“Mud & Meditation” LGBTQI Retreat
with Noon and Tisārā
Meditation & Activity for our minds & bodies.
Meditation, making natural clay walls, clay sculptures, times of silence, times for community connecting.
The day will start and end with a silent sitting and some chanting. After the morning meditation and breakfast, there will be 45mns time for daily life participation (chopping veg etc). For certain tasks the timing will be different - washing up after lunch or supper, for example will be after lunch or supper! After this moment of participating in the practical life of the retreat, we'll spend the mornings in meditation, silent and guided, with slots for gentle walking meditations.
In the afternoons, coming out of silence, we'll gather to mud together as a team, absorbing into the delights of working our hands through natural textures: we'll mix clay & spread it on the walls, chop straw to put into the mix...this can be fun & safe as very little tools required, & no chemical products. This is also a time for awareness in connection with others & with ourselves as we are in activity.
There will be times for showering & more connecting, if desired, before supper, in this more social time we can also feel into creating some sculptures from mud and /or wood from the forest.... We will then end the day together in silence.
This retreat will be multilingual with translation as needed.
The retreat is appropriate for people at all experience levels or with no meditation experience.
Place: Ekuthuleni Retreat Centre, 1300 Festes-Saint-André, France
Dates: 15th to 20th August
Cost: €300:
€180 to be paid in advance by PayPal or bank transfer , this includes the €10 for membership of Association Ekuthuleni for one year (a legal requirement to take part in our activities). Then, on arrival day please bring the remaining €120.
This payment covers food, water, insurance, office costs, gas for cooking but not any of our other costs or the living costs of the resident teacher.
Dana: We are not funded by any institutions or gouvernent bodies. Ekuthuleni relies on people's generosity to remain open and for the teachers’ livelihood. Called Dana in the Buddhist tradition from 2600 years ago, these donations are based on each person's income and fluidity with money. Please bring cash with you for this, or you can offer Dana online at Ekuthuleni.
Click on the link to practical information for details about what to bring etc or go to the booking form.
After booking, you will receive confirmation & some practical info such as station pick up times & drop off times.
About Noon
Noon Baldwin is an ex circus artist & street performer who retired from the circus in 2004 to dedicate his life to spiritual practice, living in dhamma centers (France & south Africa) & Amaravati monastery, (UK).
Noon co-created Ekuthuleni rustic retreat place with Sumedha (Hannah) Bagshaw. Noon's main spiritual influence is the buddhist tradition of Ajahn Chah, with an interest in all spiritualities, (following retreats & courses with Jaya Ashmore from Open Dharma since 2008).
He enjoys how the traditional & open spirituality practices meet as one in his heart. Noon's varied life experience brings a listening with vibrancy,an alive practice he loves to share. Noon participated in a two year course at "London Focussing Institut", Eugene Gendlin's way from 2020 to 2022.
Connecting with curiosity & energy, with a sense of embodying spiritual practice through in depth body grounding meditations are some of Noon's fields of exploration. He is transgendered....a two spirit person all in one.
About Tisārā
Tisārā began meditating in 2000 and discovered the Buddha's teachings in 2002 under the guidance of Bhante Bodhidhamma. In 2005, after a solo journey through Asia, she joined the Amaravati and Chithurst community in the lineage of Ajahn Chah's forest monks. In addition to her practical involvement in the management of the community, she taught and organised retreats for families and young people; and facilitated both creative and more formal meditation meetings and sessions. She left the monastery in 2020 but continues to share her experience of the Path and teaches regularly at Maison Mudita in Switzerland and for the Association Vivekarama in Paris. Her approach to practice is very down to earth. With patience and simplicity, observing and contemplating ordinary experience, its dilemmas, ups and downs, it’s fears and joys, yet continue walking the path of liberation.
