Sub30 Weekend | The Shepherd’s Search for Mind
28 – 30 MAR | led by Amaladasa + Dhibhajana
Listen to me, dear shepherd, the protector (of sheep)!
By merely hearing about sugar’s taste,
Sweetness cannot be experienced;
Though one’s mind may understand
What sweetness is,
It cannot experience it directly;
Only the tongue can know it.
In the same way one cannot see in full the nature of mind,
Though he may have a glimpse of it
If it has been pointed out by others.
One relies not on this one glimpse,
But continues searching for the nature of mind.
He will see it fully in the end.
Dear shepherd, in this way you should observe your mind.
milarepa
Milarepa, the great Tibetan yogi, sings this song to a curious young shepherd who is searching for answers. Like us, he wanted to know what life is about, what the mind is, how it affects our experience and how it can be transformed. The shepherd had a sense that there was more to life and that through communication and awareness he could realise these truths.
On this retreat, we will explore the nature of mind so that we can live more creatively, spontaneously and confidently.
There will be meditations, talks, silence, discussions and Buddhist ritual. If you’re aged 18–30, new to Buddhism or have been practising for some time – this retreat is for you!
The weekend is followed by the Nature of Existence seminar. Why not enjoy a six-day retreat and stay for this too?
upgrade your retreat
Turn your weekend into a week by staying on for the seminar immediately following this retreat and delve deeper into the Dharma…
Reception is from 4pm on the day of arrival, with the retreat beginning with supper at 6pm.
While you’re here you will be participating in communal life. This includes meditating with everyone on site in the main shrine room in the morning, taking part in daily tasks and at the end of your retreat you will help us to prepare the retreat centre for the next group to join us.
With this in mind, the retreat will finish after the clear-up, so if travelling on public transport, please book a train after 3pm.
For: All levels of experience
Start date: 27th Mar 2026
End date: 29th Mar 2026
Event Type: Residential
Price: Standard £125 | Concession £85 | Financial Assistance £65
Please note that the payment includes a non-refundable and non-transferrable deposit of £50.
Bursary Fund: Help those who can't afford to come on retreat
You're invited to donate to enable individuals experiencing financial hardship to attend events with bursary places.
Go to our Bursary Fund page