The Role of Retreats in Mindfulness Training

As the current cohort of MSt students gear up for their first retreat at the end of the month, let’s take a look at the role of retreats in MBCT training.

At present, students taking the MSt in MBCT at Oxford attend three organised retreats as part of the course. The first is a mini retreat (four days) in the second term of the first year, and is usually held at Gaia House, a meditation retreat centre in Devon offering retreats in the Buddhist tradition.  This first retreat, entitled Origins and Applications of Mindfulness: MBCT/MBSR Foundations, provides participants with an opportunity for direct, experiential, exploration of mindfulness in Insight Meditation. Whilst it is designed for those intending to apply mindfulness in their professional lives, the main emphasis is on personal practice. At this stage in the course, the priority for students is to cultivate a deep understanding of mindfulness meditation from the inside.

The second retreat, which takes place at the very beginning of the second academic year, is based at the Ammerdown Centre, a retreat and conference centre in Somerset. This training retreat lasts seven days and allows students to spend some time exploring relevant theory and research and practising foundation skills in instructing others in mindfulness, as well as personal practice and time for reflection and discussion.

Finally, towards the end of the second year, MSt students take part in a third retreat, a week-long silent retreat. By this point in the course, students are expected to have an established personal meditation practice. This intensive, experiential week reinforces this practice, with a concentrated programme of alternated sitting and walking meditation. Many students find that by this stage in the course, following a busy two-year period of learning, teaching practice and academic assignments, the opportunity for a week of silence, peace and focus is very welcome.

This last thought perhaps points to one of the most important functions of retreats. Those who work in caring professions face increasing demands on their time and energy, and a constantly busy and stressful life can erode the very capacities which mindfulness practitioners need most – patience, empathy and compassion. Taking the time to focus on an extended period of intensive practice, to replenish inner energy and resources, can help practitioners to embody the qualities which they hope to support in others through their mindfulness teaching.