Walk hand in hand with the Buddha through his story of awakening into the reality of spiritual liberation.

August 9-16, 2023

How do we end suffering in the world?

Over 2,500 years ago, a young prince was confronted for the first time with the timeless reality of illness, old age and death. Siddharta Gautama decided to leave behind his previous life, wealth, power and family, to devote himself completely to one thing: To find a way to free himself from suffering.

Thus began a path of seeking, learning from various teachers, living at times in the forest as an ascetic, meditating intensely, and finally attaining enlightenment one night under a Bodhi tree. A Buddha was born.

The story of the Buddha is the most famous story of spiritual awakening.

But can we learn from it today, as seekers of truth in the 21st century?

The word “Buddha” itself is a metaphor. It means the awakened one.

When approached in the right way, the story of the Buddha becomes a map of spiritual awakening. For the reality of impermanence, of age, death and rebirth is, in essence, timeless. In what ways did Siddharta meditate, how did he confront fears, desires, and obstacles – and finally become free of them all?

At the heart of this retreat is this unique story of awakening, as passed down in the Pali Canon. The journey of a person who became a Buddha in search of knowledge and truth.

The retreat is supported by deep silence, nurturing nature, and the original meditations Buddha himself taught. It is an invitation to sit with Siddharta under the Bodhi tree, to penetrate the cycle of illusion and suffering within us, to become free and to dive hand in hand with the Buddha into the reality of spiritual awakening.