The Other Side Of Insight
With Paramananda
September 19 - October 3, 2025
Insight is often approached through various methods oriented to deconstructing our deep–rooted conceptions that support the idea of a fixed self. However, this approach may sometimes seem to neglect the importance of compassion, love and beauty in preparing the ground for insight to take root.
On this meditation retreat, which will be conducted largely in silence, we will emphasise the role of emotion and collective practice as a way of opening the heart and expanding the feeling of self to include others and the world.
Paramananda has been leading retreats for over thirty years and has a distinctive style that stresses body and heart as keys to opening to the nature of reality.
Leader
Paramananda
Paramananda was born in 1955 in London. He took up meditation first in his late adolescence, Transcendental Meditation , which he did for a number of years, finding the organization behind the TM unattractive. In his 20s he was a psychiatric social worker and was deeply influenced by the anti-psychiatry movement, by people like R.D. Laing. He had an interest in sufism and taoism when he came across Triratna in 1982. He was ordained in 1985, worked in a Gardening Right Livelihood and after a few years after his ordination became chair of the West London Buddhist Centre. He later…
Learn more about Paramananda
Paramananda was born in 1955 in London. He took up meditation first in his late adolescence, Transcendental Meditation , which he did for a number of years, finding the organization behind the TM unattractive. In his 20s he was a psychiatric social worker and was deeply influenced by the anti-psychiatry movement, by people like R.D. Laing. He had an interest in sufism and taoism when he came across Triratna in 1982. He was ordained in 1985, worked in a Gardening Right Livelihood and after a few years after his ordination became chair of the West London Buddhist Centre. He later…
Learn more about Paramananda