‘Sitting with Christ & Buddha’: Journey into Lent with Meister Eckhart & Thich Nhat Hanh

Event description

We are delighted to offer our next day of extended meditation practice to immerse in the healing depths of stillness and silence. Learning from the teachings of the great Christian teacher Meister Eckhart, and the great Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, our focus will be clearing a space in which our awareness of God within us, within those around and all creation, can grow within a life of peaceful wisdom and compassion.

God’s seed is in us. If it were tended by a good gardener, it would grow up to God, whose seed it is, and its fruits would be like God’s own nature. The seed of a pear tree grows into a pear tree, the seed of a nut tree grows to be a nut tree, the seed of God grows to be God.’ Meister Eckhart

‘When you practice with others, it is much easier to obtain stability, joy, and freedom. If you have a chance to visit a retreat center, I hope you enjoy your time there sitting, walking, breathing, praying, and doing everything in mindfulness. The seeds are being watered, and the fruit, transformation, will reveal itself.’ Thich Nhat Hanh

The day will involve a flow of sitting meditation, walking meditation, and short times of conversation. We will begin with a 20-minute orientation talk and reminder of the simple guidelines for meditation (silent prayer). Two further 20-minute talks will be offered, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, to support our meditation practice and enjoyment of the beautiful grounds of the Abbey.

Through the day, we will practice bringing loving-awareness to all our activities. ‘Sitting, walking, breathing, praying,’ we will practice living each moment deeply, tending to the divine seed within us – the seed of God which ‘grows to be God.’ We hope you can join us for this special Lenten day of meditation, silence, and friendship across contemplative traditions.

Who is this for?

This retreat is an invitation to explore an ancient wisdom-path that has much to offer our contemporary culture. It has been carefully crafted to be inclusive and accessible, welcoming anyone seeking truth, peace, and spiritual renewal, regardless of their faith, beliefs or previous experience of meditation.

Event leader

Chris Whittington is the Founder of The School of Contemplative Life. He was introduced to contemplative practice during several years of formation when he lived at the Benedictine monastery of Prinknash Abbey in England. Chris’ monastic teachers taught meditation as a universal wisdom found within all the great spiritual traditions, a pathway to peace and solidarity with people of all faiths and none. Following an introduction by the Abbot of the Prinknash community, Chris subsequently studied at the Dalai Lama’s monastery in Dharamshala, India.

Chris regularly delivers talks, workshops and retreats and has introduced the practice of meditation in the Christian tradition to thousands of people in the UK and abroad. He is known for his ability to communicate the subtleties of the practice and complex spiritual texts in simple, practical ways, resonant with the challenges of daily life.

Chris is the author of the The Missing Peace published by Canterbury Press.

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