Discover the power of creativity, mindfulness, and intuition
Dates: from 2 to 3 August
This unique workshop invites you to explore the interplay between creativity and emotional balance, uncovering your natural capacity for wisdom and self-expression. Join renowned artist and teacher David Rycroft for an inspiring retreat where art and mindfulness meet.
Through guided artistic exercises, individual feedback, and group sharing, you’ll:
See the world from fresh perspectives, breaking free from habitual concepts.
Explore emotions and abstract expression through art.
Tap into your intuition and inner wellspring of inspiration.
Cultivate relaxation while maintaining clarity and focus.
No prior experiencewith art or meditation is needed—everyone has the potential for creative expression and for wisdom. The only thing that counts is our willingness to explore.
We will be guided through a series of art (and meditation) exercises specially-designed to enrich our understanding of how an artistic expression can help us see emotions - and our relationship to them - more clearly.
By exploring how to express states of mind through hand-made lines, intuitive shapes and vibrant colour combinations, we befriend the contents of our mind and discover how our relationship with these contents can evolve towards wisdom.
Throughout the weekend we will be creating a rich sketchbook which, once we are back home, will serve as a vivid reminder of how to work - and play - with our emotional life.
Step into a weekend of creativity, reflection, and mindful discovery—your inner artist awaits!
Please note that there is a limited number of participants.
For this event, you can stay for up to 3 extra days. To take your time, contemplate and enjoy the Lerab Ling environment. This option is included in the registration process.
> REGISTRATION
Please register 36 hours before the event at the latest
> PRACTICAL INFO
START Saturday 2 August – 10am END Sunday 3 August – 5pm
CHECK-IN AND PICK-UP BADGES / KEYS Friday 1 August: 2pm to 6pm Saturday 2 August: 9am to 9.45am For arrivals after 6pm on Friday, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CONTRIBUTION to the event - €127 (Does not include accommodation and meals) Financial support is available for those who require assistance with the standard contribution.
David Rycroft brings over 20 years of experience as an artist and meditation teacher. His work celebrates the vitality and balance of the natural world and human spirit. Holding an MA in Buddhist Studies, David is also co-founder of Mind With Heart, an international charity supporting emotional health in schools.
PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE
Saturday 10.00 - Introduction, meditation 10.30 - Exploring the toolbox: some preliminary exercises 11:30 - Painting: exploring the expressive power of colour 12.30 - Lunch break 14h30 - Abstract art and emotions 15h00 - Expressive compositions 16h45 - Sharing and meditation
Sunday 09h30 - Meditation 10.00 - Exploration: what is art/sacred art for me? 12h30 - Lunch break 14h00 - Meditation 15h00 - Painting the landscape of the spirit 16h45 - Sharing and conclusion
> FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Our commitment is for everyone who wishes to come to Lerab Ling, to have access to our programmes, whatever their financial circumstances. We offer different options for those who are unable to pay the standard contribution.
You can book your meals and/or onsite accommodation when registering for the retreat/event. For more information on our accommodation and meals click here
During this weekend, we will explore the symbolic and spiritual dimensions of birth.
We have already, during our last event, discussed the prenatal world and tried to describe its landscapes and atmosphere. However, it is not necessary to have participated in it to follow this event.
Discovering buddhism, sharing lunch with the community and visiting one of the most beautiful Buddhist Temples in Europe
Come and discover a wisdom that is beneficial to everyday life, that of the teachings of Buddha and meditation. This day is an invitation to take a break and get in touch with yourself.
Discover meditation and Buddhism as a family, have lunch together and visit one of the most beautiful Buddhist temples in Europe.
Join us to explore new ways of communicating consciously and with kindness as a family, and discover the beneficial wisdom of the Buddha's teachings and meditation practice in the preserved and natural site of Lerab Ling.
Set in a natural environment conducive to inner peace, this programme gives us the opportunity to experience meditation in depth, supported by physical practices in the open air.
What a day looks like:
Meditation in the morning: Each morning, we immerse ourselves in meditation practices and instructions, rooted in authentic Buddhist teachings. We gradually move through the stages from ‘calm-abiding’ (Shamata) to ‘clear-seeingt’ meditation (Vipashyana). This journey allows us to explore the foundations and subtleties of meditation.
Active and balanced afternoons: The afternoons are devoted to outdoor activities, including Qi Gong and hiking. These practices invite us to integrate meditation into movement, cultivating presence and harmony in every gesture.
You will have the opportunity to experience first-hand the benefits of meditation, as it is transmitted at its source in Tibetan Buddhism. It can unleash our natural confidence, compassion and creativity.
This day, open to all, is an introduction to meditation and is held in the magnificent setting of Lerab Ling. The basics and fundamentals of meditation will be presented in a comprehensive and accessible way.
Offer your loved ones a unique and revitalising experience in an exceptional natural environment. You can choose between two ways of offering a stay at Lerab Ling to someone of your choice: a gift card or a "bon cadeau".
1. GIFT CARDS – CONTRIBUTE TO A STAY AT LERAB LING!
The gift card you offer will contribute to the event the person chooses (retreat, course, meditation break, etc.). They can use it at the end of the registration process.
This option allows them to choose the event they want from our programme. They will be able to choose the event, the dates and the accommodation.
Please note - The gift card is valid for 1 year, and can be used for our entire programme except for courses, discovery days, heritage days, or a temple visit.
2. BONS CADEAUX – OFFER A COMPLETE EXPERIENCE!
Only for meditation breaks, the "bon cadeau" allows you to offer a complete gift.
Please note - The “bon cadeau” packages are for 2 nights and 3 days on site, but it is entirely possible to have a longer stay. For this, please contact us by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The serenity getaway weekend at Lerab Ling is a rejuvenating break, with no constraints, in a unique spiritual environment. You'll be immersed in unspoilt nature, surrounded by forests, meadows and hills. Naomi, your hostess, will tell you the amazing story of Lerab Ling, show you around the temple - one of the most beautiful in Europe, an authentic masterpiece of Tibetan sacred art - guide you in meditation and take you for walks in the surrounding area.
THE PLACE
Lerab Ling is one of Europe's leading centres for the study and practice of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Under the patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lerab Ling is a living monastery, home to a community of monastic and lay members. The temple is also home to unique Tibetan art, including a 7-metre-high statue of the Buddha.
Lerab Ling is ideally situated in the heart of the Haut-Languedoc Regional Natural Park, close to the Grands Causses Regional Natural Park. Since its creation in 1991, the Lerab Ling community has been taking care of the flora and fauna, making Lerab Ling a unique place where nature is preserved over 140 hectares.
MEALS AND ACCOMMODATION
On the evening of your arrival, you will share a meal with Naomi. Other meals are taken in the dining room, which is shared with the community. The cuisine is simple, mainly vegetarian, with a vegan and gluten-free option. Whenever possible, produce is sourced from Lerab Ling's own vegetable garden or from local producers. Most are organic and in season.
As far as accommodation is concerned, we offer two types of accommodation close to the temple. The choice is yours. Bed linen and towels are provided.
The studios, with their spacious rooms and views of the temple, lake and valley, include a private bathroom, and a kitchenette.
The forest roomsare located in three small 3-storey wooden towers. The rooms are comfortable, and a bathroom may be shared with another room.
> REGISTRATION
Please register 36 hours before the event at the latest
> PRACTICAL INFO
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES Arrival on the 1st day, between 2 pm and 7 pm (check-in and pick-up badges and keys) Departure at your convenience the afternoon of the last day
CONTRIBUTION all inclusive (excluding tourist tax)
For one person Forest room: €204 Studio: €270
For 2 people Forest room: €290 Studio: €370
For 3 or 4 people, contributions depend on the accommodation chosen.
LANGUAGES French, English, German
NAOMI, YOUR HOSTESS
Naomi will be your hostess throughout the weekend and will be happy to make your stay at Lerab Ling as enjoyable as possible. She will adapt to your needs and answer any questions you may have.
Naomi is a writer, long-time meditator and Rigpa teacher. She trained extensively with Sogyal Rinpoche, author of the spiritual classic 'The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying'. Naomi grew up in Innsbruck, Austria. She studied physics and mathematics and obtained her doctorate from Northeastern University in Boston, USA. In 1997, she moved to Lerab Ling and has been working ever since, translating and relaying ancient Buddhist wisdom to the Western world. She is passionate about transmitting the teachings on incorporating the activities of daily life onto one's own spiritual path, called 'Practical Wisdom’.
PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
Friday
14:00 - 19:00 - Arrival, pick-up of keys, settling into your accommodation
20:00 - Dinner with your hostess, in a small group
Saturday
07:30 - 09:00 Breakfast
10:00 - 11:30 Visiting the temple and learning about meditation
11:30 - 13:00 Lunch
Afternoon at leisure
From 17:30 - Dinner
Sunday
07:30 - 09:00 Breakfast
10:00 - 11:30 Walk in the forest, accompanied by your hostess
11:30 - 13:00 - Lunch
Afternoon at leisure
Departure at your convenience
4 GOOD REASONS TO SPEND A SERENE GETAWAY AT LERAB LING
Come and immerse yourself for a day in this thousand-year-old culture that is still alive.
Activities in and around the temple are open to everyone, whether you're on your own, with friends or with your family.
They are an invitation to discover and experience, with your senses and your mind, the richness of this heritage which is deeply spiritual in all aspects of everyday life.
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Lerab Ling, under the patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is one of the main centres preserving the authentic study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Founded in 1991...
No prior experiencewith art or meditation is needed—everyone has the potential for creative expression and for wisdom. The only thing that counts is our willingness to explore.
For this event, you can stay for up to 3 extra days. To take your time, contemplate and enjoy the Lerab Ling environment. This option is included in the registration process.
David Rycroft brings over 20 years of experience as an artist and meditation teacher. His work celebrates the vitality and balance of the natural world and human spirit. Holding an MA in Buddhist Studies, David is also co-founder of Mind With Heart, an international charity supporting emotional health in schools.
Naomi will be your hostess throughout the weekend and will be happy to make your stay at Lerab Ling as enjoyable as possible. She will adapt to your needs and answer any questions you may have.
