Living with Ease: A Fresh Look at the Four Noble Truths
This retreat is hosted by The Buddhist Centre Online please book with them
“Suffering is part of how it is on earth; it is an inherent part of the fabric of existence. And if we are lucky, it will break our heart open. That is the crack that lets the light pour through. That is the way the world cleanses itself.”
The Four Noble Truths were the Buddha’s first teaching, yet they never grow old. Each time we return to them with fresh eyes, they meet us exactly where we are. Just as in the Buddha’s time, there is suffering in our lives—stress, fear, confusion —that we can do something about.
First Noble Truth — There is dukkha, suffering
Second Noble Truth — Dukkha has a cause: craving rooted in ignorance
Third Noble Truth — The cessation of dukkha is possible: awakening
Fourth Noble Truth — There is a path that leads to the end of dukkha
This retreat explores how this ancient insight can illuminate modern life. We’ll look at how we create unnecessary dukkha, and how we can lessen it—making space for ease, clarity, and kindness.
First Noble Truth — There is dukkha
What did the Buddha really mean when he said we can “end suffering”? After all, pain is an unavoidable part of being human. In this retreat, we’ll learn to recognise the difference between the inevitable pains of life and the extra layers of dukkha we add through resistance, habit, and misunderstanding.
Second Noble Truth — Dukkha has a cause
We’ll explore the roots of suffering in our own experience—those aspects that are within our sphere of influence. Rather than feeling like passive victims of circumstances, we’ll learn how to take responsibility for the ways we contribute to our own difficulty. And seeing that dukkha has a cause, we can be confident that it's possible to lessen it.
Third Noble Truth — The Cessation of Dukkha
Nirodha, the ending of dukkha, is often mistaken for emptiness or blankness. But in the Buddha’s teaching it is described as freedom, relief, and release—like putting down a burden you didn’t know you were carrying, or stepping out of a prison whose door was never locked. We’ll explore how this “stopping” is deeply positive, a genuine awakening of the heart.
Fourth Noble Truth — The Path: Living the Eightfold Way in Everyday Life
The Eightfold Path is not a monastic checklist, but a practical way of living that can be woven into the fabric of ordinary life. We’ll turn the Eightfold Path into a set of tools and practices that help us generate less dukkha, respond to challenges with wisdom, and meet the unavoidable pains of life with equanimity and compassion.
Retreat Format
This online retreat brings together Dharma teaching, guided meditations, reflection and inquiry, as well as time for discussion. As a home retreat it's perfect for people who want to engage deeply with this essential teaching—while at home, embedded in ordinary life.
First daily session (2 hrs): USA & Canada PST 1:00 am | México CST 2:00 am | USA & Canada EST 4:00 am | IE & UK BST 9:00 am | Europe CEST 10:00 am | India IST 1:30 pm | Australia AEST 6:00 pm | New Zealand NZST 8:00 pm
Second daily session (2 hrs): USA & Canada PST 7:00 am | México CST 8:00 am | USA & Canada EST 10:00 am | IE & UK BST 3:00 pm | Europe CEST 4:00 pm | India IST 7:30 pm | Australia AEST 12:00 midn (next day) | New Zealand NZST 2:00 am (next day)
Third daily session (1 hr): USA & Canada PST 11:00 am | México CST 12:00 noon | USA & Canada EST 2:00 pm | IE & UK BST 7:00 pm | Europe CEST 8:00 pm | India IST 11:30 pm | Australia AEST 4:00 am (next day) | New Zealand NZST 6:00 am (next day)
Attend any or all conversations in Zoom.
This event will be recorded and may be published online for others to access. Only the leader's video will be used except where users consent to appear spotlighted in a public conversation. Private conversations in breakout rooms will not be recorded.
Suggested donation:
£175 / $230 / €205 for the whole retreat, or drop in for £35 / $45 / €40 per day.
Get one ticket and come to any session you wish!
Like all our events, this retreat is offered by donation rather than charging a compulsory ticket price. We want to do this because we never want money to be an obstacle to taking part in a supportive community, and we know many people are struggling financially. The amount we suggest reflects the huge amount of work and love that goes into putting on events we hope will benefit everyone attending. If you can, please donate today. Thank you!