The Breath of the Path Retreat
Next session: From late December to early January 2027
This retreat is available ON-SITE or ON ZOOM, and is guided in English with alternating French translation.
Presentation of the retreat
In the restless currents of saṃsāra, the bodhisattva becomes a refuge—not only for herself, but for all who are nourished by her steadiness and care. Across spiritual traditions, the breath has long been experienced as a bridge between body and mind, inner and outer worlds. By attuning to this quiet stream of life, we are invited to ground ourselves and meet the turbulence around us with calm and clarity.
This 10 days retreat offers a still and supportive space to engage deeply with the Buddha’s foundational teaching on breath meditation.
The Ānāpānasati Sutta, preserved in both the Pāli and Tibetan canons, presents a path of sixteen contemplations that begins with simple awareness of the breath and gradually opens into serenity, insight, and inner liberation. This practice gently integrates samatha (calm abiding) and vipassanā (clear seeing), cultivating a mind that is both tranquil and wakeful.
Over the course of the retreat, we will explore the four progressive foundations outlined in the text:
Body – calming the breath, sensing the whole body, and grounding attention in the present
Feeling – recognizing the felt tone of experience and nurturing joy and ease
Mind – becoming intimate with the mind’s movements and cultivating mental stillness
Dhammas – observing impermanence, releasing clinging, and opening to inner freedom
Each day includes guided sitting and walking meditation, silent practice periods, evening teachings on the sixteen steps, and opportunities for one-on-one interviews with the teacher. Noble silence will support the unfolding of a quiet, contemplative atmosphere.
This retreat is open to both new and seasoned practitioners. Whether you are taking your first steps or returning again to the breath, this practice offers a steady and compassionate guide—welcoming each moment with presence, and gradually revealing the natural ease and clarity of the awakened heart.
The teacher
Venerable Losang Gendun has spent nearly four decades in Buddhist practice, living as a fully ordained Bhikshu in the Tibetan tradition for the past twenty years. His training spans ten years of monastic study across France, India, Nepal, and Myanmar, and more than four years in solitary retreat in both Tibetan and Burmese Theravāda traditions. For the past eighteen years he has taught Buddhist philosophy, psychology, and meditation worldwide within the FPMT, serving the vision of H.H. the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In 2023 he founded The Buddha Project, offering long-term guidance for serious meditators and fostering dialogue between Buddhist traditions, contemplative science, and the arts. Its core program is the four-year FPMT In-Depth Meditation Training.
Conditions
- ON SITE : participate in the entire retreat while remaining within the confines of the Institute’s premises
- ONLINE: Avoid leaving your place of retreat as much as possible.
- FOR EVERYONE: remain silent, participate in all sessions.
For this ON-SITE retreat, accommodation and meals must be taken at the Institute.
In addition to registering, all retirement applicants must complete a mandatory health questionnaire. Your registration will not be considered if you do not complete it.
The location
The retreat will be hosted by Institut Vajra Yogini, a Buddhist center located in a magnificent 19th century chateau in the French country-side near Toulouse.
