A New Way of Seeing
Bank Holiday Weekend of Teachings with Dominique Side
Hundreds of thousands of people in the West now practise meditation — but is our practice really helping us when life gets difficult and we need it the most?
This weekend retreat explores the real-world challenges we face when trying to live a spiritual life, especially through the lens of Buddhism — a tradition that often contrasts sharply with our own cultural habits and assumptions.
Misunderstandings, unconscious biases and cultural conditioning can all get in the way of genuine insight and growth and prevent us from going deeper.
For meditational practices to bring real benefit it’s vital for each of us to make personal sense of ideas like wisdom, karma, rebirth, freedom and emotional transformation.
With Dominique’s fresh approach to the topic, you can expect a weekend that will be dynamic and interactive, with opportunities for personal reflection, group dialogue and questions & answers. By questioning what the Buddha taught — and our own ways of thinking — the aspiration is to uncover fresh clarity and confidence in our spiritual path.
What people say about A New Way of Seeing
“A refreshing and stimulating approach to the Dharma. I really appreciate Dominique’s clear and direct style of teaching, and her knowledge and experience of the subject really shows.” — Jon
Location
The retreat will be held in the Dzogchen Beara Temple. With expansive views across the bay, the temple is a modern example of a traditional Tibetan monastery, a form of architecture designed to be an inspiring symbol of the Buddha’s teachings for our times.
Meals
Vegetarian lunches and light evening meals are provided. The cost is included in your fee.
Accommodation
Limited accommodation is available on-site and can be viewed and booked as you register. Early booking advised!
You can also choose to stay in local accommodation. There is whole range of options available.
Dominique Side
Dominique Side encountered Tibetan Buddhism in the mid-seventies in London. She has studied with Sogyal Rinpoche and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in particular, and over the years held a number of leadership roles in Rigpa UK and in Lerab Ling, France.
She was authorized as a Senior Teacher in 2022. She has completed several strict retreats and also obtained a Ph.D. in Madhyamaka philosophy from Bristol University, UK. She taught Buddhism in London schools for eight years and has written textbooks on the subject.
Under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche she initiated the Milinda training programme for Dharma teachers in 2017 and she also served as vice-president of the European Buddhist Union for five years.
Her passion is making Buddhist thought and philosophy accessible to all. She writes a regular blog on Substack called ‘The Softer Gaze’ and manages the Windows into Buddhism website giving free access to resources for those who teach children. She is the author of Discovering Buddhism and A New Way of Seeing.