Throughout the year I run retreats and other events, both online and in person. Unfortunately my weekly class is not currently running, and my capacity for Zoom calls and in-person meet-ups is severely limited, but you're always welcome to drop me an email if you'd like to discuss your practice.

Below, you can find a calendar of upcoming events, along with more detailed descriptions of those events.

The list of retreats and other events does change from time to time - the best way to keep track of upcoming events is to join my mailing list here! (It's very low traffic, approximately one email every couple of months.)

If you're interested in something that isn't listed below, please do feel free to contact me and we can talk about it.

Retreats, courses and other upcoming events

Calendar of upcoming events

9 February 2026: Insight Meditation in Early Buddhism practice session, 7pm-8.30pm, online via Zoom with Oxford Insight Meditation (email [email protected] to join their mailing list and receive the Zoom link)

19 February 2026: The Sound of One Hand - a Zen Story talk, 7pm-9pm, in person at Friends Meeting House, Cheltenham, with Cheltenham Inter-Faith (not yet open for booking)

29 March 2026: The Art of Silence meditation workshop, 1pm-4.30pm, in person at OrangeYoga, Cheltenham (book here)

5-15 June 2026: 11-day jhana retreat with Leigh Brasington, online via Zoom (book here)

11-day jhana retreats

The jhanas are altered states of consciousness which can arise during samadhi practice, leading to sustained experiences of bliss, joy, contentment and equanimity. These states are not only interesting and enjoyable in their own right, but also give rise to a mind which is substantially quieter, clearer and sharper than usual, and thus tend to accelerate and deepen one's insight practice as well.

These retreats offer a complete spiritual path drawn from the early Buddhist tradition. They have a strong focus on the practice of learning and cultivating the jhanas, as taught by my teacher Leigh Brasington, complemented by a range of insight and heart-opening practices.

Since 2022 Leigh and I have offered a yearly online jhana retreat through Gaia House, joined by Claralynn Nunamaker in 2025, and we're hoping that will continue. Leigh also offers other retreats (some in the UK timezone, others in U.S. timezones), so check out his retreats page if the dates below don't work for you.

Prerequisites: Jhana retreats are suitable for anyone with an established meditation practice who has attended two or more seven-day silent retreats previously. If you don't meet these prerequisites but would still like to come, please contact me to discuss.

Dates:
  • 5-15 June 2026, online via Zoom, with Leigh Brasington.
  • (Future dates will be announced as they become available - my intention is to run at least one jhana retreat each year.)

Online retreat logistics: International applicants are welcome for online retreats. Talks (typically given at 11am and 8pm UK time) are recorded and made available online. All participants will be required to attend interviews every few days, which will typically take place between 2pm and 6pm UK time.
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Exploring the jhanas, a weekend retreat

The jhanas are altered states of consciousness which can arise during samadhi practice, leading to sustained experiences of bliss, joy, contentment and equanimity. These states are not only interesting and enjoyable in their own right, but also give rise to a mind which is substantially quieter, clearer and sharper than usual, and thus tend to accelerate and deepen one's insight practice as well.

This weekend retreat, held at the beautiful Noddfa in north Wales, offers an entry point for people who are curious to know more about the jhanas, both how to practise them and how they fit into the wider context of the spiritual path. Fellow jhana teacher Claralynn Nunamaker and I will give talks, take questions and offer private interviews, with plenty of time for sitting and walking meditation throughout the weekend. We will also be joined via Zoom by our teacher Leigh Brasington for a talk and Q&A session on the Friday evening.

Prerequisites: None.

Dates:
  • 2-4 October 2026, in person at Noddfa, north Wales, with Claralynn Nunamaker. Further details will be given when the event is confirmed. (The poster currently shown is for the previous iteration of the event.)
  • (Future dates will be announced as they become available - the first run went really well, so if people keep coming, we'll keep offering them!)
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The Sound of One Hand - a Zen Story

In this talk we’ll explore the history and practice of Zen Buddhism, starting roughly one and a half thousand years ago with the story of Bodhidharma, the semi-legendary founder of Zen in China. We'll also take a look at Zen's unique teaching and practice methods – what's with all the shouting and hitting people with sticks?! Finally, we'll explore the Zen view of the path to awakening and beyond, using the famous Ox-Herding Pictures as our model, and see how the Zen path culminates in compassionate  engaged activity in the world.

Prerequisites: None.

Practical details:
  • When and where: 7pm-9pm, Thursday 19th February 2026, in person at Friends Meeting House, Cheltenham, with Cheltenham Inter-Faith. 
  • Cost: Free.
  • Booking: Currently at the planning stage; further details will be made available in due course.
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The Art of Silence meditation workshop

In this workshop we'll explore the purpose and practice of inner silence in meditation. Drawing on both early Buddhism and Zen, we'll explore some ways to connect with and rest in this powerful internal resource in meditation, and see how something as simple as silence can enrich and empower our lives in activity as well as in stillness.

Prerequisites: None. Full instruction will be given for all practices.

​Practical details:
  • When and where: 1pm-4.30pm, Sunday 29th March 2026, in person at OrangeYoga in Cheltenham. 
  • Cost: Donation-based (give what you can).
  • Booking is essential: Please see the OrangeYoga website for booking details.
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Insight Practice in Early Buddhism practice session

The early Buddhist discourses frequently emphasise the importance of cultivating discernment (vipassana) leading to wisdom (panna). But how do we do this, and why does it help? We'll take a look at how to explore the Buddha's wisdom teachings through insight meditation, leading to an experiential grasp of the principles that is much deeper (and more useful!) than a mere conceptual understanding. The emphasis will be on practical methods rather than abstract theory - on how to make the teachings real.

Prerequisites: None. Full instruction will be given for all practices.

Practical details:
  • When and where: 7pm-8.30pm, Monday 9th February 2026, online via Zoom. 
  • Cost: Donation-based (give what you can).
  • Booking: Contact me if you'd like to attend, or sign up to Oxford Insight Meditation's mailing list by emailing [email protected]. (Do check them out - they have lots of great teachers offering sessions! They have an online session every month, although note that their newsletter is weekly.)
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