Please refer to the following frequently asked questions under each of the sub-heading.
Also, read https://bswa.org/our-locations/bswa-retreats-jhana-grove-2/ for more information about our retreats.
BSWA Memberships
I am not a BSWA member. Can I join retreats?
You will be able to join weekend retreat as that is open to all, including non-members.
For 9-day retreat, it is open to BSWA Full members only when it is first open for booking. (Equivalent status is given to members of Buddhist Fellowship Singapore, Buddhist Gem Fellowship Kuala Lumpur, Mahindarama Pali School Penang, Terengganu Buddhist Association, Ehipassiko Foundation and Bodhinyana International Foundation (BIF) of Hong Kong).
When the booking is full, waitlist will open and all, including non-members are welcome to join.
Where can I find information on retreat and booking dates?
Please check out our booking page: https://bswa.org/our-locations/about-jhana-grove/booking-retreat/
How do I book a retreat in Jhana Grove?
You can make a booking online when it is open. Please note that some countries may not allow PayPal payment to Not-For-Profit organisations overseas. Do use the test payment link on the booking page (by making an actual donation of $9, non-refundable) before the actual booking to see if it works for you. If it doesn’t work, you will need to find a friend from another country who can make the booking for you.
How long will the retreat be opened for booking?
Retreat will remain open till it is full. Due to the popularity of our retreats, including weekend retreats, they may become full within 2-3 minutes. Note the membership requirement as provided in Q1.
How much do I have to pay for retreats?
During retreat booking, we ask for a room bond of $120 for a weekend retreat and $280 for a 9-day retreat. At the end of the retreat, you can request for your room bond to be refunded or you can donate to Jhana Grove to help out with the running cost. We are a Not-For-Profit organisation and depend on the kind and generous donations of those who come for retreats as well as the general public. Should you ask for a refund after attending the retreat, please note that we will deduct admin fee and cleaning fee from the room bond.
What is the eligibility to join weekend retreat?
You should have attended an introduction to meditation or its equivalent. We ask that you have at least some experiences of meditation before you join our retreat.
If you are based in Perth, our Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre offers an Introduction to Meditation class every month, starting from the first Saturday of the month and for the next 3 Saturdays, total of 4 lessons each time, taught by an experienced lay teacher from BSWA. This is offered free for the benefit of all.
Weekend retreats are open to all, include non-members.
What is the eligibility to join 9-day retreats?
You should have done at least two weekend retreats in Jhana Grove. Otherwise if you are an experienced meditator and meditate regularly, you are welcome to join the 9-day retreat.
Only BSWA Full Members or its related organisations will be eligible when the booking is open. All others including non-members will be welcome to join the waitlist when it opens. Additionally, for Ajahn Brahm 9-Day Retreat, you can only attend ONE Ajahn Brahm BSWA 9-Day Retreat each year!*Related organisations include members of Buddhist Fellowship Singapore, Buddhist Gem Fellowship Kuala Lumpur, Mahindarama Pali School Penang, Terengganu Buddhist Association, Ehipassiko Foundation and Bodhinyana International Foundation (BIF) of Hong Kong.
What is the eligibility to do self-retreats?
You should have done at least two weekend retreats in Jhana Grove. Otherwise if you are an experienced meditator and meditate regularly, you are welcome to join the 9-day retreat.
Membership is not required for joining self retreats.
Is there a minimum age to join retreats in Jhana Grove?
Yes, you must be 18 years old or above to join our retreats.
How do I book self retreats?
Please email Christina Yew at caretakers@bswa.org if you want to do self retreat.
It costs BSWA about $30 per person per day for the upkeep of Jhana Grove, and we greatly appreciate your donations to cover these costs and further improve the facility. Please make any such donation before commencing your self retreat and email donation receipt to caretakers@bswa.org.
Does the room bond include accommodation and food?
Yes, the room bond covers accommodation and food.
Do you live stream retreats? How do I join online?
Yes, we live stream all our retreat talks. You can find the link on the BSWA Youtube Channel within a week from the start of the retreat. There is no booking needed for joining live streaming online.
Will I get a full refund for retreat cancellation?
You will get a full refund (less admin fee) if you notify us about your cancellation more than 7 days from the start of the retreat.
I can’t make it for this retreat. Can I transfer it to my friend who is currently on waitlist?
Sorry no. The retreat booking is not transferable..
I can’t make it for this retreat. Can I keep my booking and room bond for the next retreat?
Sorry no. The retreat booking is not transferable. You may ask for a refund (less admin fee) and make a new booking when you are ready to join our retreat again.
How do I add myself on waitlist for a retreat?
On our booking page http://jhanagrove.akmin.com/, you can see a list of retreats and their respective retreat opening dates. Once a retreat is fully booked, a waitlist will automatically open. You can put your name on the waitlist when that happens. No payment is needed for waitlist. You will be contacted ONLY if there is a cancellation and if you are next on the waitlist.
The waitlist may be close and then open again closer to the retreat date. Information will be made available on the booking page.
I have submitted a refund request but haven’t received the refund. Who do I contact?
For refunds request that have been submitted, please email refunds@bswa.org if you have not received your refund. Kindly note that Jhana Grove is operated and run by volunteers who may have full time or part time jobs and family to attend to, so we ask for your patience if your refund is taking a long time to process.
I have been offered a spot while on waitlist. How do I make payment?
Allocated priority MAY be given to Seniors (=> 60 years old) and first timers to Ajahn Brahm retreat.
About Retreats in Jhana Grove
Can you tell me about the cottages and other facilities in Jhana Grove?
There are 10 cottages in Jhana Grove and each cottage has 6 rooms, each with their own ensuite.
There is also a Dining Hall with a kitchen, Meditation Hall.
Additionally, we also have a teacher’s cottage as well as a nuns cottage for our sangha while on retreat. You can watch a Youtube video to understand more about Jhana Grove and our facilities: https://youtu.be/KeZdpyoCiW0
Do I have to share my room with other retreatants?
There is no sharing of room and each retreatant will have their own room.
Are all your retreats on silence?
Yes, our retreatants are required to observe Noble Silence while attending retreats in Jhana Grove, both Weekend Retreats and 9-Day Retreats. However, if they have questions during the retreat, you can ask the Retreat Manager but discretely, without disturbing other retreatants.
I have food allergies. Can I bring my own food to the retreat?
Yes you can. We have fridge and freezer if you need to store your food. There is also a mini fridge in each cottage. Please email bookings@bswa.org if you have dietary requirements so we will not cater for your meals.
I have a physical disability but would like to attend the retreat. Is that possible?
We have accommodated people with physical disability who want to attend our retreat. To further understand if our facilities can cater to your disability, please email caretakers@bswa.org prior to making a booking. We may invite you to check out our facilities to make sure it can work for you.
I understand that we have to observe 8 precepts while on retreat. What are the 8 precepts?
The Eight Precepts are:
To refrain from intentionally taking the life of any living creature.
To refrain from taking what is not given.
To refrain from any sexual activity: no physical contact or intimacy with the opposite sex.
To refrain from dishonest speech.
To refrain from using alcohol or non-medicinal drugs. (Smoking is banned in the monastery/Jhana Grove retreat centre).
To refrain from eating after noon. (Non-milk drinks, juice, sweets, sugar & honey are allowable).
To refrain from dancing, singing, playing music, and wearing cosmetics, perfume, and jewellery.
To refrain from using luxurious beds and seats.
Due to flight availability, I may have to arrive a day before the retreat or leave a day later. Can I stay in Jhana Grove?
Yes, you can stay in Jhana Grove, before or after the retreat if needed. Please email Christina at bookings-assist@bswa.org to check if rooms are available for those dates. It costs the Buddhist Society of WA about $30 per person per day for the upkeep of Jhana Grove, and we greatly appreciate your donations to cover these costs.
I am planning to do self retreats in Jhana Grove. Where can I get food while on self retreats?
You are encouraged to bring your own food during the self-retreat. Alternatively, you can walk to Bodhinyana Monastery where people will bring food to the monks on a daily basis.
I would like to attend the 9-day retreat but cannot come for the full 9 days. Can I just come for a few days?
We would prefer that you join the full 9 days for the retreat. If you cannot come the full 9 days, it may be better to let others who can join the whole time, come for the retreat instead.
I will be visiting the monastery but would like to attend the retreat talks in Jhana Grove. Can I attend?
Only retreatants who are attending the retreat are allowed to go for the talks. We do extend our invitation to guest, anagarikas, monks and nuns who may be staying in Bodhinyana Monastery to attend the talks.
I may have to leave earlier while on retreat. Is that possible?
You should stay throughout the whole retreat and early check out is not preferred. If this is a special request.
I have made a retreat booking but did not receive a retreat confirmation. Is my booking confirmed?
You must receive a booking confirmation for your booking to be successful. The confirmation email may be in your junk folder or sent to the email address of the PayPal account used to make the payment. If still unsure, please email bookings@bswa.org for a copy of the booking confirmation.
There is a problem with the booking system. By the time I finish completing the form, it says that the retreat is full. What should I do?
It is possible that the retreat is already full at the time that you were still trying to make a booking. There is no problem with our booking tool, but it’s just that the retreat could be full within a few minutes. You will have to either put yourself on waitlist or book for the next retreat.
I can’t seem to make the room bond payment from my country of residence. How do I book for a retreat?
Paypal in some countries such as Singapore, may not have Remittance Licence for payments to Not-For-Profit organisations overseas. Hence to make a retreat booking, you may need to ask a friend outside Singapore or who hold a non-Singapore registered PayPal account, to make the booking on your behalf.
How do I get a schedule for the retreat?
Please refer to our website for a sample retreat schedule.
I plan to attend the retreat with my partner. Can we stay in the same cottage?
Sorry, we do not take request for room allocation unless for medical reasons or that they are carers for the elderly. You and your partner will be allocated rooms but may not be in the same cottage.
I was just looking at your weekend retreat schedules. Is it correct that there are no evening meals on weekend retreats?
That’s correct. We observe 8 precepts while on retreats and hence there is no evening meals. If for medical reasons you need to have an evening meal, please email bookings@bswa.org before start of the retreat.
How do I make a donation to Jhana Grove?
There is a donation box in Jhana Grove Dining Hall if you want to put cash. Alternatively, you can use the donation stations in Jhana Grove at the reception area if you have credit/debit cards. Otherwise you are welcome to make a donation online here: https://bswa.org/our-locations/jhana-grove-donations/
Where can I find recordings of past retreats?
Retreats recordings can be found on the BSWA website by searching under ‘Teachings’ and typing ‘retreat’ as the keyword and the respective teacher’s name.
