations, analytic meditation and life experiences.

4. Metta (Loving Kindness) Meditation Retreat
Metta meditation encourages a feeling of connection to the whole world. By cultivating Metta, we develop a warm heart. When we cultivate metta within ourselves, we feel relaxed, comfortable and at peace with all things. In this retreat, learn how to practice metta in daily life to overcome anger and resentment, and the benefits gained from doing so based on the Metta Sutta.