If you stay at Santipada as a retreat, you can have a supportive atmosphere for your spiritual growth according to your needs. Through discussion with one of the monastic teachers, you can arrange your time in a beneficial and suitable way to harmonise with the Monastic time table as shown below. Minimum stay for retreat is three nights.
- Daily Routine
- 5:00 – 5:30 am – Morning Chanting
- 5:30 – 6:30 am – Morning Group Meditation
- 6:30 – 7:00 am – Breakfast
- 10:00 – 11:30 am – sitting, walking (Dhamma Hall)
- 11:30 – 12:00 – Lunch
- After lunch, no food is allowed. Beverages are okay at any time.
- 12:30 – 1:30 pm – Dhamma Discussion (Dhamma Hall)
- Under the teacher’s guidance, accordingly
- 6:00 – 8:00 pm – Evening Group Meditation
- 8:00 – 10:00 pm – Individual Meditation
- 10:00 pm – Lights out
Some points to keep in mind
- Awareness: Whatever you are doing, try to bring awareness to each action. Whether you are gardening, walking, showering, cooking or drinking tea, these are all opportunities for meditation practice.
- Keep to the schedule: Please stay aware of time and be punctual to group meditation practice and meetings. Observing this schedule is part of meditation practice.
- Meditation schedule: Retreat participants should meditate for at least three hours each day in the meditation hall.
- Silence: Please maintain silence, except for necessary communications or talking to the teacher.
- Please limit the use of telephone, email, reading, and music. The monastery does not make wifi available.
- Conserve Resources: Please be mindful of using lights, gas, water, and other resources while at the temple.
- Food: All food is to be kept and consumed in the kitchen and dining area. The monastery does not allow any alcohol, drugs or cigarettes on the property. We do not allow the consumption of meat, however, milk, cheese, and eggs are allowed. Unless you have a medical need, food is not to be consumed at the temple afternoon. Beverages are okay at any time.
- Accommodation: During your stay please keep your room neat and tidy at all times. When you finish your stay, please clean up your room and put any dirty linen from the monastery in the laundry basket.
- Retreat cost: contribution $150 NZ per night will be gratefully accepted to cover food and accommodation for the retreat. The monastery is a non-profit organisation and relies on the kindness and generosity of others to sustain it. If you want to do any kind of support or donation, please contact us or go to the support and donation page on our website.
- If you cannot keep these rules for any reason please speak to someone in the office.
• Cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs (including marijuana), music and musical instruments are strongly prohibited.
• The burning incense or candles in your rooms are prohibited due to fire hazard.
• No vanity accessories, make-up, or perfumes allowed
• Going out to manage private matters is not permitted during your stay in the monastery. Please arrange to have all your private affairs in order prior to arrival at the monastery.
During your stay, the 8 precepts below should be kept all the time. Please send us the application form only if you are able to keep 8 precepts.
The Eight Precepts:
- Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from killing living beings. - Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given. - Abrahmacariya veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from any kind of sexual activity. - Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect (false or harmful) speech. - Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness. - Vikalabhojana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the wrong time ( not eating after lunch meal, only beverages are allowed) - Nacca-gita-vadita-visukkadassana mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanathana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing jewelry, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics. - Uccasayana-mahasayana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from indulging in excessive sleep.