All times refer to UK time, unless otherwise stated.
James Low, April 2026 writes: The traditional structure of Buddhist teachings is that each level or vehicle has its own View, Meditation, Activity and Result. Over the years I have focused on making the various views and meditations as clear as possible and you can access these through my many audio and video recordings, books and transcripts.
I feel that our retreats now need to have increasing emphasis on your activity and proactive learning.
We all have a lot of life experience and so how can we mobilise this experience to become an ally on our path instead of an obstacle? Rather than relying on our habitual assumptions and conclusions, our practice is to investigate how our subjectivity arises in different situations. We aim to locate the ground (or basis) for our subjective thoughts, feelings and actions in our simple presence within the ever-open here and now.
I will be teaching in the mornings. In the afternoons there will be small group activities led by experienced members of our sangha. They will offer a range of activities and I am encouraging you all to try them out so that you can experience what you can make use of (or not) at each moment in time. The key point is for you to observe what arises for you as you engage with each activity in your ever-changing environment.
The aim in dzogchen is to see the self-vanishing of each moment. We do this by ripening our presence without engaging in dualistic reificatory judgement.
- This event has passed.
Dzogchen summer retreat. Emerson College, UK June 2025
Open to life: life comes as it comes. Vast as the sky. Deep as the ocean.
James Low has been leading these summer retreats in Sussex almost every year since 2013, organised by Huw Wyn. They are usually in Emerson College, a training college inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner.
Topic
We do not know what events will arise and impact us. Struggling to stay in charge of what is occurring is exhausting while letting events determine our situation is unwise. The Buddhist Middle Way indicates that we can rest in open awareness while avoiding the extremes of over involvement and under involvement. We will focus on the Dzogchen teachings of relaxing and releasing our habitual patterns of reactivity so that our participation is both spontaneous and precise; contactful yet neither invading nor abandoning.
Last Minute Update
The Organiser has just been told that the hall will not be available. The teaching will take place in a marquee, plus there will be a large yurt. The marquee will have flooring and chairs plus matting for the floor. He advises bringing a shawl/blanket and cushions or camping mat to sit on, to be cosy.Rooms are as normal but check in is now 3 pm. Camping, plus food in the main house as normal.
Teaching now starts at 7:30 pm on the first day.
Time and Date
Day 1: Jun 16th, teaching starts at 7.30 pm
Day 6: Jun 21, teaching ends at 1 pm
Daily timetable
Tai chi/ Chi Gong and Yoga from 8 -9.
Breakfast from 9- 10.
Teachings from 10 – 1 with break.
Lunch 1-3.
Teachings 3 – 6 with break.
Dinner 7.30 – 9. (Huw to ask Emerson if dinner can be brought forward to 6:30 or 7.) [27/5/25]
Music from 9 – 11.
Event Booking
Click here.
This event ticket DOES NOT include camping, accommodation or meals – Lunches and accommodation to be booked directly with Emerson via the email below.
Emerson College Accommodation and Food Bookings
These are to be made via direct contact at bookings [at] emerson [dot] org [dot] uk.
Accommodation check in 3 pm on June 16th
Accommodation check out 10 am on June 21st
Tent Booking
For full information and to book a tent go to this website https://greatbritishtents.co.uk/events/dzogchen-summer-solstice-retreat
Enter the password Dzogchen25
Accommodation details from Emerson College. Forest Row
- Accommodation Check-in / Camping Arrival each day – Between 15:00 & 17:00 Monday to Friday.
- Accommodation Check-out / Camping Departure 10:00 AM Saturday 21st
- Wristbands required for meals, these are to be pre-purchased via the purchase links provided. Access to the dining rooms revoked without a wristband.
- All meals must be booked in advance.
For meals and accommodation, Emerson College is selling select packages to retreat participants as follows:
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- Single Room: 5 x Nights, Monday to Saturday – £400.00
- Twin (Double Occupancy): 5 x Nights, Monday to Saturday – £500.00
- Camping: 5 x Nights, Monday to Saturday – £125.00
- All Meals: 3 x Meals over 5 days, Monday Supper to Sunday Lunch – £202.50
Organiser and Event details
Click here for more information about Huw Wyn’s ‘Into the Wild’ gatherings.
Huw Wyn is the point of contact. Please do not contact James Low as he is not the organiser.
