Health and Disability
Some health and disability issues may affect your ability to take part in a retreat. The retreat may be unsuitable for you, or we may need to make special arrangements.
Please read the following questions. If the answer to any of them is yes then please write giving full details to the Admin Secretary. This is important and is so that we can make appropriate preparations and give you any necessary extra information about the retreat and the accommodation, meals, etc.
- Do you have any physical or mental disability which may make it difficult for you to cope with unfamiliar places or with the physical challenges of buildings?
- Do you have any illnesses of which we should be aware e.g. Epilepsy, or Diabetes for which you take medication?
- Some people who have mental health problems can find that an intensive retreat causes difficulties for them. If you have had specialist mental health treatment in the past please let us know so that one of our retreat leaders can contact you to discuss whether the retreat will be suitable. All personal information will be kept strictly confidential.
- The food provided is vegetarian, including milk and cheese. Are you vegan or do you have any other dietary needs or allergies?
Physical Exercise
During the retreat gentle Chi Kung, Yoga and Mindful Movement forms of exercise are offered between sitting sessions, with more vigorous warm-up exercise in the early morning. Retreatants are invited to be mindful of their own body, taking responsibility for any ailments, injuries or physical limitations during these exercise periods. Further guidelines are offered by the guest-master during the retreat.
Retreat Centre Details and Directions
Select the retreat centre where your retreat will be held, to read instructions, what to take, how to get there, and similar.
Meditation Equipment
We do not specify that you must use a specific posture such as cross-legged. We prefer you to find a posture that suits you so that you can sit in a stable manner and minimise disturbance to your meditation. The usual postures are some variation on cross-legged, kneeling, or sitting on a chair. For your use at the retreat we provide meditation mats ('zabuton') and a selection of round cushions ('zafu') and kneeling benches.
If you have a favourite cushion, kneeling bench, or chair that you know works for you and that you wish to bring with you to use for meditation then please feel free to do so.
Booking and Cancellation Terms
The terms of your booking, including cancellation terms, are available on the booking information page.
Confidentiality Policy
Our policy on confidentiality is summarized as follows:
"Private communications to a senior member of the WCF, such as a retreat leader, interviewer, mentor or the Teacher of the WCF are presumed to be confidential. If after reflection the recipient of the communication feels that silence will cause harm and greater good can be accomplished by revealing confidential information, then they must follow their conscience. Consultations with other senior members of the Fellowship are not a breach of confidentiality."
More detail is provided in the WCF confidentiality and disclosure policy which should be read in conjunction which this confidentiality statement.
Policy on Photography on Photography During and after Retreats
Photography is not permitted during retreats, neither in the retreat centre nor in the surrounding environment. The retreat process requires that such distractions are avoided. In addition it is discourteous to others.
At the end of the retreat there may be opportunity for a group photograph for those participants that agree to participate. There will also be opportunity for additional photography of the environment and of friends made during the retreat subject to the permission of those photographed. All photos taken after the retreat are subject to the privacy/confidentiality agreement of the retreat and should not be published on the web or elsewhere without express permission of those appearing in the photographs.
The Retreat Leader is expected to convey this policy to retreatants at the beginning of a retreat. The Guestmaster is responsible for ensuring compliance. If a retreatant ignores this policy, the retreatant will be asked to destroy all photos taken.
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The articles on this website have been submitted by various authors and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Western Chan Fellowship.
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