Retreat

•  2024-07-31 16:00 - 2024-08-04 14:00
•  Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
•  HK$2,500.00

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh taught how to invite the small bell at the Day of Mindfulness for Educators, Education University of Hong Kong 2013 (photo by Kelvin Cheuk)   The theme of the retreat is The Way Out is In, which guides us to go back to ourselves, to look deeply into our body, feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Looking deeply from within, we can see causes of challenges that we are facing and find ways to cope and overcome them. This retreat is open to those who are involved in teaching and training, including teachers, school counsellors, trainers and staff of formal or informal educational and trainings organizations. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) held a Day Of Mindfulness for Educators at Education University of Hong Kong (formerly Hong Kong Institute of Education) in 2007, 2010 and 2013. As an effort to bring mindfulness into education, Thay and the Plum Village Sangha established the Wake-Up School initiative and set up a structured mindfulness training program for teachers. The objectives of the Wake-Up school is to help educators take care and cultivate peace and happiness within themselves in order to help their students and colleagues to do the same. A detailed Wake-Up School program was written in the book “Happy Teachers Change the World.” In this retreat, we will have the chance to learn teachings and practices of mindfulness to stop and calm ourselves, to look deeply from within, to cultivate peace and happiness, which already existing in us. We will practice mindfulness as a way of life, where everything we do like breathing, walking, eating, smiling …. is an act of mindfulness. We will enjoy the beautiful sky, the trees, the walking path, the flowers around us. We will listen to Dharma talks and participated in group sharing on how to live fully in the present moments, to deal with negative emotions, and to cultivate togetherness, making our presence […]

•  2024-07-17 15:00 - 2024-07-21 14:00
•  Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
•  Please refer to the newsletter

“Be there for each other, Listen to each other” Children and Teens are welcomed to join with parents This retreat is for all who would like to explore the practice of mindfulness and learn ways to deal with their everyday circumstances in life. We might all know that there are so many things in life that make ourselves and people around us unhappy and stressed. We are just so busy and we don’t have time to take good care of ourselves or to even pause to look back at ourselves and the situation we are facing. Often times, when we encounter something unpleasant, we would find different means to run away from it, but according to the Buddha’s teachings, this is not a good solution. We can see that most problems we are facing now come from our lack of mutual understanding and love in communication amongst family members, colleagues, etc …Whether we are married or single, it seems that we are facing the same things. Let’s explore together the practice of mindfulness and learn how to cope with problems with more calm and clarity, bringing more positive values to our relationships in daily life. In this retreat, we will have the chance to learn teachings and practices of mindfulness to cultivate peace and happiness, inspiration and insight, which are already existing in us. We will practice mindfulness as a way of life, where everything we do like breathing, walking, eating, smiling …. is an act of mindfulness. We will enjoy the beautiful sky, the trees, the walking paths, and the flowers around us. We will listen to Dharma talks and participated in group sharing on how to live fully in the present moment, to deal with negative emotions, and to cultivate togetherness, making our presence a precious gift to our partner, family members, and friends. Through different practices of mindfulness in this retreat, we have opportunities to be present […]

•  2024-03-28 16:00 - 2024-04-01 14:00
•  Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
•  HK$2,000

The theme of this retreat: Teachings on the Auspicious Sign We will check out how the Auspicious Sign helps to realize peace and happiness in daily activities that we normally do in our life. Every moment and every activity that we do can be an auspicious act, in any moment and any place that we are in. Plum Village’s Parallel Verses for the Year of the Dragon (2024) To be a good son or daughter, taking care of you parents, to know how to care for your family, to maintain a harmonious household, not to let your family fall into poverty or hunger – this is the most auspicious sign. To avoid watering and to transform the seeds of greed, anger and ignorance; to always practice in order to attain right view – this is the most auspicious sign. ~~ Dhammapada: Chapter on Auspicious Signs, Sutra 211, Volume 4. In this retreat, we will have the chance to learn the Dhammapada: Chapter on Auspicious Signs (Sutra 211, Volume 4) and the Discourse on Happiness (Mahamangala Sutta, Sutta Nipata 2.4). It is wonderful and assuring to know that our daily activities are sources of happiness and auspicious signs, in the here and now.  We will practice mindfulness as a way of life, where everything we do like breathing, walking, eating, smiling …. is an act of mindfulness. We will enjoy the beautiful sky, the trees, the walking path, the flowers around us. We will listen to dharma talks and participated in dharma sharing on how to live fully in the present moments and to cultivate togetherness, making our presence a precious gift to ourselves and others. The revised schedule is as follows: Date/Time Thu 28 Mar Fri 29 Mar Sat 30 Mar Sun 31 Mar Mon 01 Apr 5:15   Wake Up 6:00   Sitting & Slow Walking & Reading Discourse 5 Mindfulness Trainings Transmission Ceremony Breakfast 7:00   10 Mindful […]

•  2023-12-28 16:00 - 2024-01-01 14:00
•  Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
•  $2,000

The Retreat is now full.  If you want to link up in the Waiting List, please send an email with your full name, sex, age, and mobile number to retreats@pvfhk.org.  We shall base on the date and time of your email and arrange your place once there is vacant.  Please note that there may be more vacant closed to the event.   Wake Up is an active global community of young mindfulness practitioners, aged 18-35, inspired by the teachings of Zen Master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. We come together to practice mindfulness in order to take care of ourselves, nourish happiness, and contribute to building a healthier and more compassionate society. We are very happy to inform that at the end of this December we are going to organize an International Wake Up retreat for young friends, aged 18-35, to come and join our practices together. We follow the Five Mindfulness Trainings, which are ethical guidelines that offer concrete practices of true love and compassion, and a path towards a life in harmony with each other and the Earth. These guidelines are the foundation of our lives and represent our ideal of service. Therefore, the theme for this retreat is Mindfulness Survival Kit 101. We will have a chance to know and go deeply into these guidelines of the Five Mindfulness Trainings. They are like the set of tools and equipment that we can use to build our spiritual home where we can feel comfortable and peaceful to live in. (“The Mindfulness Survival Kit” is the name of our Teacher’s book on the Five Essential Practices) Tentative Schedule Dec 28, 2023 Thursday Dec 29, 2023 Friday Dec 30, 2023 Saturday Dec 31, 2023 Sunday Jan 1, 2024 Monday 5:15 Wake Up 6:00 Guided Sitting Meditation, Slow Walking, Reading Rest 7:00 10 Mindful Movements, Walking Meditation Five Mindfulness Trainings Transmission 8:00 Breakfast Breakfast 9:15 Working Meditation 10:30 Lecture Q […]

•  2024-02-25 00:00 - 2024-03-10 00:00
•  India
•  US$1,900

Dear Sangha members, It is with great joy to inform you that the long-awaited Pilgrimage to India, planned to happen after the finishing of the Old Path White Clouds class (April 2019 – July 2021), is finally manifested. During that 2-years waiting period, we have continued to study in the Applied Buddhism class. More Sangha members joined the class, and thus more members can join the  Old Path White Clouds Pilgrimage. After the first year of the Buddha’s teaching life, the Sangha grew to a community of 1,000 monks. Under the suggestion of Ven. Uruvela Kassapa, the Buddha and the Sangha decided to move to Rajagaha (present day Rajgir). Forty groups of 25 monastics were formed, each group was led by a more experienced monk, to take the walk from Uruvela  to Rajagaha. Along the way, the Buddha and the Sangha did alms rounds, gave teachings, practicing and living together. It was like a mobile monastery. The walk took ten days. In this pilgrimage, we will travel with the same practice spirit. There will be about 10 groups of 20 Sangha members, plus two monastics to guide each group. We will travel as a family with each group for the entire trip. We will have daily mindfulness practices, dharma talks in big group and small groups, groups sharing, opportunities to get in touch with local life and cultures and to visit places that the Buddha and the Sangha lived. We live and practice as a Sangha like in the Buddha time. Because of the time limit and to fully experience the trip, the visiting places will be concentrated on and nearby areas of Varanasi (Deer Park, where the Buddha gave the first teaching), Bodhgaya (where the Buddha enlightened), and Rajgir (Bamboo Forest Monastery, Nalanda University, Vulture Peak). Please see tentative itinerary of the trip, cost and details of the trip in the attached documents. The logistic of organizing of this […]

•  2023-10-19 16:00 - 2023-10-23 14:00
•  Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
•  HK$2,000

The retreat is full.   Theme: Transformation and Healing Target: For adult who wants to learn and practice mindfulness to calm their body and mind, to cope with challenges, and to transform and heal difficulties that they have faced in life. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh outlined a five-step healing and transformation process, which includes recognizing, accepting, embracing, looking deeply and understanding (insight). Stopping, calming, and resting are prerequisites for healing. There are peace and happiness as well as pain and suffering in life. The energy of mindfulness can shine lights into the roots of our pain and suffering, helping to wash away the afflictions, turning them into peace and happiness. The tears I shed yesterday have become rain. In this retreat, we will have the chance to learn teachings and practices of mindfulness to cultivate peace and happiness, inspiration and insight, which already existing in us. We will practice mindfulness as a way of life, where everything we do like breathing, walking, eating, smiling …. is an act of mindfulness. We will enjoy the beautiful sky, the trees, the walking path, the flowers around us. We will listen to Dharma talks and participated in group sharing on how to live fully in the present moments, to deal with negative emotions, and to cultivate togetherness, making our presence a precious gift to us and others. Date Time Oct 19 Thr Oct 20 Fri Oct 21 Sat Oct 22 Sun Oct 23 Mon 5:15 Wake Up 6:00 Sitting & Slow Walking & Reading Discourse Outdoor walking, sitting & breakfast 7:00 10 Mindful Movements & Walking Meditation 8:00 Breakfast 9:15 Working Meditation 10:30 Dharma Talk Q&A 12:30 Lunch 14:00 Total Relaxation Closing Circle & Farewell 15:00 15:00 – 17:30 Registration & Check-in Group Sharing 16:45 Exercise Hiking Exercise / Consultation 18:00 Dinner 19:30 Dharma Talk Touching the Earth Beginning Anew Performance 21:30 Rest – Noble Silence Language: English with Cantonese translation Accommodation […]