July 6 to 12
7-Day Retreat: Foundations of Mindfulness and Mettā
with Ven. Tenzin (Alex Anderson) and Christian Bernert
July 15 to 21
7-Day Retreat: Kasina Meditation
with Thomas Dhammadipa
July 6 to 12, 2026
7-Day Silent Retreat:
Foundations of Mindfulness and Mettā – Loving Kindness
With Ven. Tenzin (Alex Anderson) and Christian Bernert
Join us for an immersive 7-day retreat exploring the profound teachings of Satipatthāna, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and Mettā, the practice of loving kindness.
This retreat offers a comprehensive journey based on the Satipatthāna Sutta, one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravāda Buddhism. This text teaches the practice of insight based on mindfulness of body, sensations, mind, and mental objects, providing practitioners with the tools to cultivate deep awareness and insight.
This practice will be complemented by the cultivation of mettā, or loving-kindness, learning to extend compassion and goodwill toward ourselves and all beings. Through guided meditation sessions and Dharma talks, supported by the practice of noble silence, participants will deepen their understanding of these foundational practices that are the very heart of Buddhist meditation.
The teachers
Ven. Tenzin (Dr. Alex Anderson) began with an ecologist’s understanding of interdependence, but the rainforest soon led him to Buddhist meditation. Now ordained as a monk in the Sakya Tibetan tradition, he has also studied and practiced meditation under Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh at Plum Village in France, and Pa Auk Tawya in the Burmese Forest tradition. His approach is informed by Theravadin, Zen, and Vajrayana methods of meditation and mindfulness, as well as Hatha Yoga, Deep Ecology, and his love of wild places. He currently lives in Gumbaynggirr country on the Dorrigo Plateau, Australia, where he cofounded the Gaia Forest Project to co-create community space for meditation and nature connection (gaiaforest.org).
Of Franco-Austrian background, Christian Bernert’s connection with the Buddhadharma was formally forged in 1999, when he met his first teacher, the late Khenchen Sherab Gyaltsen Amipa Rinpoche. Since 2001, Christian has also participated in the yearly summer programs at the International Buddhist Academy (IBA) in Kathmandu, studying important philosophical texts and receiving training in a variety of practice traditions. Christian received an MA in Tibetan studies from the University of Vienna in 2009, followed by a two-year translator training at the International Buddhist Academy (IBA) in Kathmandu. He currently translates for Khyentse Vision Project (khyentsevision.org) and Chödung Karmo Translation Group (chodungkarmo.org), coordinates Dharma programs for IBA, and teaches yearly seminars at the European centres of Khenchen Sherab Gyaltsen Amipa. His publications include Words of a Gentle Sage: Collected Teachings of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, vols. 1 & 2 (2018 & 2022), Adorning Maitreya’s Intent: A Commentary on the Madhyāntavibhāga by Rongtön Sheja Kunrik (2017), and various sūtras for 84000, as well as ongoing translation of the works of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.
DAILY SCHEDULE (day 1 will begin at 9 AM; day 7 will conclude before noon):
AM
5:00 – Wake up and individual meditation
6:00 – Qi Gong
7:00 – Breakfast
8:00 – Silent meditation (45 mins)
9:00 – Dharma Talk & meditation (30 mins)
10:30 – Tea break
11:00 – Meditation
PM
12:00 – Lunch
2:00 – Dharma Talk & meditation (30 mins)
3:30 – Tea break
4:00-6:30 – Meditation period (alternating sitting and walking meditation, and rest)
6:30 – Dinner
7:30 – Q&A, meditation, evening chanting
9:00 – Bedtime
*Important Disclaimer*
Buddhist meditation retreats are not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health treatment. Participants with any concerns about their mental health or psychological stability, or those with a history of mental health conditions, should consult with a qualified mental health professional before attending to determine the suitability of intensive meditation practice for their individual circumstances.
July 15 to 21, 2026
7-Day Kasina Silent Retreat in the Burmese Forest Tradition
With Thomas Dhammadipa
DESCRIPTION:
Discover the profound practice of kasina meditation during this intensive 7-day retreat following the Burmese forest tradition. Kasina practice involves concentrated meditation on specific objects such as earth, water, fire, air, and colored discs (blue, yellow, red, white), as support for the attainment of deeper states of meditative absorption (jhāna). This practice, known in the Tibetan tradition as “perception fields of totality” (ཟད་པར་གྱི་སྐྱེ་མཆེད་), is often mentioned in meditation manuals, but rarely taught.
Thomas Dhammadipa extensively trained in the Burmese forest lineage of Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, and taught this practice for several years, based on important scriptures such as the Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga) by Buddhaghosa and the Path of Liberation (Vimuttimagga) attributed to the Arhat Upatissa. Participants will learn to cultivate single-pointed concentration using these traditional meditation supports, progressing through increasingly refined levels of mental absorption and tranquility that form the foundation for profound spiritual insight.
Thomas Dhammadipa is a lay Dharma teacher from the Czech Republic. His decades of meditation training as a Buddhist monk combined with his extensive scholarly and linguistic background make him an exceptional teacher. Thomas Dhammadipa has extensively taught Dharma in both theory and practice, and led students in meditation retreats in Europe, North and South America, India, China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.
A more detailed biography is at https://www.dhammadipa.cz/en/biogaphy/
Tentative daily schedule (day 1 will begin at 2PM; day 7 will conclude in the afternoon):
AM
6:00 – Qi Gong (optional)
7:00 – Breakfast
8:00 – Meditation
9:00 – Meditation Instructions
10:30 – Tea Break
11:00 – Meditation
PM
12:00 – Lunch
2:00 – Dharma Talk
3:30 – Tea break
4:00-6:30 – Meditation period
6:30 – Dinner
7:30-8:30 – Q&A (45 mins), meditation & evening chanting (45 mins)
9:00 – Bedtime
*Important Disclaimer*
Buddhist meditation retreats are not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health treatment. Participants with any concerns about their mental health or psychological stability, or those with a history of mental health conditions, should consult with a qualified mental health professional before attending to determine the suitability of intensive meditation practice for their individual circumstances.