Welcome to Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey
Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey is a monastery and retreat centre devoted to the practice of meditation within the Serene Reflection Meditation Tradition of Buddhism (Sōtō Zen). The monastic community offers retreats, festivals and other events for anyone who wishes to learn about or deepen their practice of meditation, and to explore more fully its fundamental relevance in our daily lives. We have been here in Northern England for over fifty years.
Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey is part of a larger organisation; the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives.
Family and Friends’ Weekend – Wesak
(Festival of the Buddha’s Birth ‘Wesak’ on Sunday morning)
This joyous occasion is a time for families and young people to spend the weekend at the Abbey. Our congregation are also encouraged to bring friends and partners. On Saturday everybody can join in activities, or join in a creative project, or outdoor game such as frisbee golf. There is meditation instruction, and time for meditation also.
You are welcome to just come on the Saturday for the day, or for the Sunday morning.
This festival is the biggest Buddhist festival across the world, celebrating the Buddha’s Birth, Life and His teachings and is one of our most popular events, an occasion of joy and gratitude. It is part of our weekend for families and friends and children play a role in the ceremony (if they wish), making an offering at the beginning of the festival.
Please arrive by 10.00am. If you would like to stay for lunch, please let us know by midday on the preceding Friday.
The Abbey is closed to visitors during this time. The monastic community will be sitting a retreat together.
If you are new to our practice and interested in finding out more, come to this Introductory Retreat. It will give a clear and gradual introduction to Meditation and its application in daily life. A group of senior monks will lead this retreat, giving teaching, as well as being available to answer questions. Private spiritual guidance is also offered.
All our Introductory Retreats begin on a Friday afternoon, and end on Sunday around 2.00 pm.
Please complete a registration form for this retreat, (click on this link), this allows us to prepare for your visit. We look forward to meeting you soon.
This retreat will have Meditation periods scheduled throughout the day, interspersed with short periods of working Meditation, services and meal times. There are rest periods after lunch and Medicine Meal.
The focus on formal sitting meditation allows us a real opportunity to deepen our practice, and perhaps to bring our questions to the fore. Each afternoon there is a shared Tea at 4.00 pm when those questions can be asked. The senior monk leading the retreat will have many years of experience that they can draw on for their responses.
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