Information and FAQ

In order to register, it is necessary to send the request for admission to the association by following the online procedure through the Pian dei Ciliegi website. This is not necessary if you already are a member of Pian dei Ciliegi.

If you are not yet a member, you can carry out these preliminary operations now, even if registration is not yet open. In this way, booking for retreats will be faster.

These are the steps to follow:

1. Register on the website (if you are not already registered)

2. Log in with your username and password

3. In the users area under ” request for association ” you will find the form to fill out and send. All this requires only a few minutes of patience. It is not necessary to wait for the confirmation email to book a retreat.

4. Once you have selected the retreat you intend to participate in, fill in the registration form in all the required fields, you will receive a confirmation email with payment instructions and a link to complete the questionnaire.

5. Complete all fields of the questionnaire carefully providing the requested information within 15 days of registration.

6. Pay the retreat participation fee within 30 days of registration, following the instructions you will receive via email.

PLEASE NOTE:

– to participate in an entire retreat which is divided into two parts you must register individually for both periods. But you only need to fill out the questionnaire once.

– If you encounter difficulties with your registration you can write to info@piandeiciliegi.it.

Registration for online retreats is possible after registering on the website and logging in, and it is necessary to be a Pian dei Ciliegi member. You can ask for membership from the User Area.

For weekend online retreats, the fee is €20, while for longer retreats the fee will be specifically indicated. The recommended fee for the retreat is €5 per day, plus a €5 (also recommended) fixed administration fee. These amounts can be paid within 5 days from the booking via bank transfer. After completing the payment, you will receive an email with some information and a questionnaire. Once you have submitted the questionnaire, you will receive the login credentials for the Zoom room.

IMPORTANT: Since these are special retreats that fit into everyday life, participants are NOT required to participate in all the meditations of the day. This will be done only when possible, without forcing anyone.

RETREAT CANCELLATION: Each retreat has a minimum number of participants, varying from 6 to 8 depending on the teacher. Below this number, the retreat may be canceled. The teacher will notify you of any cancellations due to insufficient enrollment by the Friday before the retreat is scheduled to begin.

If you find you cannot attend the retreat, please notify us in advance so that someone else can take your place.

The teachings are offered free of charge, and teachers perform their work without compensation. However, at the end of the retreat, as is tradition, participants are invited to make a donation (using the bank details provided by the instructor) as a form of recognition for the value of the teachings.

For any additional information you didn’t found on this page or in the email, please contact the instructor for the retreat. Their email address is included in the same email you receive upon confirmation of payment. For retreats led by foreign teachers, the contact person will be the person indicated from time to time in the retreat program published on the website.

The center usually provides 25 places for retreats with a single teacher and 30 places for other retreats, divided into single and double rooms.

Single rooms are reserved for people who really need them, or for people who – for some reasons – can disturb others during the night, and will be given until they are available. There is no supplement for a single room. In order to facilitate the registration procedures, to request it, write an email to info@piandeiciliegi.it with the subject “SINGLE-ROOM- SURNAME-TEACHER-MONTH” and specify the reason for the request. The secretariat will check availability and confirm it after your registration.

There are waiting lists to include people who haven’t found a place to replacing members who have cancelled their booking. In order to facilitate the secretarial procedures, if you want to be placed on the waiting list it is necessary to send an email with the subject “waitinglist-retreat_teacher_month” to info@piandeiciliegi.it.
If a place becomes available, the secretariat will contact the first name via email, giving a time limit within which to respond to accept, after which the list will be scrolled.

If you communicate within 30 days of registration that you do not want or are unable to participate, the Secretariat will refund 95% of the sum paid.
If the cancellation occurs at least 30 days before the start of the retreat, 80% of the sum paid will be refunded.
If the cancellation occurs between 30 days and 48 hours before the start of the retreat, 50% will be refunded.
If the cancellation occurs within 48 hours before the start of the retreat, no refund will be provided. There is the possibility of presenting serious reasons that prevent your participation in the retreat, the evaluation of which is at the discretion of the Manager and the Secretariat.

Cancellation of a retreat: The Center reserves the right to cancel the retreat if a sufficient number of registrations are not reached. In this case the entire sum already paid will be refunded.

A meditation retreat certainly offers great benefits, as it encourages the development of moment-to-moment awareness during the days of practice. However, this training requires sustained practice and a certain psychological stability. Therefore, if you have recently experienced a traumatic event, have been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, or are experiencing severe depression or anxiety, this may not be the best time to attend a retreat. An intensive meditation retreat requires psychological balance and resilience; therefore, we encourage you to keep these aspects in mind before signing up for a retreat. If you are being followed by a mental health professional it is advisable to discuss this with him/her. You can also contact us at info@piandeiciliegi.it and get in touch with the meditation teacher, to ensure that the conditions of the retreat are suitable for you at this moment in your life.

• Comfortable clothes
• Changes of clothing to cover at least 10 days of stay
• Sheets or sleeping bag, and pillowcase (the center provides them for 5€)
• Towel
• Personal cleaning items
• Personal medicines
• Meditation cushion or bench (the center can provide meditation cushions if you don’t have your own). Individual mattresses are provided in the room.
• House slippers
• Notebook and pen
• Umbrella for rainy seasons
• Digital or otherwise silent clock (optional)
• Ear-plugs for the night (optional)
• Mosquito repellent for the summer (optional)
• Flashlight for moving outside in the early morning or evening. (optional)

*for long retreats it is possible to use the centre’s washing machine with a contribution of 5 euros per wash

Yes, it is certainly possible. Good motivation and willingness to follow the instructions given by the teacher during the Dhamma talks and during private conversations, with confidence and commitment, help.
We advise you, while waiting for the retreat, to practice some guided meditations that you can find on our YouTube channel, or in the audio files on our website under “guided meditations”.

Read How does the interview with the teacher take place?.

This is an example of the daily schedule. Depending on the teachers this program may vary; the alarm clock could be at 4am instead of 5am (very rarely), the day could end at 9pm instead of 10pm, and even the times of meals, Dhamma talks and evening meditations could undergo changes.

We advise practitioners to follow the program as much as possible, for an easier development of awareness and concentration, but of course everyone will be free to manage their own practice – within certain limits – in order to feel at ease.

Dana means Generosity, it is a mental quality that can be cultivated in our life.
Dhamma teachers do not receive a salary, they offer the teachings to those who wish to receive them without asking a price. Likewise, you need to keep in mind that the translators volunteer to help run the retreat, and that the daily fee you pay to attend the retreat only covers energy, food, secretarial, and travel expenses for the teachers. The numerous other tasks and expenses facing the center are supported by donations.

At the end of the retreat it is a good habit – taking into account personal financial resources – to recognize the value of these teachings by leaving an offering to the teacher, to the translator when present, and if possible to the centre. Usually these offerings are anonymous, putting cash into an envelope. It’s not possible to give Dana for teachers and translators via bank transfer to Pian dei Ciliegi bank account, since the association cannot pay money to private individuals without a valid reason. However, the Dana for the center can be donated via bank transfer.

For a detailed explanation by Dana read here.

They are training rules that help us to keep our mind in a wholesome and mindful state, allowing a safe environment for us and for the others. They also help us avoid regret in the future. At the beginning of the retreat meditators take the commitment to keep these precepts.

1. I refrain from killing or harming other living beings. (Including insects and mosquitoes)
2. I refrain from taking anything that is not freely given to me. (I do not steal, I do not borrow things without asking)
3. I refrain from any sexual activity. (Also avoiding any type of flirtation with fellow practitioners)
4. I refrain from an incorrect word. (Lying, insulting, slandering, etc.). In retreat, one maintains noble silence.
5. I refrain from taking substances that cloud the mind, such as drugs or alcohol.
6. I refrain from eating solid food after lunch. (Optional)
7. I refrain from entertainment such as music, drama, dance, and from beautifying the body with cosmetics or accessories.
8. I refrain from using high and luxurious beds or chairs.

Noble Silence is observed during the retreat. This means maintaining silence, whether through speech or other forms of communication, to continuously develop introspection and mindfulness without encouraging the thinking mind. Participants will have conversations with the teacher to discuss their practice and receive instructions throughout the retreat. Of course, you can talk with staff members and the retreat manager with for any issues.

Meals are vegetarian. Vegan meals can be requested.
Breakfast consists of oat porridge, muesli, cornflakes, biscuits, yogurt, bread, butter, vegetable butter, jams, peanut butter, vegetable and cow’s milk, fruit.
For lunch, various courses are prepared: a first course, a second course with proteins, cooked vegetables, raw vegetables, bread, fruit.
We remember that on retreat you should put aside personal diets that are not related to real health problems and your own food preferences. The relationship with food becomes part of our practice of awareness, accepting and being satisfied with what is made available.

Traditionally during the retreat the eight precepts are taken, the sixth of which requires not eating anything solid after lunch. In the afternoon, fruit juices and hot tea are offered.
Those who do not feel ready for this can have a light snack in the afternoon, a decision that can be made day by day during the retreat itself.

If you have allergies, proven intolerances, or health problems related to certain foods, you can report it on the retreat registration form. Remember that on retreat you should put aside personal diets not related to real health problems and your own food preferences or tastes. The kitchen will try to accommodate different needs, when possible.

If you have many special requests and want to avoid many types of food, keep in mind that it will not be possible to cook an entire menu just for you. In this case you have to be satisfied with something simple (such as white rice or some boiled vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, etc.) that you can complete with the food that you can eat at the buffet. Those who report food problems must go to the kitchen during the first morning of the retreat (usually around 10) to make arrangements with the cook.
If you have gluten intolerance you can bring your own bread, biscuits or cereals for breakfast. Rice gallets are always available in the kitchen.

No one is forced to stay against their will. If the retreat becomes too much for you, you may decide to leave.
Before making this choice, however, it is best to talk about it with the teacher; moments of difficulty are completely natural in a retreat and, by receiving the right encouragement, the right instructions and continuing with the practice, these difficulties can disappear, making us stronger and able to conclude the retreat with satisfaction. The first few days of a retreat are usually very different from the last ones.
If you decide to leave anyway, please inform the retreat manager so that he/she is aware of your absence.

We recommend comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.

We ask you to avoid clothing that shows off your body too much, especially on retreats led by monks or nuns, by avoiding low-cut T-shirts or tank tops, very short shorts (shorts that reach below the knee are fine for both sexes), and possibly even leggings. In this way, we help our fellow practitioners by not drawing attention to our bodies, and thus respect the 7th precept that helps us disidentify from the body and relate to it in a more neutral and detached way.

A volunteer meditator who makes himself available to other participants to handle any practical needs that may arise during the retreat (providing blankets, medicines, printing tickets, etc.) or facilitate communication between meditators and the teacher or staff. He or she is also responsible for ensuring that the retreat is conducted in compliance with the center’s rules.
Members wishing to contribute in this way may offer to act as retreat managers, provided they have already participated in a minimum of three retreats here at Pian dei Ciliegi. In the fall of each year, a plan is sent with the following year’s program, in which the candidate can indicate their availability for specific periods and, if possible, will be included in one or more of these periods. In this case the retreat it will be free for the volunteer. It is required good knowledge of Italian (and English for the retreats with a foreign teacher).

Pian dei Ciliegi currently has very limited space to host guests who wish to spend time at the center volunteering, so this is a fairly rare occurrence. During retreats, there are usually only meditators and staff members. However, during certain periods, we can host one volunteer at a time. In this case, we ask the person to follow the center’s rules and the 5 precepts, and to work two to three hours a day in exchange for room and food. The volunteer can meditate in the hall with the group and listen the evening lessons.
We will primarily consider meditators we already know, or people willing to help and do any needed work (cleaning, gardening, etc.) and with a strong interest in Buddhist practice. For information, please write to info@piandeiciliegi.it

Unfortunately it is not possible to bring your pets. The reasons are hygiene problems, possible allergic people who might stay in the same room after you, and the fact that we do not have a physical place to dedicate to housing animals. You will also be engaged in an intensive meditation practice throughout the day, a situation in which distractions should be reduced as much as possible. Your animal would find itself closed in a strange environment for a long time, and would also likely be a nuisance for other meditators in retreat.