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Rayong Beach Mindfulness Retreat
with Pandit Bhikkhu
and Marisa Cranfil-Young
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Saturday 13th – Monday 15th January 2018
for experienced meditation yogis
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Sorry – this retreat is fully booked up.
- Meditation and Qi Gong (moving meditation) with Pandit Bhikkhu and Marisa
- We’re returning for a weekend of quiet, meditation, and sand – on a quiet beach, Rayong province.
- This time round we will travel to Rayong on a Saturday morning and return Monday afternoon. Hope for the weather to be near perfect – dry and with the sea breeze.
- This retreat is not really for beginners – The schedule will be very light, so you will need to be self-motivated in meditation. But it is not a stipulation, all are welcome to join.
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Leading the Retreat
We trust you already know Pandit Bhikkhu, organiser behind littlebang.org.
Marisa of course, leads our Qi Gong, but also teaches yoga and vipassana
 Pandit Bhikkhu |
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| Pandit organises the little Bangkok Sangha, English speaking dharma group in Bangkok. He’s a British born Buddhist ordained as a monk since 1996, living in Thailand. He has a BA in psychology, and nearly has an MA in Buddhist Studies from the Thai Sangha University in Ayutthaya. | Marisa is a Yoga, Qi Gong and Vipassana teacher based in the US. For many years she ran the Marisa Baratelli fashion label, before giving up the glamour world for that of meditation and yoga. She’s well known to many of us in Bangkok, and is always a popular leader. |
Marisa Cranfill-Young
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Venue
We will be at 3 or 4 very pleasant houses, located in a gated community on a quiet beach on the South coast of Rayong province. It is about 2.5 hours from Bangkok. There will be plenty of space.
There are a variety of rooms in the different houses. Some are air-con, some have beds, some have sleeping mattresses – i.e. conditions vary. We don’t have an exact plan of the many rooms and so cannot guarantee anything, except that the houses are pleasant, clean, equipped with necessities, and that we are very fortunate the owners have given us permission to use their private houses for the purpose of a meditation retreat.
Sorry – it would be nice, but we can’t give private rooms. We won’t be crowded though. And sharing is good for mindfulness – monks usually share for several years when they ordain for this reason! The beach air is very fresh, especially at this time of the year. Males and females will be in separate areas, so we can’t give any couples rooms either.
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Schedule
This retreat is set out for those with experience in meditation already. You don’t have to be an expert, but there won’t be strict sitting and walking sessions all day like many other retreats. If you want to really experience Vipassana meditation, opt for a boot-camp strict retreat. This is for those who can manage their own meditation without needing continual guidance.
Saturday13th January
- Meet at Baan Aree (map below) near Ari BTS station at 7:30am
- 11:30 ish Arrive at the local town on the beach for lunch overlooking the sea (buy your own)
- 2-5pm orientation and meditation sessions
- 6 single dish evening food (retreats are usually morning food only, but we will provide a simple, single dish for those who feel they must eat in the evening)
- 7-9:30 evening talk and meditation
Sunday 14th
- 5:30am Meditation on the Beach as dawn comes up
- Breakfast 7:15 (ish)
- 8:30-11:00am Qi Gong on the beach, followed by sitting meditaiton
- 12:00 Lunch (mostly vegetarian)
- 4:00-6:00 Afternoon sitting and walking meditation
- 7:00pm Light Food for those who need it (we follow monastic tradition of eating only in the morning, but something light, single dish, will be available if you need it)
- Evening Meditation and Dhamma Talk 7:30-9:30
Monday 24th January
- 5:30 am Rising dawn meditation on the beach
- Breakfast 7:30 (ish)
- 8:30-10:30 Last meditation Q&A and experience sharing
- 11-12 clean up and be packed ready to leave
- Lunch 12-1:00
- Final checks and clean up, load the vans. Leave before 1:30pm
- 5:00 ish Drop off at a BTS station in Bangkok
We aim to be back in Bangkok before 5 pm, with a drop off point at one of the BTS stations.
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Meditation Style
Vipassana meditation aims to cultivate strong body/mind awareness in the present moment. The benefits and other descriptions are well described on thousands of websites.
We will also do a daily Qi gong session – you don’t need prior experience with Qi Gong – we will be using it as a form of mindfulness movement practise, similar to walking meditaiton.
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Food and other things
We will provide breakfast and large lunch. This will more than keep you alive and healthy! We’ll ask you not to eat or snack between these times – self-discipline around eating is one important part of a proper Vipassana retreat experience. In Burmese retreats there is no evening meal at all, and this provides a lightness of the body and mind, as well as gaining insight and discipline into how we look to food and drink as a psychological prop. For those who need it there will be a light evening meal., though we’d encourage you to eat only very lightly.
We cannot cater to individual diets – almost everyone seems to have special requirements these days that they can’t live without. One lesson from monastic living: you can actually live very well just on what people offer. We have had good experience with the restaurant we use by the beach, and no one has died on us yet (not due to the food anyway).
Don’t even ask if you can attend part of the retreat only! Appreciated that not everyone can take a Monday off work, but that’s just how the schedule panned out this year.
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Cost
- The cost will be 2,500 baht per person, which includes food, lodging etc..
- Transport by mini-van from Bangkok and back to Bangkok,is 1200 baht. You are welcome to arrange your own transport if you prefer. Ask for directions (must be able to follow Google maps by yourself)
- So that’s 3700 baht if you are joining the mini-vans. Bringing correct change is handy!
- Please avoid large or hard-case bags. You don’t need much, and storage space in the vans is limited.
We will take meditation mats. You’ll need your own towel, soap and toiletries, and there is no shop nearby, so don’t forget anything.
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Other points
It’s a great privilege to be offered these houses to use, so we must ensure we leave them in perfect condition. This is not a serviced resort – they are private houses.
Details etc.. change, so be sure to re-read this page closer to the time for more suggestions, and to see any changes that have been made.
Torch, mosquito repellent, medicines you use – please bring your own along. We have no transport available during the retreat to go buy things you forgot.
You’ll be asked to keep to the schedule of group meetings and free time, as it maintains the group energy and focus. If you have difficulties, see the teacher or manager.
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Meeting Point
We will meet at Baan Aree, which is close to Ari BTS station, at 7am sharp. We’re not providing breakfast, but there are some food shops nearby.
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Booking
Please be absolutely sure that you will join this retreat before you book – always so many people book, and then mysteriously fall ill on the day, or flip-flop in their decision. There are 30 places available only, so we’re unhappy about cancellations as your spot could have been given to someone else. You’re free to cancel up to 5 days before we depart.
As there’s little time before the retreat we won’t ask for a deposit. But we will phone you 5 days before departing to check you are attending. If you cancel after that we will ask you to pay the van fee (1200 baht) as we still had to pay for your seat.
Complete the form below. Then you will be returned to this page. Someone will get back to you fairly soon after. If you don’t hear from us within a few days, then you gave the wrong email (someone does this every year – don’t let it be you! 🙂 )
We’re fully booked, but if you’d like to be on the waiting list, you can enter your details below:
