THE URBAN RETREAT
Be on retreat in the midst of your life
Sat 7 - Fri 13th September | In-person & Online
Free (with donations welcome)
In a world that’s changing constantly, the Buddhist response is uncompromising: we need to transform ourselves, transform our minds. This inner transformation is not just personal; it radiates outward, igniting profound change in the world around us.
During the Urban Retreat, join in a week of activities that will help to create space and stillness to help you start on this path of transformation. Be ‘on retreat’ in the midst of your daily life.
There will be three meditation sessions a day, a ‘total immersion’ day, and talks and rituals in the evenings. There will also be ‘fringe’ events including yoga, creative activities, and mantra chanting. Some of the events are also online for anyone outside of London. The programme is designed to fit around any schedule, and you can come to as much as you can.
The Mandala Café, next to the LBC, will be open throughout the Urban Retreat -- a relaxing space with delicious food and drinks. You’ll be able to enjoy cultural events hosted in the café, as well as opportunities to connect between sessions.
We’ll kick-start the retreat on Saturday 7th September at 2.30pm. Come along to as much as you can.
All levels of experience are welcome and events are free, with donations welcome. Sign up below to take part, and we'll send you reminders and details of the events.
Urban Retreat Programme
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Sun
8 Sep
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10:00 am
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1:00 pm
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Sun
8 Sep
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Mon
9 Sep
Introduction to meditation morning (Beginners)
An opportunity to learn meditation for complete beginners. We will be teaching meditation from scratch, so no experience is necessary. Then join in with the silent meditation day at lunchtime, once you have been taught the practices.
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Sun
8 Sep
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10:00 am
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5:00 pm
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Sun
8 Sep
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Mon
9 Sep
Total Immersion Day (Regulars)
Today we’ll spend a whole day meditating together. Those who know the practices can enjoy a full day of silent meditation. A great way to dive into meditation and take an existing practice deeper. Please bring some vegan lunch to share.
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Mon
9 Sep
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7:00 am
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8:00 am
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Mon
9 Sep
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Mon
9 Sep
Morning Meditation
Start your day meditating with others. Come in person if you can, or join online. The Mandala cafe will be open from 8.15am and offering tea, filter coffee, and bircher muesli by donation, with other offerings available to purchase.
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Mon
9 Sep
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5:30 pm
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6:30 pm
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Mon
9 Sep
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Mon
9 Sep
Mantra Chanting
Chanting mantras can be a way to deepen and enrich our experience; evoking Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to shift our energies. All welcome and no experience necessary.
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Mon
9 Sep
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7:15 pm
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9:30 pm
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Mon
9 Sep
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Mon
9 Sep
Know Yourself | Suryagupta
These evening sessions are the highlights of the Urban Retreat. Come to meditate and hear Suryagupta, Chair of the LBC, explore the role of ethics and meditation in knowing ourselves.
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Tue
10 Sep
|
7:00 am
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8:00 am
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Tue
10 Sep
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Tue
10 Sep
Morning Meditation
Start your day meditating with others. Come in person if you can, or join online. The Mandala cafe will be open from 8.15am and offering tea, filter coffee, and bircher muesli by donation, with other offerings available to purchase.
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Tue
10 Sep
|
10:00 am
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10:45 am
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Tue
10 Sep
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Tue
10 Sep
Chi Kung
Join Serene for an exploration of the harmony between stillness and movement. This session is the perfect morning perk to restore health, vitality, and balance.
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Tue
10 Sep
|
1:00 pm
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2:00 pm
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Tue
10 Sep
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Tue
10 Sep
Lunchtime Meditation Toolkit
A progressive sequence of lunchtime sessions, giving you tools for developing a wiser, more loving mind. There will also be a beginner's class.
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Tue
10 Sep
|
2:15 pm
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3:15 pm
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Tue
10 Sep
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Tue
10 Sep
Volunteering session
See behind the scenes at the LBC by working alongside the caretakers to beautify the shrine rooms, do some DIY, and more! A wonderful way to give practically to the LBC.
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Tue
10 Sep
|
2:15 pm
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3:15 pm
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Tue
10 Sep
-
Tue
10 Sep
Volunteering session
See behind the scenes at the LBC by working alongside the caretakers to beautify the shrine rooms, do some DIY, and more! A wonderful way to give practically to the LBC.
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Tue
10 Sep
|
7:15 pm
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9:30 pm
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Tue
10 Sep
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Tue
10 Sep
Know The World | Prajnamanas
These evening sessions are the highlights of the Urban Retreat. Come to meditate and hear Prajnamanas explore how we can come to know the world by connecting with ourselves as true individuals, and to others in a spiritual community.
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Wed
11 Sep
|
7:00 am
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8:00 am
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Wed
11 Sep
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Wed
11 Sep
Morning Meditation
Start your day meditating with others. Come in person if you can, or join online. The Mandala cafe will be open from 8.15am and offering tea, filter coffee, and bircher muesli by donation, with other offerings available to purchase.
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Wed
11 Sep
|
10:00 am
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10:45 am
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Wed
11 Sep
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Wed
11 Sep
Chi Kung
Join Serene for an exploration of the harmony between stillness and movement. This session is the perfect morning perk to restore health, vitality, and balance.
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Wed
11 Sep
|
1:00 pm
-
2:00 pm
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Wed
11 Sep
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Wed
11 Sep
Lunchtime Meditation Toolkit
A progressive sequence of lunchtime sessions, giving you tools for developing a wiser, more loving mind. There will also be a beginner's class.
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Wed
11 Sep
|
5:30 pm
-
6:30 pm
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Wed
11 Sep
-
Wed
11 Sep
Mantra Chanting
Chanting mantras can be a way to deepen and enrich our experience; evoking Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to shift our energies. All welcome and no experience necessary.
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Wed
11 Sep
|
7:15 pm
-
9:30 pm
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Wed
11 Sep
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Wed
11 Sep
Transform self | Maitreyabandhu
These evening sessions are the highlights of the Urban Retreat. Come to meditate and hear Maitreyabandhu discuss a vision of human existence, drawing on themes of conditionality and wisdom to arrive as self-transformation.
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Thu
12 Sep
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7:00 am
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8:00 am
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Thu
12 Sep
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Thu
12 Sep
Morning Meditation
Start your day meditating with others. Come in person if you can, or join online. The Mandala cafe will be open from 8.15am and offering tea, filter coffee, and bircher muesli by donation, with other offerings available to purchase.
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Thu
12 Sep
|
10:00 am
-
10:45 am
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Thu
12 Sep
-
Thu
12 Sep
Chi Kung
Join Serene for an exploration of the harmony between stillness and movement. This session is the perfect morning perk to restore health, vitality, and balance.
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Thu
12 Sep
|
1:00 pm
-
2:00 pm
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Thu
12 Sep
-
Thu
12 Sep
Lunchtime Meditation Toolkit
A progressive sequence of lunchtime sessions, giving you tools for developing a wiser, more loving mind. There will also be a beginner's class.
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Thu
12 Sep
|
5:00 pm
-
6:00 pm
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Thu
12 Sep
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Thu
12 Sep
How Poetry can save your life
with Maitreyabandhu
Maitreyabandhu will be running a close-reading of poems exploring the power or poetry. He says it will be "particularly good for people who don't like poetry or don't feel they 'get' it." Maitreyabandhu is a published poet. Do come along!
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Thu
12 Sep
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7:15 pm
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9:30 pm
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Thu
12 Sep
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Thu
12 Sep
Transform World | Sugati
These evening sessions are the highlights of the Urban Retreat. Come to meditate and hear Sugati explore what it means to be a Bodhisattva in the 21st century, and a blueprint for a new world.
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Fri
13 Sep
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7:00 am
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8:00 am
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Fri
13 Sep
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Fri
13 Sep
Morning Meditation
Start your day meditating with others. Come in person if you can, or join online. The Mandala cafe will be open from 8.15am and offering tea, filter coffee, and bircher muesli by donation, with other offerings available to purchase.
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Fri
13 Sep
|
10:00 am
-
10:45 am
This is some text inside of a div block.
Fri
13 Sep
-
Fri
13 Sep
Chi Kung
Join Serene for an exploration of the harmony between stillness and movement. This session is the perfect morning perk to restore health, vitality, and balance.
This is some text inside of a div block.
Fri
13 Sep
|
1:00 pm
-
2:00 pm
This is some text inside of a div block.
Fri
13 Sep
-
Fri
13 Sep
Lunchtime Meditation Toolkit
A progressive sequence of lunchtime sessions, giving you tools for developing a wiser, more loving mind. There will also be a beginner's class.
This is some text inside of a div block.
Fri
13 Sep
|
5:30 pm
-
6:30 pm
This is some text inside of a div block.
Fri
13 Sep
-
Fri
13 Sep
Mantra Chanting
Chanting mantras can be a way to deepen and enrich our experience; evoking Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to shift our energies. All welcome and no experience necessary.
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Fri
13 Sep
|
6:30 pm
-
9:30 pm
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Fri
13 Sep
-
Fri
13 Sep
Closing evening
We will come together to celebrate the closing of the Urban Retreat. Join in for meditation, ritual. In groups we’ll reflect on next steps with an activity to help remind our future selves of our intentions. By 8pm we’ll move into the Mandala for a feast, alongside stories from retreatants and live music.
