Shared Values, Kindful Speech

Saturday 24th January 2026, 10.00am - 5.00pm UK time, in person and online

We are very happy to welcome Venerable Canda Theri to lead this one day retreat for Oxford Insight Meditation. Venerable Canda says "As the New Year begins, many of us feel called to realign with our values, reconnect with others and consider how we want to show up in the world. This retreat offers a gentle framework to support that process. Drawing on early-Buddhist principles of harmony, we will explore how "kindful" speech, ethical integrity and shared understanding help soften resentment and deepen meaningful connections that support our meditation practice and wellbeing. Teachings will highlight themes such as skilful feedback and the inner attitudes that enable relationships and communities to flourish.

Open to all, the day will include Dhamma reflections, guided meditations and opportunities for discussion both with Venerable Canda and in small breakout groups. Join us to begin the year with a more steady and generous heart. The day will include periods of sitting and walking meditation, meditation instructions and dharma teachings."

The retreat is suitable for beginners and for those who have some prior experience of meditation practice. We ask that you commit to staying for the full day.

Venerable Canda Theri encountered the Dhamma in 1996 in India and meditated and served on scores of vipassana retreats, before ordaining in Myanmar in 2006. In 2014 she received the full bhikkhuni ordination with Ajahn Brahm in Australia, making her the first English bhikkhuni in the Theravada tradition.

For the last nine years, she and Ajahn Brahm have been developing the UK charity Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project, to establish a monastery where, for the first time in UK history, women can train as full members of the monastic Sangha. In March 2024, a property was secured in the tranquil forested hamlet of Boars' Hill, just five miles from Oxford. People of every gender identity, race, sexual orientation and background are welcome to visit or stay as residential guests, to deepen their practice within a loving community.

In addition to running the charity and monastery, Ven Canda teaches extensively and spends 3-4 months a year on silent retreat. Her teachings are richly informed by the compassion and pragmatism of the Early Buddhist texts and her meditation instructions emphasise kindness and letting go as means to deepening samadhi and the liberating insight that ensues. Read more about the monastery and events (led by Ven Canda and other senior monastics) at www.anukampaproject.org

Listen to talks by Venerable Canda Theri on YouTube here

Dana: Venerable Canda Theri offers her teaching in the spirit of generosity. We invite you to make a 'dana' donation to the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project of which Venerable Canda Theri is the spiritual director. This is a time of financial uncertainty for many of us, our invitation is to reflect on the value of the teachings and the service to our community that Venerable Canda Theri so generously offers, whilst also bearing in mind your own financial situation when considering what you can offer.

Please note we are unable to process donations for our teachers through Eventbrite.

Booking fee: The fee for online participation is £5/£3/£0 (freely given) and for in person participation £15/£5/£0 (freely given). The fee covers general running costs of the online and in person retreats, including Zoom costs, Eventbrite fees, hall hire and teachers’ travel + accommodation expenses. Our teachers receive no payment from the booking fee, instead you will be invited to offer a donation to the teacher in the ancient tradition of dana.

We invite you to pay the full rate if you are reasonably able to do so, as this supports the continuation of our retreats. We also offer lower rate tickets to those who are unemployed, full-time students, on a low income, or are otherwise finding it difficult to meet the full cost. To ensure that these days are accessible to everyone. we also offer freely given tickets for which there is no fee.

Cancellation and refunds: Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel your place on a retreat – otherwise, someone else may be turned away unnecessarily. Please contact oxfordinsightmeditation@gmail.com to let us know that you can't be there. We offer refunds up to 24 hours before the retreat. Please see instructions for how to claim a refund here.

For those participating online:

Zoom link: This will be emailed to those who have registered, shortly after registration. It will be emailed again one week before the retreat, 24hrs before the retreat and 1 hour before the retreat begins. Please check your junk mail if you have not received these emails.

For those participating in person:

Please arrive for registration between 9.15 and 9.45am.

Venue: St Margarets Institute, 30 Polstead Rd, Oxford OX2 6TN

The hall is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible toilet. There are two disabled parking bays directly outside the venue. Please contact us if you need any support on the day to enable you to attend.

See here for a map of the location and for public transport travel information. Please allow plenty of time to travel so that you can arrive at the hall between 9.15 and 9.45 for registration.

Parking: there is no street parking in the area without a permit, except for two disabled parking bays, which are immediately outside the venue. We have made an arrangement for use of the car park at Makespace, a short walk from the venue. Makespace is at 1 Aristotle Lane, Oxford OX2 6TP. There will be space for 4 cars. Please note: the Makespace car park can only be accessed via Frenchay Road and Hayfield Road, and not via Polstead Road. If you park at Makespace, we ask that you make a donation equivalent to the cost of parking for a day in Oxford, which we will pass on to Makespace.

What to bring: The hall is heated, but uncarpeted, and some windows will be open for ventilation, so please bring warm clothing and blankets, and a mat or rug, plus meditation stool or cushions if you wish to sit on the floor. We will ask you to remove your outdoor shoes when in the hall, so you may also wish to bring slippers or warm socks. There are chairs available, you may wish to bring a cushion or two for padding.

Lunch: will be held in silence. We invite you to bring your own vegan or vegetarian packed lunch. A selection of teas, herbal drinks and plant milk will be provided. There is also a fridge where you can store your lunch.

All are welcome: We are committed to creating an inclusive retreat space. We welcome people irrespective of religious or political beliefs, ethnicity, class, sexuality, gender, age, ability and culture.

Contact: Please get in touch if you have any questions or need to cancel, or change your booking at oxfordinsightmeditation@gmail.com