Most people associate the Middle Way with Buddhism, and the Buddha can be a major source of positive inspiration in practising the Middle Way. At the same time, however, the assumption that the Middle Way is ‘Buddhist’ can limit our understanding of it as a universal practice, and create conflicts between the Middle Way and tradition.
Following the publication of his book The Buddha’s Middle Way 
by Equinox in summer 2019, Robert M. Ellis will be leading this retreat to provide the opportunity to discuss the relationship between the Buddha and the Middle Way in a context of practice. This will focus both on encountering the Buddha’s life and teachings as a source of inspiration, and on clarifying some of the issues about the relationship between the Middle Way and Buddhism. Robert will be giving two talks followed by discussion, and there will also be periods of meditation, an arts-focused evening on the symbolism of the Buddha, and a free afternoon in which you’ll have the opportunity to walk in the Worcestershire countryside near the Malvern Hills.
Dates: Fri 25th Oct (6pm) to Sun 27th Oct (2pm), 2019
Venue: Anybody’s Barn, Birchwood Hall, Storridge, Nr Malvern, Worcestershire. WR13 5EZ, UK. Link to venue website.
Retreat Leader: Robert M. Ellis is the founder of the Middle Way Society. He
has a Ph.D. in Philosophy and a Cambridge BA in Oriental Studies and Theology, and also has substantial past experience as a Buddhist practitioner, being a former member of the Triratna Buddhist Order. He has written about 15 books on different aspects of the Middle Way, both in general and in relation to specific traditions. Apart from The Buddha’s Middle Way, these include the introductory Migglism and the detailed academic series Middle Way Philosophy in four volumes. Robert is an experienced teacher, and has led a number of retreats for the society since its foundation in 2013.
Who is the retreat for? Anyone aged 18 or over who is interested in gaining inspiration from the Buddha and examining his relationship to the Middle Way. Those who categorise themselves as Buddhists and those who do not are equally welcome. Some basic knowledge of Buddhist teachings will be helpful, though the degree of depth of the talks and discussions will depend on the general prior experience of the participants. Some basic prior experience of meditation is needed. If you have no prior experience at all of Buddhism or meditation, it’s suggested that you read an introductory book and go to a few introductory meditation or mindfulness classes prior to coming on the retreat.
Cost: Total cost of the retreat is £76, including all accommodation and food. This excellent value is made possible by Anybody’s Barn’s policy of keeping their charges low for the benefit of community groups. A deposit of £30 at the time of booking will secure your place on the retreat, with the balance of £46 being due 7 days before the retreat begins. If you would like to join the retreat but cannot afford this amount, please get in touch with the retreat leader explaining your circumstances: concessions can be discussed on a case by case basis, but depend on the financing of the retreat costs as well as your ability to pay.
Retreat conditions: To help create an atmosphere supporting integrative practice, people attending the retreat will be asked not to use electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers, radio or TV during the course of the retreat, except for the purposes of the retreat programme or for urgent personal reasons. To maintain interpersonal boundaries in which everyone can feel secure, we also ask you not to initiate new sexual relationships in the context of the retreat.
Travel: The nearest railway station is at Malvern Link, on the line between Birmingham and Hereford. We can make arrangements to pick you up there if you arrive by train. There is car parking at the venue. Please see the venue website for directions when arriving by car.
Accommodation is in shared rooms for 3 to 5 people, which we will allocate on a single-sex basis. Bedding and linen is provided but not towels, and there are three shared bathrooms. On this retreat we are unlikely to be able to meet requests for single rooms due to the nature of the accommodation, though it does depend on the total number of people on the retreat. If your desire for privacy outweighs your aversion for cold, it is also possible to camp on the lawn. Anybody’s Barn has rather limited facilities for the disabled, so please contact the retreat leader to discuss the suitability of the venue for your needs before booking if you have a disability.
Food will be vegan, but with cow’s milk provided for those who want it in drinks. Please advise us when booking of any other special diets. Everyone normally helps out with food preparation and clearing up as part of the co-operative ethos of the retreat.
Retreat Programme: A detailed programme will be sent out just before the retreat. Like all our retreats, the programme aims at a balance between different kinds of integrative activity. It will include several sessions of meditation, two talks by Robert followed by discussion, an arts-focused evening event, and free time on the Saturday afternoon that should enable you to walk in the surrounding countryside if you wish.
Contact: Please contact robert (at) middlewaysociety.org for all queries about the retreat apart from payment issues. For questions about payment please contact barry (at) middlewaysociety.org. Robert will send out an email with further information for all participants during the week immediately prior to the retreat.
To book please fill in the online form below, then pay your deposit using the Paypal facility that should load up when you submit the form (this also takes cards). Paypal charges us 2% per transaction, so as an alternative you are welcome to pay by bank transfer: Account: Middle Way Society, Co-operative Bank, Sort Code 089299, account number 65711376. Please use your name as a reference.
To pay the balance for this retreat using the Paypal/card facility, if you have previously booked but only paid the deposit, please go directly to the payment page.
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