Deep Emptiness – online retreat

Deep emptiness is nothing other than compassion, leading to the end of suffering.

In the retreat on “Compassion and Emptiness” we explore the teachings that Bhikkhu Analayo highlights in his book of the same name. These combine the divine abodes with the emptiness teachings found in the Shorter Suññata Sutta. In this sutta, the Buddha shows us how to establish emptiness in a very direct and experiential way, by noticing that experience is empty of whatever isn’t right here in experience now. This may seem obvious, but we delude ourselves into thinking that although something isn’t ‘here’, it’s still really ‘out there’ even when we don’t experience it. We miss the main point – what we think we’re experiencing is just a mental fabrication. What we’re actually experiencing is empty of those fabrications.

The sutta outlines a progressive series of perspectives on emptiness. But there’s a slight problem with the Compassion and Emptiness retreats which is that we rarely have enough time to adequately explore them all. It may seem audacious to suppose that we can even approach these ‘elevated’ levels of emptiness. But they are all pointing to ways in which we fabricate ‘self’ and ‘world’ and, though subtle, they relate to aspects of our everyday, moment to moment experience.

We believe we’re experiencing separate forms ‘out there’, arising in space (and time), that there is a quality that experiences, namely ‘consciousness,’ in which really-existing ‘things’ arise, including ‘my-self’, and that what we perceive objectively exists along with ‘me’ the perceiver. All of these are mental fabrications and the sutta shows us the way to liberation by seeing and knowing directly that they are fabrications.

All of these contemplations will proceed from a heartfelt kindness and compassion, but the main focus will be on exploring the empty nature of space, consciousness and the sense of an independent, lasting and potentially satisfactory self. We’ll follow this through to signlessness, in which there are no reference points at all.

Ideally this would be a follow-up for anyone who has already attended a Compassion and Emptiness retreat, but it will stand in its own right, especially for those who wish to plunge more directly into these emptiness teachings.

Suitable for people with at least three years of regular meditation practice.

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The programme on each day will be (UK times):

8.00 – 10.00 practice, teaching and inquiry

15.00 – 16.30 ritual, chanting, meditation and the opportunity to join a breakout group to discuss your practice

19.00 – 20.30 – practice, teaching and inquiry

I won’t be able to offer one to one reviews during the retreat but if you would like to have one or more follow-up reviews (10 to 20 minutes) then check out details [to be posted].

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This retreat and subsequent reviews or mentoring are offered on the principle of reciprocal generosity (dana). There is no charge, but your generosity in supporting my livelihood and work is greatly appreciated. If you are unable to afford anything at present, I would much prefer that you attend nevertheless.

To register interest in this online retreat, please email me at tejananda.online@yahoo.com. I will acknowledge your booking and send out full details including zoom link a week or so before the retreat starts.