Name: Dhamma Vihara
Item: Dhamma Vihara
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Dhamma Vihara lead by the meditation teacher, Burgs is surrounded by a natural forest and consists of ancient buildings, carefully restored and renovated. Dhamma Vihara can guarantee peace, silence, stunning views and a residential quality of high standard. Isolated and reachable through a long private road,

Inside the property’s boundaries one can find an ancient stone circle (Cromlech) and adventurous trails between enormous boulders and ageless Oaks. Dhamma Vihara is only a stone’s throw from the famous GR10 National Trail, the Pyrenees track connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean (a two months walk!).

It is located in an unspoilt, natural mountain environment, which is home to Wild Boars, Pyrenees Vultures, Eagles, Salamanders, Blue Lizards and other fauna and flora.

Students are welcome to come for as little or as long as they wish. They may wish to join in with the structured retreats that will be held at Dhamma Vihara, or may wish to practice at their own pace whilst being able to check in with Burgs during scheduled interview sessions. This is an opportunity where specific guidance on meditation practice can be given to ensure steady progress is made.

Please be aware that outside of any structured retreats at Dhamma Vihara, students will be left to practise at their own pace. So although working with an unstructured timetable, you will be able to seek guidance from Burgs where necessary at designated times.

After many years studying and practicing meditation and chi kung in Asia under the guidance of some the worlds greatest living masters, Burgs moved back to England to teach at the request of one of his teachers.

He ran his first retreat in 1996 and since then has hosted over 100 retreats from 5 days to 5 months and taught thousands of people from all walks of life. His students have ranged from total beginners to distinguished monks and nuns, from the homeless of Asia to many successful and influential business people. Today he is one of Europe’s most experienced and accomplished meditation teachers.

He quit his career at the head of a successful fashion label in search of more meaning to his life. His journeys took him to the islands of Indonesia, the foothills of India, and the forests of Burma.

After years of retreat, having reached some of the highest levels of practice, he left the monastery he was in and decided to travel back to the West to teach. His decision to do so was rooted in a determination to discover for himself whether these practices and the wisdom they pointed to could be upheld and developed within the context of a modern western life.

The depth of his experiential knowledge of meditation and his ability to communicate this knowledge with clarity to western audiences make him an extremely accessible teacher. He translates profound ancient knowledge and teachings into approachable and digestible language.

With a clear emphasis on the dynamic relationship between the body and the mind, the programme that Burgs teaches starts with the very basics of establishing concentration and mindfulness right through to the process of energetic transformation that opens the door to the very highest states of consciousness. From the foothills to the high plains, Burgs has the experience and the skills to guide each step of the way. We have often had advanced practitioners with years of experience joining our retreats who find that Burgs’ ability to recognise and to point to the doorway through which they might progress allows them to swiftly further their practice.

The basis for the successful practice of meditation is sīla (moral conduct). It is extremely difficult to develop strong concentration (samadhi) and Insight (panna), while our mind is unrestrained and disorganised. When the Buddha taught meditation he suggested that those hoping to make real progress adhere to a simple code of conduct that supports their endeavours. While on retreat we will likewise follow these same guidelines.

It is our aim to offer retreats which enable the student to develop and deepen their practice in the most supported environment possible. As such, each student is asked to observe a few simple rules so that they may get the most out of their time on retreat.

Noble Silence is one of these rules.
– It is a key part of this experience and will be maintained for 6 full days of the retreat. The final afternoon on the last full day will be an opportunity to slowly start to come out of retreat mode.
– Although many people find the idea of remaining silent quite daunting at first, almost all find that it adds considerably to the whole experience of being on retreat.
– The main aim of this practice is to allow the internal mindfulness of the student to develop over the week allowing them to be undistracted during their retreat.
– There will of course be opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification from the teacher or any of his assistants at appropriate times.

Below are the various aspects of Noble Silence we ask you to follow:

– Handing in Mobile Phones. All participants are asked to hand in their mobile phones at the start of the retreat (after supper on arrival day). To be secluded from your daily life for a period of time allows you to fully engage with the teachings being shared.
– If there is a need to be contactable due to special circumstances such as family illness etc. then an emergency phone number can be provided. Please discuss this with the assistant upon arrival.
– No talking to or distracting of other students. Many people find it hard to take time away from busy lives to do retreat. If you feel you are struggling with the silence then you can always speak to one of the assistants who can help you with this.
– No reading or writing of diaries/journals is permitted during the 6 days of noble silence. You can make notes and write in your diaries once we have broken silence on day 6.
– No physical contact with anyone is permitted as this disturbs all parties involved.
– Eye contact should be avoided within reason. Seeking to distract people while on your retreat is something that we advise against as this disturbs both you and the other person(s) involved.

The basic tenets with which we follow to setup a conducive environment for you to learn meditation are as follows:

– To abstain from killing any living being – all meals will be vegetarian during the week.
– To abstain from taking what is not given – all basic requirements will be provided for during your stay such as food.
– To abstain from sexual activity – male and female students will have separate rooms for sleeping accommodation during the retreat.
– To abstain from untruthfulness – noble silence will be observed for 6 days of the retreat.
– To abstain from all intoxicants – no smoking, alcohol or other drug use will be permitted. Please inform us of any prescribed drugs you will be using whilst on retreat (during booking process).

Dhamma Vihara

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