Amitavati is situated in the heartland of rural Valencia – Spain

Amitavati, which means ‘full of boundless possibilities’, is the home and rural retreat centre of Suratna and Vidyasri, two ordained members of the Triratna order. They offer a range of retreats in their working smallholding in the hills near the small town of Villar-del-Arzobispo in the hinterland of Valencia, Spain. Retreats are designed to bring visitors into intimate contact with the land and its resources. They include meditation retreats,shamanic journeying, drumming, painting and sculpture and working retreats. Please contact Suratna or Vidyasri if you would like to stay for a period as a member of our community.
Contact: amitavati2006@gmail.com

“Passionate Presence” is a silent meditation retreat.
There are four sessions of (double) meditations per day with walking meditations and stretching in between. These are preceded by  short teaching and Q&A sessions from the retreat leader, Suryacitta. Some of the practices are outside, weather permitting.
We have our Vegetarian meals on the terrace – weather permitting, as it usually does in June – with spectacular views.
There is lots of space in the afternoons for walking in the mountains or having a siesta, or just sitting doing nothing. The evenings have a variety of activities.
We have at least four full days of silence with the option of one to one time with Suryacitta to discuss your practice.
We live as a community during the retreat,  and all help out with small jobs to keep the place clean and running smoothly.
The themes covered are, What living in the present really is and how to do it, how to calm our chattering mind, how to be at ease with difficult emotions such as fear, anxiety and the rest. There is ample time for discussion about whatever you bring to the retreat too.
It is suitable for anybody with a meditation practice and who is willing to enter into some silent practice.
The nearest airport is Valencia and you can be picked up there and taken to the retreat centre, so its hassle free. Return to Valencia  can be arranged too.

A meditation retreat at Amitavati

Will be led by experienced meditation teachers, addressing different levels of experience of Buddhist meditations – from beginners to those with many years experience. At the beginning of all retreats we offer an in depth practical introduction to the meditation practices, including group discussion. There is also time to get to know the team and other retreatants. Most of the remainder of the retreat is a period of silent practice. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of the one-to-one practice reviews with experienced team members. Formal practice time – including sitting and walking meditation – varies from retreat to retreat. There are usually a few optional evening rituals and puja. We live as a community during a retreat, and the basic household chores are usually shared by us all – washing-up, preparing vegetables for the cook etc., perhaps spending 1-1&1/2 hrs a day in this way – which enhances the nourishing experience of community-living and helps us ground our meditation experience. There is also free time each day to enjoy the beauty of the pine-covered & olive-tree terraced hills.