Christmas Season Retreat | Ajahn Nissarano

Christmas Season Retreat | A laid-back five day feast of meditation, Dhamma discussion and contemplation | led by Ajahn Nissarano

Dates: Friday, 26th to Tuesday, 30th December 2025
Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (daily, except Sunday 28th December, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Individual Meditation)
Venue: BSV Buddhaloka Centre, 71 Darling Road, Malvern East, VIC 3145

Theme: “Give Yourself a Gift : a Gift of Inner Peace, Acceptance & Happiness”
The focus of these meditation days will be guided meditations, individual meditations, Dhamma discussions and contemplations. We will use the verses of the treasure house of the Dhammapada, a collection of verses by the Buddha.

Programme:
9:00 am – 10:00 am 
– Welcome
– Taking the Refuges & Precepts (5 & 8 precepts)
– Chanting (as per BSV Sunday morning programme)
– Dhammapada Verse for the day
– Guided meditation
– Guidelines for walking meditation

10:00 am – 11:00 am
– Individual practice : walking & sitting meditation, and contemplation

11:00 am – Lunch
For those taking 8 precepts, please eat before midday
Participants, please bring your own lunch

12:00 – 12:30 pm
– Individual practice : walking & sitting meditation, and contemplation

12:30 – 1:30 pm
– Guided Meditation or Discussion of Daily Dhammapada verse

1:30 – 2:30 pm
– Individual practice : walking & sitting meditation, and contemplation
and/or
– Short individual interviews (about 10 minutes) in the dining area next door, on a first come, first served basis.
Please wait your turn near the backdoor of the dining area

2:30 – 3:00 pm
– Discussion / Q & A
– Sharing of Merits
– Conclusion

Mobile Phones
Participants are kindly requested to put away their phones.

Questions
Please write down your questions as they occur to you during the day and put them in the box outside the meditation hall. They will be answered during the last session for the day.

Dress Warmly
As the doors to the Centre and meditation hall will be left open to maximise ventilation, please dress warmly and bring a blanket or meditation shawl if you wish. There is heating in the hall.

Breaks:
Lunch
Participants need to bring their own lunch. Tea/coffee will be provided.
Tea Breaks
Please take individual tea breaks when you need them.

EVERYONE IS MOST WELCOME! Please feel free to join for a session, a whole day or all 5 days! Registration not required.

Parking
– Please keep the car park at the back of the Buddhaloka Centre free for walking meditation, except for Sunday, 28th December.
– Be PARTICULARLY mindful when parking on the streets around the Centre to ensure that you do not block driveways in any way.