Hello there!
Forming Polish Early Buddhism Society is organising retreat with Ajahn Brahmali in Poland. Below you can find all needed information.
Retreat date: 15-18.06.2025
Teacher: Ajahn Brahmali
Retreat theme: Prison or freedom: the choice is yours
Retreat language: English
Venue: Oddechowo retreat centre, around 1 hour drive from Warsaw. Oddechowo is a very high standard meditation retreat centre.
Address:
Poland
Ośrodek Medytacyjno-Rozwojowy Oddechowo
Al. Prof. Nielubowicza 6
05-281 Borzymy
To register, please go to this Oddechowo website. All registration process is done through Oddechowo:
Below you can find more information about the event:
Rules on the retreat:
Noble silence: From the formal beginning of Noble Silence towards it’s formal ending, participants of the retreat should not talk with each other, including in their huts. You will be able to ask questions during Q&A sessions and to have personal interviews with Ajahn Brahmali. Besides that, all participants should take care of silence in every possible way. Phones should be either given to deposit for the time of the retreat, or used in flight mode only. Exceptions from these should be discussed with organisers. In practice this means that you should not say a word outside of Q&A and your personal interviews during the Noble Silence period.
Noble silence will start at around 5 PM of the first day, and will end somewhere close to the end of the retreat (it will be announced on retreat by Ajahn or organisers).
Remaining rules (8 Buddhist precepts, or 7 for people who want to eat supper):
- Do not harm/kill any sentient being
- Do not take what is not given
- Do not engage in sexual activity
- Do not speak in an unpleasant way, do not lie, speak only as much as necessary (even during Q&A sessions and personal interviews with Ajahn)
- Do not consume alcohol and drugs
- Do not use worldly entertainment (do not watch any videos, do not listen to music, do not read fiction or news, do not dance, etc.)
- Do not consume food after the zenith of the sun (this rule does not apply to people who take 7 precepts and will eat supper)
- Do not sleep on high, luxurious beds (normal beds will be provided)
Tobacco (both cigarettes and e-cigarettes) can only be consumed away from the meditation center.
Daily schedule:
All activities are voluntary. As long as you follow the above rules, you can practice in the way that suits you best. The following hours are only for things, that we do together. The way you schedule your meditation practice is up to each participant.
Schedule for first day (15.06.2025):
2 PM – We start arriving at Oddechowo
3.30 PM – Dinner for everyone
5 PM – Start of the retreat, introduction, Dhamma talk, taking precepts etc.
7.30 PM – Supper for people on 7 precepts
Schedule for regular days (16-17.06.2025):
7.00 AM – Breakfast
8.00 AM – Dhamma talk
10.00 AM – Personal interviews with Ajahn
11.00 AM – Lunch (Solar noon is at 12.35)
3.00 PM – Dhamma talk
4.00 PM – Personal interviews with Ajahn
5.30 PM – Tea (8 precepts), Supper (7 precepts)
7 PM – Q&A session
Schedule for the last day (18.06.2025):
7.00 AM – Breakfast
8.00 AM – Dhamma talk
10.00 AM – Personal interviews with Ajahn
11.00 AM – Lunch (Solar noon is at 12.35), pack your things etc.
12.30 AM – Closing session with Ajahn
13.30 AM – End of the retreat
1. When we arrive and depart:
We suggest arriving on 15th of June around 2 PM at the Oddechowo venue. Then shortly there will be lunch (3 PM) and generally time to rest until the gong signals the start of the retreat. Of course, people coming from very far away may arrive a bit later. Generally, you can arrive as early as you want, it would be great if everyone was settled in their rooms by 4 PM/5 PM. Then there will be an introductory talk, discussion of rules, etc., and then time to rest, and the whole retreat will begin normally. Noble Silence begins from the retreat introduction (5 PM of the first day). It will last until Ajahn Brahmali calls it off.
2. Transportation:
Those who are accepted will be sent an Excel sheet where you can enter where you’re coming from, whether you can take someone, whether you need a ride, etc., where you can arrange how to get there together by car. 
If someone can’t get a ride, they will need to get to the center on their own, eg by train from Warszawa Wileńska to Urle (pkp.pl)
For people coming from other countires: get to Warsaw either by train or plane, then get by train to Warszawa Wileńska station. From there take train to Urle. Oddechowo is like 5-10 minutes walk from the Urle station.
3. What to bring:
– Clothes for 4 days (or however long you’re coming) – comfortable for meditation, as much as possible not particularly exposing sexual aspects (i.e., preferably loose rather than tight-fitting, without deep necklines, etc.). – Also bring warmer clothes just in case.
– Basic personal hygiene items.
– Towels are available on site.
– Earplugs (in case of problems with falling asleep if you’re sharing a room with someone).
– Regarding meditation cushions and bolsters, there is a lot in Oddechowo, you don’t need to bring yours. But if someone wants to bring their own, they can.
What not to bring:
– Preferably don’t bring laptops, books, unnecessary electronic equipment, etc., any unnecessary things. Less is more.
– You don’t need to bring your own bedding.
– You can bring a phone and preferably turn it in for safekeeping or keep it in airplane mode throughout the retreat.
– Don’t bring psychoactive substances.
4. Payment and rooms:
The full cost of a 3-day stay with meals is:
– 1020 PLN* accommodation in a 1-person room
– 900 PLN* accommodation in a 2-person room
– 810 PLN* accommodation in a 3-person room
For people in difficult life and financial situations, the Borzymy Foundation covers part of the costs, which means that your fee for a 3-day stay is:
– 652 PLN* accommodation in a 1-person room
– 576 PLN* accommodation in a 2-person room
– 518 PLN* accommodation in a 3-person room
5. Food preparation:
All meals will be prepared and offered by the kitchen staff. The food will be vegan.
6. Registration:
Please fill the below application. Also you have to register at Oddechowo, contact below.
7. Contact: If you have any questions you can write to or call Oddechowo:
Email to Oddechowo: kontakt@oddechowo.pl
Phone number to Oddechowo: 25 675 49 95
Number for people from other countries +48 25 675 49 95
Or eventually write to us, PEBS email: PEBS.Rada@gmail.com
Please note that you don’t have to write to PEBS, only fill the below application that you can find on Oddechowo website:
Biography of Ajahn Brahmali: Ajahn Brahmali was born in Norway in 1964. He first became interested in Buddhism and meditation in his early 20s after a visit to Japan. Having completed degrees in engineering and finance, he began his monastic training as an anagarika (keeping the eight precepts) in England at Amaravati and Chithurst Buddhist Monastery.
After hearing teachings from Ajahn Brahm he decided to travel to Australia to train at Bodhinyana Monastery. Ajahn Brahmali has lived at Bodhinyana Monastery since 1994, and was ordained as a Bhikkhu, with Ajahn Brahm as his preceptor, in 1996. In 2015 he will be entered his 20th Rains Retreat as a fully ordained monastic and received the title Maha Thera (Great Elder).
Ajahn Brahmali’s knowledge of the Pali language and of the Suttas is excellent. Bhikkhu Bodhi who translated most of the Pali Canon into English for Wisdom Publications called him one of his major helpers for the recent translation of the “Numerical Discourse of the Buddha”. He has also published two essays on Dependent Origination and a book called “The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts” with the Buddhist Publication Society in collaboration with Bhante Sujato.
The monastics of the Buddhist Society of WA (BSWA) often turn to him to clarify Vinaya (monastic discipline) or Sutta questions. They also greatly appreciate his Sutta and Pali classes. Furthermore he has been instrumental in most of the building and maintenance projects at Bodhinyana Monastery and at the emerging Hermit Hill property in Serpentine.
Apart from the regular talks at Dhammaloka Centre in Perth Ajahn Brahmali and Ajahn Sujato have also lead two ongoing courses on Early Buddhism and Kamma and Rebirth in 2014 and 2015.
Ajahn Brahmali’s clear and thoughtful talks make the teachings of the Buddha easily accessible to all. As his teachings and Sutta Retreats in Australia were getting more and more popular over the years and as the word about him spread, he started to travel to Singapore, Indonesia and Sri Lanka recently to share his knowledge and experience.
Thank you for reading and please feel free to apply to this retreat! 
With metta 
