Rayong Beach Mindfulness Retreat
with Bhikkhuni Karma Lekshe
and Marisa Cranfil-Young

Saturday 21st – Monday 23rd January 2017
for experienced meditation yogis

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We’re 28 meditation warriors in Rayong, on the beach …

Organised by Pandit Bhikkhu, inspired by Bhikkhuni Karma Lekshe, and Qi Gong with Marisa. Great team!

In addition to the usual dhamma talk, silent sitting and walking meditation, we will be practicing Qi Gong – which is a form of mindful movement. It is more gentle that other physical forms, and will be geared to promoting mindfulness of body.

  • 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 for beginners – priority will be given to those with some retreat experience.
  • The schedule will be very light – so you will need to be self-motivated in meditation.

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Leading the Retreat

We trust you already know Pandit Bhikkhu, organiser behind littlebang.org.
Bhikkhuni Karma Lekshe is one of our regular visitors to Bangkok
Marisa of course, leads our Qi Gong, but also teaches yoga and vipassana

 

Bhikkhuni Karma Lekshe

 

Ordained Bhikkhuni (Buddhist nun) Karma Lekshe holds a PhD in comparative philosophy, is author of several books, the founder of a Himalayan nonprofit organisation for female Buddhists, professor at University of San Diego, former president of the International Association of Buddhist Women, and is actively involved in interfaith dialogue and grassroot initiatives for empowerment of women.

Professor Tsomo received a B.A. in Oriental Languages (Japanese/Chinese) from the University of California, Berkeley; an M.A. in Asian Studies, an M.A. in Religion (Asian), and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Hawai‘i, Manoa. In addition, she studied at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives and the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala, India for 15 years.

 Click here for all the published titles by Lekshe Tsomo
 click here for a fuller bio

Marisa Cranfill Young

12 Marisa and spirit house 2Frequent trips to Asia as a child influenced Marisa’s passion for an investigation of meditation, yoga, qigong, Chinese healing arts and academic field work for over 17 years. She discovered qigong while attending university in China and combined it with a meditation and yoga practice, experiencing amazing results: more energy, deep healing, and insight to nature’s unlimited potential. Today she shares these gifts as a certified qigong, yoga, and Vipassana meditation instructor. Her qigong training is through the Universal Healing Tao Lineage and the Wandering Tao School. She currently divides her time between San Fransisco and Bangkok where she offers classes, workshops, and private consultations.

Venue

We will be at 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.

Saturday 21st January

  • Meet at Baan Aree (map below) near Ari BTS station at 7:30am (note we changed the departure time slightly from 7 to 7:30 am)
  • Arrive at our beach destination around 11am for lunch
  • 2-5pm orientation and meditation sessions
  • 7-9:30 evening talk and meditation

Sunday 22nd

  • 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 Qi Gong and meditation
  • 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 3,800 baht per person, which should include everything, with something left over.
  • Transport by mini-van from Bangkok and back to Bangkok, plus food/lodgings is included in the price.
  • If you are planning to drive there yourself, then the retreat cost is 2,800 baht. Mail us for directions.
  • 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 will need to take your own sheet and pillow cover (if that is not practical, for instance if you are touring, let us know and we’ll work something out). You’ll need your own towel, soap and toiletries.

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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.

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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 10 days before we depart.

A 1000 baht deposit is required to secure your place. It can be deposited at any of our events in Bangkok – both because we don’t have group banking systems, and because preference will be given to Bangkok residents.

Complete the form below. Then you will be returned to this page. Someone will get back to you fairly soon after.