The Pian dei Ciliegi Association was founded in 1996 to manage a Buddhist-inspired Center and organize meditation retreats. Over time, its activities have become increasingly focused on the practice of Vipassana Satipatthana meditation, identifying more and more with the Theravada tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw. The Center now hosts Vipassana and Metta meditation retreats, including long and intensive retreats, but is also open to other initiatives within the framework of Buddhist teachings. The Center is located in Bulla di Monte Santo, Ponte dell’Olio (Piacenza), in a hilly area at the beginning of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, surrounded by oak and chestnut woods, in an environment extremely conducive to meditation practice.
The Center is open mainly during the retreat periods scheduled in the program. Access to the Center is reserved exclusively for people who wish to dedicate themselves to practice and must be arranged with the managers. Those attending the Center are required to follow the internal regulations and respect the dimension of silence – an extremely rare opportunity in modern society – or at least practice right speech.
Vipassana and Metta retreats are intensive and all time is dedicated to the practice of mindfulness, following the indicated schedule and observing noble silence.