Image 1 of 2
Image 2 of 2
Foundations of Mindfulness, Retreat with Bhikkhu Dhammanando – 22nd, 23rd & 24th May 2026
Date: Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd, & Sunday 24th May 2026
Time: Arrive Friday evening, closing Sunday after lunch
Format: Residential, Onsite
Overview
This retreat offers a grounded and authentic exploration of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the Buddha’s foundational teaching on mindfulness, studied through passages directly from the text itself and brought to life through lived meditative experience. The course is led by Bhikkhu Dhammanando, who draws on over 30 years of experience as a Theravādamonk, teacher, and practitioner of meditation.
Participants will learn the Four Foundations of Mindfulness — body, feelings, mind, and mental phenomena — by closely referencing the sutta’s own structure, language, and intent, while also engaging in guided meditation that embodies these teachings in practice. Rather than mindfulness as an abstract concept, the retreat emphasises how the Buddha instructed mindfulness to be cultivated and how it functions as a direct path to insight and well-being.
Bhikkhu Dhammanando will weave together careful explanation of the sutta, practical instruction, and personal insight gained through decades of monastic training and sustained practice. The retreat balances textual clarity with experiential depth, supporting participants to see how mindful observation of experience reveals impermanence, reduces reactivity, and leads naturally to letting go.
Formal sitting and walking meditation will be complemented by reflection on how the foundations of mindfulness apply in daily life, helping participants cultivate steadiness, discernment, and inner freedom both on and off the cushion.
Topics include:
The structure, purpose, and key passages of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta
Learning the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
Guided practice informed by 30 years of monastic experience
Working skillfully with craving, aversion, and mental distraction
Observing arising and passing away as the basis for insight
Integrating satipaṭṭhāna into everyday life as a complete path of practice
Schedule
Friday 22nd May 2026
Arrive from 5pm
6:30pm-7:30pm - Supper
7:30pm-8:30pm - Welcome & Evening Introduction
Saturday 23rd May 2026
8:00am-8:30am - Morning Meditation
8:30am-9:30am - Breakfast
9.30am-10:15am - Teaching & Meditation
10:15am-10:45am - Refresher Break
10:45am-12:30pm - Teaching & Meditation
12:30pm-1:30pm - Lunch & Afternoon Break
1:30pm-2:30pm - Karma Yoga
2:30pm-3:30pm - Afternoon Break
3:30pm-4:45pm - Teaching & Meditation
4:45pm-5:15pm - Refresher Break
5:15pm-6:30pm - Teaching & Meditation
6:30pm-7:30pm - Supper
7:30pm-8:30pm - Teaching / Discussion + Q&A
Saturday 24th May 2026
8:00am-8:30am - Morning Meditation
8:30am-9:30am - Breakfast
9.30am-10:15am - Teaching & Meditation
10:15am-10:45am - Refresher Break
10:45am-12:30pm - Teaching & Meditation
12:30pm-2:00pm - Lunch & Break
2.00pm-3.30pm - Teaching & Meditation
3:30pm - Course Ends
About the Teacher
Bhikkhu Dhammanando was born and raised in London in a family largely uninterested in religion and sceptical of spiritual matters. He did not initially regard himself as a spiritual seeker. In his twenties, however, a two-year period as a volunteer English teacher in Thailand brought him into sustained contact with Buddhist culture and society. Although his understanding of Buddhism was at that time limited, the experience left a lasting impression, particularly through observing the generosity, resilience, and everyday ease of those around him.
Some years later, while working in London as a language and communications trainer, he encountered the Thai Forest Tradition through meeting Ajahn Sumedho and other Western monks, first in London and subsequently at Chithurst Monastery. Attending a ten-day meditation retreat proved decisive, revealing the relevance and practicality of the Buddha’s teachings for his own life. He subsequently undertook monastic training as an anagārika at Amaravati and Chithurst, before returning briefly to lay life to teach and pursue further academic study. Four years later, having set aside those ambitions, he returned to the Sangha and received full bhikkhu ordination (upasampadā) with Ajahn Sumedho in 1993.
Since ordination, Bhikkhu Dhammanando has trained and lived for over thirty years as a Theravāda monk, residing in monasteries throughout the UK and spending extended periods in Switzerland, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. In recent years he has been based primarily at Amaravati Monastery, where he has been actively involved in teaching, educational visits, and community outreach, including prison work. He has also taught regularly in Buddhist centres in Ireland and Hungary. His teaching is characterised by careful attention to the early Buddhist texts, clarity of explanation, and the depth of insight that comes from decades of sustained monastic practice.
Who Should Join?
Anyone interested in meditation, religious life, and inner development, Buddhist practitioners of all levels.
Lunch & Refreshments
We are pleased to provide complimentary refreshments throughout the day and a two course vegetarian lunch included in your booking. Please advise of any dietary requirements on the booking form.
Tickets & Donation
Everyone is welcome to attend Buddhist teachings freely with no donation. However, the Centre does rely on donations to stay open, which are gratefully received. We offer two main rates to enable as many people as possible to attend our teachings. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you are able. Your generosity is vital in supporting the Centre.
Standard Rate - This includes a donation to help sustain Lam Rim Buddhist Centre, and to cover costs and teacher expenses.
Basic Rate - This covers the very basic costs of running this course.
Support Rate - Contact us via lamrimwalesmanagers@gmail.com if the above rates are too high for you where we can discuss further subsidised options.
Donate Onsite - If you prefer to donate cash or use card onsite, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register. Only choose this option if you are certain you can attend.
Donate via BACS - If you prefer to donate via BACS, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register. Then follow the instructions for BACS donation >
Important on Booking: Our online system uses PayPal to take donations. If you do not have a PayPal Account you can pay as a Guest. Please click the link ‘Try Another Way’ , then follow instructions for ‘Pay by Debit or Credit Card’.
Date: Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd, & Sunday 24th May 2026
Time: Arrive Friday evening, closing Sunday after lunch
Format: Residential, Onsite
Overview
This retreat offers a grounded and authentic exploration of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the Buddha’s foundational teaching on mindfulness, studied through passages directly from the text itself and brought to life through lived meditative experience. The course is led by Bhikkhu Dhammanando, who draws on over 30 years of experience as a Theravādamonk, teacher, and practitioner of meditation.
Participants will learn the Four Foundations of Mindfulness — body, feelings, mind, and mental phenomena — by closely referencing the sutta’s own structure, language, and intent, while also engaging in guided meditation that embodies these teachings in practice. Rather than mindfulness as an abstract concept, the retreat emphasises how the Buddha instructed mindfulness to be cultivated and how it functions as a direct path to insight and well-being.
Bhikkhu Dhammanando will weave together careful explanation of the sutta, practical instruction, and personal insight gained through decades of monastic training and sustained practice. The retreat balances textual clarity with experiential depth, supporting participants to see how mindful observation of experience reveals impermanence, reduces reactivity, and leads naturally to letting go.
Formal sitting and walking meditation will be complemented by reflection on how the foundations of mindfulness apply in daily life, helping participants cultivate steadiness, discernment, and inner freedom both on and off the cushion.
Topics include:
The structure, purpose, and key passages of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta
Learning the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
Guided practice informed by 30 years of monastic experience
Working skillfully with craving, aversion, and mental distraction
Observing arising and passing away as the basis for insight
Integrating satipaṭṭhāna into everyday life as a complete path of practice
Schedule
Friday 22nd May 2026
Arrive from 5pm
6:30pm-7:30pm - Supper
7:30pm-8:30pm - Welcome & Evening Introduction
Saturday 23rd May 2026
8:00am-8:30am - Morning Meditation
8:30am-9:30am - Breakfast
9.30am-10:15am - Teaching & Meditation
10:15am-10:45am - Refresher Break
10:45am-12:30pm - Teaching & Meditation
12:30pm-1:30pm - Lunch & Afternoon Break
1:30pm-2:30pm - Karma Yoga
2:30pm-3:30pm - Afternoon Break
3:30pm-4:45pm - Teaching & Meditation
4:45pm-5:15pm - Refresher Break
5:15pm-6:30pm - Teaching & Meditation
6:30pm-7:30pm - Supper
7:30pm-8:30pm - Teaching / Discussion + Q&A
Saturday 24th May 2026
8:00am-8:30am - Morning Meditation
8:30am-9:30am - Breakfast
9.30am-10:15am - Teaching & Meditation
10:15am-10:45am - Refresher Break
10:45am-12:30pm - Teaching & Meditation
12:30pm-2:00pm - Lunch & Break
2.00pm-3.30pm - Teaching & Meditation
3:30pm - Course Ends
About the Teacher
Bhikkhu Dhammanando was born and raised in London in a family largely uninterested in religion and sceptical of spiritual matters. He did not initially regard himself as a spiritual seeker. In his twenties, however, a two-year period as a volunteer English teacher in Thailand brought him into sustained contact with Buddhist culture and society. Although his understanding of Buddhism was at that time limited, the experience left a lasting impression, particularly through observing the generosity, resilience, and everyday ease of those around him.
Some years later, while working in London as a language and communications trainer, he encountered the Thai Forest Tradition through meeting Ajahn Sumedho and other Western monks, first in London and subsequently at Chithurst Monastery. Attending a ten-day meditation retreat proved decisive, revealing the relevance and practicality of the Buddha’s teachings for his own life. He subsequently undertook monastic training as an anagārika at Amaravati and Chithurst, before returning briefly to lay life to teach and pursue further academic study. Four years later, having set aside those ambitions, he returned to the Sangha and received full bhikkhu ordination (upasampadā) with Ajahn Sumedho in 1993.
Since ordination, Bhikkhu Dhammanando has trained and lived for over thirty years as a Theravāda monk, residing in monasteries throughout the UK and spending extended periods in Switzerland, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. In recent years he has been based primarily at Amaravati Monastery, where he has been actively involved in teaching, educational visits, and community outreach, including prison work. He has also taught regularly in Buddhist centres in Ireland and Hungary. His teaching is characterised by careful attention to the early Buddhist texts, clarity of explanation, and the depth of insight that comes from decades of sustained monastic practice.
Who Should Join?
Anyone interested in meditation, religious life, and inner development, Buddhist practitioners of all levels.
Lunch & Refreshments
We are pleased to provide complimentary refreshments throughout the day and a two course vegetarian lunch included in your booking. Please advise of any dietary requirements on the booking form.
Tickets & Donation
Everyone is welcome to attend Buddhist teachings freely with no donation. However, the Centre does rely on donations to stay open, which are gratefully received. We offer two main rates to enable as many people as possible to attend our teachings. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you are able. Your generosity is vital in supporting the Centre.
Standard Rate - This includes a donation to help sustain Lam Rim Buddhist Centre, and to cover costs and teacher expenses.
Basic Rate - This covers the very basic costs of running this course.
Support Rate - Contact us via lamrimwalesmanagers@gmail.com if the above rates are too high for you where we can discuss further subsidised options.
Donate Onsite - If you prefer to donate cash or use card onsite, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register. Only choose this option if you are certain you can attend.
Donate via BACS - If you prefer to donate via BACS, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register. Then follow the instructions for BACS donation >
Important on Booking: Our online system uses PayPal to take donations. If you do not have a PayPal Account you can pay as a Guest. Please click the link ‘Try Another Way’ , then follow instructions for ‘Pay by Debit or Credit Card’.