Visiting the EIAB
Throughout the year our doors are open to receive guests. We invite you to join us for Days of Mindfulness, themed retreats or courses, or a general stay outside of our Retreat or Course program.
Mindfulness Days: Twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays we hold Days of Mindfulness. The day starts at 9:30 am with either a live Dharma talk by one of our resident Dharma teachers or a recorded teaching on CD/DVD by Thay. Other activities include walking meditation, silent meal, deep relaxation, and a discussion of the practice. The day ends at around 16:00hr. We welcome day visitors. Registration is not required, and there is no cost incurred for the day participation, but dana or donation is greatly appreciated.
Basic Mindfulness for Daily Living: Thursday evenings, 19:00–21:00
We will practice sitting and walking meditation and have time for group sharing. Each evening will concentrate on a different aspect of mindfulness, e.g. mindful eating, mindful speech, etc. Practical exercises will be given and the following week there will be a discussion on the effects the exercises have had on our lives. This course is open to everyone. Meet in the meditation hall of the Zivildienstschule, to the right of the EIAB, Waldbröl.
Walking Meditation: You are welcome to join us in our daily schedule of walking meditation at 11:00 (except Mondays).
Courses or Special Retreats: Throughout the year we offer courses and retreats of various themes. Most courses offered are accessible to everyone. There are a number of courses that are oriented towards specific groups. Some of the courses that are geared for everyone are: Basic Mindfulness, Conflict Resolution, Working with Difficult Emotions, Practicing in Times of Bereavement and Grief, Inter-religious Dialogue, and Protecting our Environment. Some of the courses offered for specialist groups are: Mindfulness for Students, for Teachers and School Administrators, for Couples, for Parents and children, for Artists, for Business people, and for Politicians, to name a few. In addition, we also have our annual Summer Retreat for families, our annual Winter Retreat, retreats for young adults, and more. Please check our Events & Courses page for a list of courses/retreats and dates.
General Stay: Outside of our special or themed retreats, you can come join us for a general stay. To help make our practice stable and solid, Friday is our only arrival/departure day each week. We will give an orientation about our practice to new arrivals each Friday evening, which is essential for you to really benefit from and enjoy your stay. For a deepening of the practice to occur and for mindful living to take root and become a vital part of daily life, we recommend a minimum stay of one week. If you cannot stay for one week, you can participate in our weekend program, which starts on Friday afternoons and ends on Sunday afternoons.
If you wish to stay longer than two weeks, please write a letter to the community to express your motivation beforehand. We are very happy to have friends practicing with us for longer periods of time, but the community will make the final decision only after your first two weeks at the EIAB, based on your capacity to live in harmony with the Sangha (community) and your commitment to the practice.
To make a reservation for your stay, please click on Make a Reservation, here or on the left navigation.
