Meditation Retreat 22.9. – 1.10.2017 in Lammi, Finland: Practical Details

Price and donations

The base price is 270 euros. This covers the teachers’ travel expenses, the cost of renting the facility and food expenses.

We feel that financial situation should not prevent anybody from participating, so we are willing to offer the retreat for a reduced price, if needed. If the base price is too high for you, please contact us at retriitit@nirodha.fi and let us know how much you are able to pay. If you would like to help sponsor someone who does not have the financial means to pay the full price, you are welcome to pay more than the base price.

The teachers and organizers do not receive any payment for their services but offer them freely so that as many as possible have the chance to benefit from the teachings regardless of financial situation. This principle of generosity is very central to the teachings of the Buddha and has made it possible to continue the practice of meditation still 2,500 years after his life. The teachers live primarily off of donations. Retreat participants may support the teachers and organizers by donations at the end of the retreat – we ask that you take cash with you for this purpose.

Registration and cancellation policy

You can sign up for the retreat by filling in the registration form. After we have read your application we’ll contact you and tell whether you received a place or you are on the waiting list. If your place is confirmed, you shall pay the registration fee 30 euros.

In case of cancellation, please inform us as soon as possible so that we can give your place to the next person on the waiting list. The registration fee is not refundable.

If you are coming from abroad, please note that we are not able to provide any documents for visa applications because of limited resources.

Arrival and departure times

The retreat starts on Friday 22nd of September. You may arrive at the retreat venue from 5 p.m. onwards. Dinner will be served at 6.00 p.m. and the program starts at 7.30 p.m. The retreat ends on Sunday 1st of October, by 3 p.m. at the latest. Yogis are expected to participate from the beginning of the retreat to the end.

Venue

The retreat will take place at the Lammi Retreat Center, Kataloistentie 681, Hämeenlinna, Finland. We will send you an email approximately one week before the beginning of the retreat with detailed information on how to get to the site, such as recommended routes and bus connections. We will also help to coordinate liftshare so that those who need a ride can connect with those who have extra space in their car. (You might not want to buy a bus ticket for your return trip in advance, because we will also help to coordinate liftshare at the end of the retreat.)

Accommodation, meals and the daily routine

At the retreat center there are four small bedrooms with 2 bunkbeds and also two big dorms, where there are five bunkbeds. The places will be assigned to yogis in the order of arrival.

Three simple vegetarian meals will be served daily: breakfast, lunch and a light dinner. There will be tea and instant coffee available during the breaks. Please mark any food allergies you have on the registration form.

A typical day on the retreat includes alternating 45-minute periods of sitting and walking meditation as well as a one-hour working period during which participants help with chopping vegetables, cleaning common spaces, etc. It is possible to do yoga and stretching or to take a walk during the breaks or during some of the walking meditation periods. If you need a yoga mat, please bring your own with you.

Silence and abstinence from alcohol or drugs

Use of intoxicants is not permitted during the retreat. Smoking is allowed only in a special area designated for this purpose.

During the retreat we maintain noble silence, which means yogis do not talk with each other, read, write, or use mobile phones. Talking is only done with the teachers. Experience shows that silence deepens the practice in a beautiful way.

What to bring

Please bring your own bed linens or sleeping bag with you. Make sure you have with you a towel, your personal items, medication, etc. The organizers cannot get items you are missing for you during the retreat.

It is possible to meditate on the floor or in a chair. Nirodha will provide one set of cushions (zafu and zabuton) for each yogi. We will also provide about twenty meditation benches. If you need extra cushions or blankets–for example, to support your hands or knees–please bring your own with you. If you easily get cold during meditation, it may be good to bring your own blanket or shawl. Also indoor footwear is recommended.

Questions

If you have anything to ask, please contact us at retriitit@nirodha.fi. We wish everyone a rewarding and meaningful retreat!

Warmly,
Tuulikki Hukka (+258 50 432 9241)