Retreats
All Retreats are included within membership.
RETREATS
Whether you attend for the whole of a retreat or just a couple of sessions on a given day, retreat is a rare opportunity in our modern busy lives to take time out to let go of our normal physical, verbal and mental activities, in order to focus on spiritual practice and find true inner peace and happiness.
Open to All
Everyone is welcome and if this is your first time attending a retreat, there will be plenty of experienced meditators present who will be only too pleased to help and advise you.
Guided Meditation Sessions
In these guided sessions the Teacher will give a short talk and advice on the meditations we will be doing. These sessions are very similar to the general meditation class except that there is more time spent in meditation. So, this is a great opportunity to further develop our practice in the peace and tranquillity of KMC Plymouth.
You may attend as many or as few of the sessions as you choose. The more sessions you can attend the more benefit you will gain so you could try attending a full day if you are new to retreats. Our coffee shop will be open between sessions for light refreshments and there are plenty of cafes on Mutley Plain if you would like to go out for lunch.
Please note: not all retreats or sessions are guided but these will be labelled as “unguided”. Please see individual event details below for further information.
Fees
£3 per session unless otherwise stated
Members: Free (all sessions)
No need to book
Schedule
Please see the details below.
Offering Our Faith
A Special Day Retreat for Geshe-La’s Birthday
Sunday 1st June 2025, 10am-3:45pm
To celebrate the birthday of our Founder, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, join us at KMC Plymouth to engage in wonderful prayers and meditations using the sadhana, “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra”.
Composed by Venerable Geshe-la himself and extracted from the Ganden Emanation Scripture, this sadhana, or ritual prayer for spiritual attainments, is a perfect preparation for Mahamudra meditation. Through engaging in this practice of Guru yoga – a special way of relying upon our Spiritual Guide – we can quickly receive the blessings of all the Buddhas, transforming our negative mind to one which is positive and joyful.
The day will start with “Wishfulfilling Jewel”, a set of meditative prayers and of offerings.
This is an ideal opportunity to celebrate our kind founder and enjoy the blessings from the practice of “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra”.
Copies of “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra” can be purchased at KMC Plymouth or online at Tharpa Publications HERE.
Schedule
Session 1: 10am Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers with offerings
Session 2: 12pm-1:15pm
Session 3: 2.30pm – 3:45pm
Fees
This event is FREE for everyone to attend.
There is no need to book this event, simply turn up a few minutes before the session starts.
Refuge Retreat
Saturday 15th June 2025, 10am-3:45pm
This is a guided retreat with short teachings and guided meditations.
We all seek the comfort, ease and safety of the things, places and people we hold dear. We find solace and acceptance in these, and they are a form of taking refuge from our daily life.
Likewise, we often turn of doctors when we are sick and seek their help to overcome our suffering. On this in-depth retreat we can learn to seek refuge from our suffering and difficulties in Buddha, who is like the doctor, his teachings, known as Dharma, which are like the medicine we need, and in the Sangha, our spiritual friends and community, who are like the nurses who help us take the medicine.
In this way we can go for refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha which is how Buddhists protect themselves from suffering, now and in the future. With deep experience of this practice, we stop worrying and embrace a rich and meaningful spiritual life. Through practicing refuge, we gain confidence and strength to make authentic spiritual progress.
In this guided retreat, Resident Teacher at KMC Plymouth, Gen Kelsang Dragden will take us on a journey to explore and deepen our experience and faith in the inner protection we gain from taking refuge in the Three Jewels.
This event is suitable for everyone, and everyone is welcome. No previous experience is required.
Schedule
Session 1: 10am Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers with offerings^
Session 2: 12noon with guided meditation*
Session 3: 2.30pm with guided meditation*
Fees
*Advanced Booking or Purchase On the Door: £3 per session
^ Wishfulfilling Jewel prayers session is free for all to attend
Sunday Day Ticket: £4 (all 3 sessions – includes free prayers session at 10am)
KMC Plymouth Members: FreeTo become a member, CLICK HERE
Please note that should you book for a single session but decide to stay longer for more sessions, you’ll be very welcome to do so. Just see a member of the team in our Coffee Bar.
Guru Yoga Mandala Offering Retreat
There are two dates for this event:
Sunday 13th July 2025, 10am-3:45pm
Sunday 20th July 2025, 10am-3:45pm
Please note: These retreat sessions will not be guided, and no teachings are given during the sessions.
We all wish for spiritual realisations, but these depend upon creating certain inner conditions such as purifying negativity, accumulating merit, and receiving blessings.
On this day retreat we will focus on the preliminary practices of accumulating merit and receiving blessings. By performing the profound practice of Guru Yoga we can receive the powerful blessings of all the Buddhas through our Spiritual Guide. With the practice of offering the mandala we accumulate a great collection of merit.
Everyone is welcome and no previous experience is required. For those undertaking this practice for the first time there will be plenty of experienced practitioners who will be only too pleased to help and support you during the day.
Schedule
Session 1: 10am Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers with offerings
Session 2: 12pm-1:15pm
Session 3: 2.30pm – 3:45pm
Fees
This event is FREE for everyone to attend. No need to book, just turn up!
The Stages of The Path Retreat
Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st August 2025
The Stages of The Path, also known as ‘Lamrim’, is a special arrangement of all Buddha’s teachings that is easy to understand and put into practice. It reveals all the stages of the path to enlightenment and offers practical tools and meditations we can use each day to train our mind, overcome suffering and move towards fulfilling the purpose of our precious human life.
During these retreat sessions Gen Dragden, Resident Teacher at KMC Plymouth, will guide us in these step-by-step practical methods to access our limitless capacity for the growth of good qualities, and to fulfil our potential – we just need to know what to do at every stage of our spiritual journey, which is the purpose of this retreat.
Ideal for beginners and an excellent opportunity for those with familiarity to deepen their experience of these crucial meditations. Everyone is welcome and you may attend as many or few of these sessions as you wish.
Schedule
Saturday 30th August
Session 1: 9am with guided meditation*
Session 2: 11am with guided meditation*
Session 3: 2pm with guided meditation*
Session 4: 4pm with guided meditation*
Sunday 31st September
Session 1: 10am Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers with offerings^
Session 2: 12noon with guided meditation*
Session 3: 2.30pm with guided meditation*
Fees
*Advanced Booking or Purchase On the Door: £3 per session
Weekend Ticket: £14 (all 7 sessions)
Saturday Day Ticket: £10 (all 4 sessions)
Sunday Day Ticket: £4 (all 3 sessions – includes free prayers session at 10am)
KMC Plymouth Members: Free (all 7 sessions). To become a member, CLICK HERE
^ Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers on Sunday 31st: Attendance is free to all
Please note that should you book for a single session but decide to stay longer for more sessions, you’ll be very welcome to do so. Just see a member of the team in our Coffee Bar.