Leaving The Realm of The Hungry Ghost

“As surely as there is a voyage away, there is a journey home.” – Jack Kornfield

It goes without saying that we’ve been living through particularly strange times, seemingly in all areas, and it is human tendency to reach for comfort and relief when fear, boredom, disillusionment and/or trauma are triggered. However, attachment, destructive habit forming and addiction can easily become the darker side of this spectrum.

“The difference between passion and addiction is that between a divine spark and a flame that incinerates.” – Gabor Maté

In Buddhism, ‘Hungry Ghosts’ are often seen as a metaphor for those individuals who are following a path of incorrect desire, who suffer from spiritual emptiness, who cannot see the impossibility of correcting what has already happened or who form an unnatural attachment to the past. Hungry ghosts are also sometimes used as a metaphor for addiction.

To herald in the New Year, I am delighted to be teaching again, this time with the fabulous yoga teacher, masseuse and sound healer Thalien Colenbrander, hosting a small & intimate retreat within which we will be offering mindfulness techniques, Dharma, music, yoga, meditation, sound healing and compassionate self enquiry in order to gain perspective and insight as a step toward healing addictive behaviours and harmful habits and developing gentler self care.

Re-evaluating, re-equipping and re-centering as we move into the New Year with fresh intention, new tools and generous self-compassion.

All set in the glorious surroundings of Suryalila Retreat Centre here in the Cadiz region of Andalusia, Southern Spain. It will be our honour and our privilege to be your guides

We intend to keep this retreat small and intimate (approx 12 retreatants) as befits it’s intention, so wise to book early should you wish to attend.

Prices for attending this 6-day (5 nights) retreat range from €720€ – 1,050€ (all-inclusive subject to room availability):

• ensuite double room. Solo occupancy: €1,050 / Shared occupancy: €920
• twin room (with private bathroom). Solo occupancy: €970 / Shared occupancy: €845
• twin eco casa (outdoor shared bathroom facilities, including hot showers). Solo occupancy: €970 / Shared occupancy: €745
• twin yurt (outdoor shared bathroom facilities, including hot showers). Solo occupancy: €970 / Shared occupancy: €745
• mini-dorm (4 single beds with shared bathroom). Shared occupancy: €720

• 5 night’s accommodation
• 3 delicious freshly-prepared vegetarian/vegan buffet meals p/day
• unlimited tea/coffee from the dining hall
• everything on the retreat schedule, incl. (optional) daily yoga classes and sauna night/movie night
• 24/7 access to the saltwater swimming pool
• 24/7 access to the meditation garden

• Flights
• Transfers
• Added excursions or massages
• One to one Dharma counselling sessions