Anandwan retreat 7th November to 7th December 2007, India.
7th to 14th November - Silent Meditation retreat with Ajay Singh
15th November to 7th December - Work retreat

Over more than fifty years a community of society's outcasts have been drawn together by the loving vision of Anandwan. When we first came upon this Forest of Bliss we knew it to a rare jewel, an embodiment of compassion; a vision of the future. So we want to offer the opportunity for others to experience the wonder, the empowerment, and the beauty of this precious place.

We are very happy to be offering this retreat for the 4th time. 3 weeks of working and living Anandwan; a vibrant and inspiring community of leprosy patients. If you are interested in opening your heart and expanding your mind, please join us.

The work retreat will be preceded by a silent meditation retreat in Anandwan's agricultural lands. You are encouraged to attend this retreat, as we find it adds to the experience of Anandwan, but it is not compulsory.
Also if you wish to only attend the week long mediation retreat this is fine, simply check the appropriate box on the registration form.

The work retreat will be facilitated by Zohar Lavie and Nathan Glyde.

Woza Moya, HIV/Aids Project in Rural KwaZulu Natal, South Africa,
April 26 - May 16 2008

The hills of rural KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, are an area of great poverty. The HIV/Aids infection rate is nearly 40% and many people of the local community are dying, leaving behind vulnerable children. In response to this crisis Woza Moya was founded in 2000, by Thanissara, Kittisaro, Sue Hedden and the Buddhist Retreat Centre. Its mission is to provide care for those affected by the pandemic through home care and food security, and to raise awareness and educate about HIV/Aids.

We will join the Woza Moya Project for three weeks to participate in creating 'door gardens' (highly-productive vegetable gardens) in individual homesteads in the valley, as well as a demo veggie garden on the Woza Moya site. These give an invaluable independent food source to the community.

We will also join the Woza Moya Community Care workers on their regular visits to families impacted by the HIV/Aids pandemic, offering participants an insight into the lives of the families and their care workers.

The first two weeks we will be staying at the Buddhist Retreat Centre and working in the rural Zulu community within which the Woza Moya Project operates.

Each day of the work retreat will be framed with meditations and include time to process and discuss our experience. These days will be facilitated by Thanissara with Kirsten Kratz of Sanghaseva and members of the South African Sangha.

The last week, spent at Dharmagiri Hermitage, will be a time of retreat, contemplative mountain walking and integrating the experience of the previous few weeks. The retreat will be led by Kittisaro and Thanissara.

Many of us feel the suffering in Africa. We hope this time will offer an opportunity to support both those directly affected by poverty and HIV/Aids, and those working to alleviate this suffering and its causes. We also believe this will be a valuable time of growth for all of us.