The Buddha Project 
Retreats
A retreat is a unique opportunity to have one’s depth of practice reinvigorated by doing multiple daily group meditations in silent, beautiful, and inspiring surroundings, feeling the bonds of spiritual friendship while following the supportive rhythm of the gong.
A retreat is a moment for immersed focus, feeling of community and energizing inspiration. Every meditator has experienced that their meditative practice is regularly challenged by social pressures, lack of time, the appeal of various distractions, and the absence of a supportive environment. This influences the intensity and continuity of their practice resulting in less meditative progress.
Allowing yourself to take time for one or two retreats each year, will give the necessary support to keep a stable practice, and as you will receive new input, to be able to experience new insights and rekindle your joy for meditating. The opportunity to be in direct contact with an experienced teacher for a week or longer, is possibly its greatest benefit. A retreat will give you the opportunity to stand still for a moment to focus on training your mind without the turbulence and pressures of your regular daily life.
Welcome to the Retreats!
Sign up through one of the centres
3 TYPES OF RETREATS
Retreats cover 3 interconnected topics tailored to suit practitioners of varying skill levels. There are 4 annual retreats.
In-depth Meditation Training
Vipassana is a form of Buddhist meditation that focuses on developing insight or “clearly seeing” into the true nature of reality. It is one of the oldest and most widely practiced forms of meditation in the Buddhist tradition.
The practitioner observes the nature of their own mind and body, and learns to see things as they really are, without the distortions of their own thoughts, emotions, and desires.
The focus of these retreats is on basic Vipassana methods as taught in the Theravada Forest Tradition of Myanmar, grounded in the deeply compassionate motivation, of wanting to become enlightened for the welfare of all sentient beings.
Compassion and Lojong
Lojong practice involves using the challenges and difficulties of everyday life as opportunities to transform negative emotions into positive qualities.
These mind training retreats focus on a combination of training in serenity (shamatha) and developing the four great qualities of the heart: equanimity, empathetic joy, love, and compassionate care.
These Four Immeasurables ‘flow like rivers into the great ocean of bodhicitta’, the altruistic mind of awakening.
Mahamudra
The goal of Mahamudra is to directly experience the nature of mind, the source of all wisdom and compassion. Mahamudra, or “great seal”, refers to the ultimate truth that everything in the world lacks a fixed, independent essence, but exists interconnected and depends on various causes and conditions.
This profound and advanced meditation practice forms the pinnacle of the portfolio of Tibetan meditative methods. Daily meditation focused on the nature of the mind will be enhanced by incorporating the Gaden Lha Gyema, a guru yoga practice that lies at the intersection of both sutra and tantra traditions. This essential technique is a core component of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Upcoming
Retreats
Weekend on Aspiring Bodhisattva Vows
Maitreya Institute Amsterdam
A precious opportunity to receive the Aspiring Bodhisattva Vows from Ven. Gendun, with a full weekend of commentary on their meaning and practice. Online and onsite.
Summer Retreat 2025
Maitreya Instituut Loenen, The Netherlands
Asanga's bird: brushing away saṃsāra with the wings of wisdom and compassion. A week of Vipassana and Brahmavihara meditation. The retreat is in English and is available online and onsite.
Intercontemplative Retreat
Institut Vajrayogini, France
During this week long retreat, Ven. Gendun will engage in dialogues and joint practice with three remarkable teachers from other contemplative backgrounds: Dutch Jewish Rabbi Marianne van Praag, Georgian Orthodox bishop Malkhaz Songulashvili and Swiss scholar Donata Schoeller. Only onsite, English and French.
Weekend on Engaging Bodhisattva Vows
Maitreya Institute Amsterdam
A precious opportunity to receive the extraordinary Engaging Bodhisattva Vows from Ven. Gendun, with a full weekend of commentary on their meaning and practice. Onsite and online.
Mini Vipassana Weekend Retreat
Helsinki, Finland
Vipassana (Insight Meditation) weekend, open to anyone. Online and onsite. More info and a registration link will follow soon.
Winter retreat 2025
A week in silence. More information will follow. Save the dates: December 1-7, 2025! Onsite and online.
Archive
Retreats
Radical Love in the Heart Sutra
Thubten Norbu Ling, Sante Fe
A teaching on the hidden meaning of the Heart Sutra as a path to freedom through the perfection of unconditional care for all living beings. Online only.
Weekend on Refuge and Lay Vows
Maitreya Institute Amsterdam
A precious opportunity to take Refuge and/or Lay Vows from Ven. Gendun and receive a full weekend of commentary on their meaning and practice. Online and onsite.
