Events

Theme, about deep rest: “As we fall more in touch with our direct experience we may be surprised by many things: how busy the mind is, how rich our innate capacities already are, how simple and important to meet what we have avoided, how sweet to touch aliveness beyond ideas”. Jaya Ashmore

Noon’s meditation practice began formally in 2004 joining a Tibetan center in Toulouse, & practicing the Vajrayana intensely for a few years. Though he had been connected to the teachings of Ajahn Chah for many years before 2004, by reading a book by Ajahn Sumedho over & over again, & contemplating the content!. He returned to Ajahn Chah’s teachings in 2008 by moving to Amaravati Monastery to be the gardener there.
Noon participated in a two year course at "London Focussing Institut",” Eugene Gendlin's Way”, from 2020 to 2022.
He is transgendered.....Noon Baldwin is an ex circus artist & street performer who retired from the circus in 2004 to dedicate his life to spiritual practice, living in dhamma centers (France & South Africa) & Amaravati monastery (UK).
He co-created Ekuthuleni,a meditation center in the foothills of the French Pyrenees. The emphasis is on meditation & ecological awareness. Noon's main influence is the buddhist tradition of Ajahn Chah , with an interest in all spiritualities, (following retreats & courses with Jaya Ashmore from Open Dharma since 2008).


About the retreat: To allow ourselves to explore open awareness & its fruits, Deep rest meditation offers us the opportunity to go beyond grasping at ideals of how meditation should be to dive deeper into how things are…in part, we can choose to sit, lie down or stand, taking out a strenuousness that just adds stress. Through being less focussed on attaining something or trying to be a perfect meditator, letting go of control whilst being awake to the moment, meditation can come bubbling up through our bones, through our body. Noon will guide many embodying meditations, offer reflections, & one to one meetings with all participants. He will also offer daily instructions & guidance for walking meditation.

The retreat will be a predomintantly silent retreat and is open to people with little or no experience to meditation as well as to those with more experience.


Arrival and departure: You are welcome to arrive at the Quinta from 4pm to settle in on Saturday the 8th March. We ask that you vacate the house by 10am on Friday 14th. (There is a BnB at the Quinta, where you can stay extra nights before or after the retreat at a discounted price if you would like. Please contact Andrew B for more info.)

Flights: There are direct flights to Funchal, Madeira from most parts of Europe. Please use this link to see which airline(s) would suit you best.

Accommodation: Is either in single rooms, or shared rooms of two people. All rooms have an en suite bathroom. We also have a dorm for 4 people with a shared bathroom.

Food: We will be offering mainly vegetarian meals, with as much organic and regional/Quinta produce as possible, and are happy to cater for any food allergies or dietary requirements.

Cost:
Noon will be offering his teachings on Dana. Dana is an ancient spiritual practice in Buddhism and other circles ...dana is the practice of offering from the heart: the teacher offers guidance during a retreat and the retreatants offer to the teacher ( or/ and retreat center) at the end of the retreat in gratitude for what they have received.  The difference from the usual way is that each person is invited to offer the amount that " feels right for them", thereby opening into the possibility of feeling one's own generosity and creating a unique way to support the retreat and the teacher , far from commercial market values... this enables people of higher income to offer more and those on the breadline to offer within their means ..... and we can be surprised by discovering aspects of ourselves we didn't know about in this practice! Please bring cash for this.

For your accommodation, food, and teacher´s travel costs –
We have tried to keep all the costs as low as possible.

If you would really like to come and these prices are too high for you please get in touch we don´t people to be turned away because of financial instability.

What to bring: Hopefully there won´t be any mosquitos at this time of year but just in case bring some repellent, a blanket or sleeping bag to keep you warm if you lie down. We will provide cushions and mats.

Tourist tax

Please note: there will also be a tourist tax of €2/night/person for the first 6 nights. Please bring this in cash to be paid on the day of arrival. Thank you

To confirm your place: Please transfer a deposit of €190 to EAQSL, LDA. This amount is subtracted the total amount due. IBAN no: PT50 0007 0000 0030 8650 1212 3

Please email Andrew Blandy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., to let us know you’ve made a payment.

Remaining payments: Your payment for food and accommodation can be paid in advance or on arrival.

Cancellation policy: If you decide to cancel which would be a real shame as we would love to have you with us, the following will apply; up to one month a full refund and then cancellation within the final month that deposit becomes non refundable.

If for some reason we have to cancel the retreat then you will be entitled to a full refund.

Further information: With the receipt of your deposit we will send out final information regarding how to get here, what to bring etc.

We’re really looking forward to welcoming you to the Quinta.