CANCELLATION

The way out is in

Mindfulness Retreat for Young People

 with the Plum Village Monastics
at the Asian Institute of Applied Buddhism –
Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping Village, Lantau Island, HK
Date and time: 27 Feb 2020 @ 4:00pm – 1 Mar 2020 @ 2:00pm

Registration is available online HERE on a first-come-first-served basis.

Dear Friends,

You are warmly invited to join our  Annual Wake up retreat from Feb. 27 to Mar. 1, 2020 with the monks and nuns of Plum Village at the Asian Institute of Applied Buddhism, at Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping Village, Lantau Island.

We are breathing with you in awareness of our current situation. As young people we want to live a peaceful and happy life. We want to go in the direction of peace and happiness. The secret is knowing how to do it. In difficult situations, we usually seek changes from the outside.

Yet, do not expect change to come from the outside. If we are overwhelmed by anger and fear, we won’t be able to do anything either. We can make good decisions when we are not influenced by fear and anger and when we are able to smile to our pain.

How can we maintain our smile in the hard time of life? Even though it is difficult to smile, we have to try. Many friends asked: “How can I smile when I am filled with sorrow?” We still can smile, smile to our sorrow and we will see sorrow become our smile. It sounds difficult. Yet, we can do! When we come together and practice as a Sangha, we will have great opportunity to practice to strengthen the energy of mindfulness in each one of us. With mindfulness, we are aware of what is going on in our bodies, our feelings, our minds and the world and we are more in control of the situation in life. Coming together and practicing mindfulness we can attain the insights we need to let our little light shine.

“Forgetfulness is the darkness,
Mindfulness is the light.
I bring awareness,
To shine upon life.”

We will practice mindful breathing, mindful walking, and pleasant smiling. We will go back to the present moment, enjoying the beautiful scenery of Lotus Pond Temple and the surrounding area. We will enjoy the presence of our friends and fellow practitioners, who also take time off from the busy daily routines to slow down, to enjoy a walk, to just being there for the present moment, for the preciousness of life.

The retreat will be conducted in English with Cantonese and Mandarin translation.

Tentative schedule

Accommodation and cost: Accommodation for this retreat is limited to dormitory-room.  Participants will be housed in dormitories (bunk beds) at Lotus Pond Temple. Pillows, bed-linens, and blankets will be provided.

The cost per person is listed below (in HK Dollars).

*Please write to us at retreats@pvfhk.org if you are in real need of a scholarship.

Plum Village practice is designed to help us to weave the energy of mindfulness into all of our daily activities. By this way we can practice meditation throughout the whole day while eating, walking, working, sitting, or even enjoying a cup of tea together. All participants are invited to help in communal activities such as arranging the meditation halls, preparing meals, cleaning bathrooms, emptying garbage, watering plants, washing pots, cleaning the kitchen and other tasks, as part of the daily practice of mindfulness. Since the teachings emphasize the benefit of practicing with the Sangha in order to enjoy its collective energy. It is important for all participants to fully participate in all scheduled activities. Participants will be divided into Dharma sharing groups which will work together to give helping hands to the retreat.

How to register

Registration is available online HERE on a first-come-first-served basis. Registrations are not final until we receive your payment. Please make payment within one week after you register. If payment is not received within one week, our registration will be placed on a waiting list. For means of payment, details will be sent along with the confirmation email to those who completed online registration.

Closing date for registration:  Feb. 20, 2020. Payment is not refundable for cancellation after Feb. 10, 2020 . For enquiries, please contact us by e-mail: retreats@pvfhk.org or by phone from 14:30 – 17:00 (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday): 2985-5033 (English), 2985-5281(Chinese).

We are looking forward to seeing you at the retreat!

A lotus to you,
A Buddha to be

Retreat Staff of the Asian Institute of Applied Buddhism