Retreat “Khun Yai’s Message for the Modern World”

Apply here for this retreat.

The retreat will be held between 17-20 November 2024. In this meditation retreat we will focus on Khun Yai’s teachings. She was the meditation master who learned the Dhammakaya meditation method from Luang Pu Sodh, the master who developed the method. Khun Yai was a very strong woman with few words but a lot of courage and drive. She was the one who trained our abbot and deputy abbot in Thailand, and together with them she founded our temple in Thailand, Wat Phra Dhammakaya, currently one of the largest spiritual communities in Thailand. During this meditation day we will examine the simple but profound words of Khun Yai and let those sink in during a retreat full of meditation.

During the retreat lp Mo Pong, lp Note and lp Sander will be teaching. All three teachers have been trained and authorized in Thailand.

This retreat is suitable for people for both beginners and more experienced practitioners. The retreat is held in Wat Phra Dhammakaya Benelux, a former nunnery in Lede, Aalst Province, Belgium. The nunnery has been a Buddhist monastery for fifteen years now. There is a large meditation room, and the monastery is surrounded by a big park, in which you easily can take a relaxing stroll. You can find pictures of the building and its surroundings on Google if you search for “Wat Phra Dhammakaya Benelux – Bron van Stilte”.

During the retreat, the standard rules used in Thai monasteries and temples will apply. These rules come down to:

1. Men and women sleep in separate sections of the monastery; 
2. No alcoholic beverages or smoking is allowed;
3. No dinner is served;
4. No television or other entertainment;
5. Accommodations are quite simple, a little austere.

This may sounds strict, but many of our participants feel these conditions help in the practice of meditation and mindfulness. However, one things that is allowed during our retreat is talking — except for the second day of the retreat, during which silence is observed. And although there is no evening meal, you can take refreshments like fruit juice, soy milk and some dairy products such us milk or yoghurt, to help you make the adjustment.

We ask you to wear comfortable clothing during the retreat. If you wish, you can bring your own meditation cushion. It is recommended to arrive on the first day between 2 and 5 PM, in order to acclimatize a bit.

During a retreat like this, you have the opportunity to live in a monastery for a few days, which greatly supports your meditation experience. Moreover, our retreats dive into the meaning of Buddhist teachings more deeply than weekly courses would. Much emphasis is put on the practical parts of the Buddhist way of life: how to apply this wisdom in your daily life, which is illustrated by examples and sometimes workshops. In conclusion, a retreat like this will give you the opportunity to combine the depth of silence with wisdom, united in meditation.

You can apply for the retreat here. The price of the retreat is 150 euro. These are the bank details of the monastery: Internationaal Dhammakaya Genootschap van België, IBAN BE62 0688 9366 4461, BIC GKCCBEBB. Please send an email to the Belgian monastery if you want to donate through Paypal. 

Your registration is complete as soon as we have received your transfer. If we haven’t received your transfer yet, we can’t guarantee you a place on the retreat. You can always email the meditation team for more information.

Program Schedule

The timetable will look like the following: