In this human life, there's a profound joy to be found in turning towards the heart's goodness and what we value most deeply

In this human life, we can touch a deep well of nourishing joy by turning towards the goodness that our hearts most deeply care about. In the Buddhist tradition, living in tune with what is wholesome for ourselves and others is the ground of the path: the foundation that steadies the mind, opens the heart, and leads to one of the greatest forms of happiness we can experience.

On this retreat we’ll explore what really matters to us, and how caring for ourselves, the world, and the beings in it can nourish us all. Through meditation, guided practice and reflection, we’ll approach this theme with curiosity and kindness, with room for all of our imperfection and messiness. We’ll see how turning towards what we care about isn’t just a “good” thing to do, but a way of being that brings warmth, purpose, connection, and ease - a steady anchor for these difficult times.

The day will be held in companionable silence, alongside talks, meditation instruction, and time to share and ask questions. Short small-group exercises will also be offered: taking part in these is warmly encouraged, even if only to listen, though all elements remain optional.

Everyone is welcome, whether or not you consider yourself Buddhist, and including those new to meditation.

The event will be livestreamed for greater accessibility and the teachers will be recorded for the Bhodi tree youtube channel - participants will have an opt out of all recordings option on the day.

Mark and Wah offers all of thier teachings on the uplifting buddhist tradition of dana, there will be an opportunity to offer dana during the day.

Mark Ovland

Mark began practising meditation in 2008 and spent the following four years living and working in retreat centres and monasteries around the UK and Asia. Motivated to make the precious teachings he’d received more widely accessible and available, in 2013 he co-founded Freely Given Retreats and soon afterwards pioneered taking mindfulness courses into UK prisons. In more recent years Mark has been especially engaged with environmental campaigning and climate action. He was a close student of the late Rob Burbea.

See Mark’s website for more: markovland.uk (http://markovland.uk/)

Wah Isaacs

Wah grew up surrounded by Chinese Buddhist, folk, animist and ancestral traditions. In 2005, she began her own contemplative exploration of the Dharma, influenced by the work ofRob Burbea (https://hermesamara.org/). She is trained as a Community Dharma Leader (CDL) through Gaia House, works as a mediator and an NHS physiotherapist with people experiencing homelessness.

She is drawn to the profound mystical beauty of the Dharma, and the incisive compassionate wisdom with which it can bless a human life. She wants to share what it can offer in how we can live, love, and belong, in relationships, communities and beyond.

Description supplied by the event organiser.