The perfect retreat getaway
Set in an idyllic retreat venue in tranquil surroundings facing the ocean. Between meditations you can enjoy walking by the sea and on the coastal path, sitting in the garden by the stream or even enjoying the wood fired hot tub.
The power of silence
Normally we are constantly distracted by external objects, busy activities and scattered thoughts. Observing silence is a powerful method to disengage us from busyness and to deepen our contemplation and concentration. The retreat will include silent periods and participants are asked to switch off their phones for the duration of the retreat.
The retreat
Daily life can be stressful. Take time to rest, reflect and find balance through engaging in a retreat in the stunning and peaceful environment of Portsoy.
During this weekend retreat, Gen Kelsang Tubchen will guide the powerful meditations on giving love and taking away suffering which enable us to remove negativity from the world and give back love and kindness. In the process we destroy the root of our own suffering and problems, purify our mental and physical suffering and increase our strength of mind.
Through meditating on love and compassion we open our heart to others and quickly purify our minds. The meditations will be guided step by step enabling you to get a feeling for their power.
By the end of the retreat you will have deepened your familiarity with the practice of taking and giving and have an understanding of how to use these meditations in your daily life to benefit both yourself and others.
This practice is especially helpful in situations where we may otherwise feel powerless to directly help ourself, our loved ones or our society.
More info:
- The course is available to join in person only.
- Each session includes guided meditation and short teachings
- The retreat includes some silent periods in the mornings
- The retreat is run by volunteers and participants are expected to join as part of the retreat experience in with small jobs to help the retreat run smoothly.
- The food is vegetarian vegan and gluten free options available for all meals. We can provide ingredient lists for all meals but are unable to cater for special diets beyond gluten free which must be requested in advance, please contact for more info.
- 1hr 20mins from Aberdeen and Inverness
- All income goes to running the centre which is a registered charity.
Accommodation at the Sail loft in Portsoy – all rooms have sea views!
Please note – single rooms are extremely limited, we encourage people to share rooms, all of which are of a very high and comfortable standard. Sharing with other participants can enhance the retreat experience.
If your chosen accommodation is not available please email us at info@meditateinaberdeen.org to ask to be placed on a waiting list or there is accommodation available locally.
The accommodation is simple but of high standard. Solid individual wooden beds, with high quality comfortable mattresses and fresh bed linen. Some rooms are ensuite, others have nearby facilities. The dorms have very comfortable bunkbeds in them with individual lights and which are high enough to sit comfortably in bed. Camping is behind the Sail loft, by the garden and burn. Campervans can park in the carpark in front of the sail loft. 24hr access to indoor showers & toilets provided. There is a common living room with an open fire, a dining room, and outdoor garden.
For those thinking of organising accommodation away from the retreat centre there is a caravan park next door, as well as nearby hotels and holiday accommodation.
Single room £250
Twin room: £165 per person
Three bed room: £145 per person
Dorm (4 or 6 beds in bunks): £115 per person
Camping / camper van: £110 per person
Offsite: £95 including meals or £60 without meals
Accommodation includes: 2 nights, all meals & refreshments and 10 sessions of retreat. All income goes to running the centre which is a registered charity.
Cancellations up to 4 weeks prior to the course will receive a full refund minus a 10% admin fee, Cancellations up to 1 week before receive 50% refund. No refund for cancellations made in the week prior to the retreat.
If you are sharing a room with someone you do not know you will be asked to take a lateral flow test prior to arrival.
If you wish to share with a specific person you should book all the places and send an email to let us know who is sharing. Please also let us know if you wish to book a twin room for mixed genders – this is possible if we have a full twin room available.
Schedule:
The meditation sessions will take place in The Salmon Bothy, which is a short walk along the beach from the sail loft. For those with mobility problems you can drive and park easily at both venues.
It will be possible to return to the sail loft between sessions or to stay in the course room which also has tea and coffee facilities and toilets.
Each session will include essential teachings and a guided meditations. The mornings will include some silent periods between sessions.
There are breaks between sessions and in the afternoon to take walks in the beautiful surroundings.
FRIDAY
Arrival from 4:30pm, dinner at 6pm
Introduction to the Retreat: 7:30 – 8:30pm
SATURDAY
9 – 9:30am – Session 1 – Morning Meditation
10:00 – 11:00am – Session 2
12 – 1pm – Session 3
4:30- 5:30pm – Session 4
7:30- 8:30pm – Session 5
SUNDAY
9 – 9:30am – Session 1 – Morning Meditation
10:00 – 11:00am – Session 2
12 – 1pm – Session 3
3:30 – 4:30pm Q&A and Feedback
The Venue
The accommodation and meals will be at The Sail Loft Back Green, Portsoy, AB45 2AF
The meditation sessions are a short walk along the beach from The Sail Loft and will be held at The Salmon Bothy, Links Road, Portsoy, AB45 2SS
Getting There
1hr 20mins from Aberdeen (via Huntly is the best route)
1 hr 30mins from Inverness
Both Aberdeen and Inverness have airports and train stations and we can help organise onward travel or lift shares from there.
The nearest train station is Huntly

Gen Kelsang Tubchen is the Resident Teacher at KMC Aberdeen. An inspiring and gifted teacher who ordained as a Buddhist nun in 2003, she is loved for her warm heart, her caring attitude and her clear, powerful and practical teachings. She has over 20 years of experience of engaging in, teaching and guiding retreats.
"Lovely food, well organised, friendly atmosphere."
Ocean of Peace Retreat
"I like the way the retreat was structured and the information given to us step-by-step. I never felt overloaded. The instructions were clear. I liked the long breaks between sessions."
Ocean of Peace Retreat
"A wonderful opportunity. The location is wonderful & Gen Tubchen's teachings were delivered with expertise & gentle grace. A warm & welcoming group and a safe space to practice. Thankyou."
Ocean of Peace Retreat
"Amazing retreat in a beautiful location with lovely people. Inspiring teachings that were easy to follow but also gave you enough space to deepen your own practice."
Ocean of Peace Retreat
"Really enjoyed and benefitted from Gen Tubchen's teaching. Wonderful location, very calming. The food was plentiful and delicious. Huge thanks to the volunteers who made this such a successful retreat."
Ocean of Peace Retreat
"An excellent retreat in a perfect spot. Food was delicious and the people amazing! Can't wait til the next one!"
Ocean of Peace Retreat
"Thank you for a wonderful weekend with beautiful people and profound insights
"
Stable as a Mountain Retreat participant
"Thank you for a wonderful retreat. I enjoyed very much. A few brief glimpses of my very subtle mind, but most of the time just gently seeking, and abiding in peace at the heart, which has been truly lovely. A great way to start the year."
Calm mind, Calm New year retreat
"Just to say thank you again, the teachings were very clear, and I felt blessed and really able to focus."
Calm mind, Calm New year retreat
"Just wanted to say how meaningful the meditations were this weekend. I felt amazingly peaceful and it has given me a real boost and reinvigorated my practice."
Calm Mind Retreat participant
"I enjoyed Gen Tubchen’s teachings on Decluttering the Mind. It was especially powerful for me being able to attend in person with others in the meditation room for the first time after a whole year of practising online at home."
Member
"Thank you for the class tonight, a pleasure and inspiration as always 💖"
Foundation Program Student
"Thank you for a wonderful empowerment and retreat. May this kindness be the cause of the precious Kadam Dharma to be made available to all in the north of Scotland and bring peace and happiness to all."
Avalokiteshvara Tantric Empowerment weekend
"It has been such a joy to participate, and very helpful for my practice – once again thanks."
Tranquil abiding Retreat
"Just wanted to thank you for these precious retreat days. I enjoyed every minute."
retreat participant
"Very grateful for the work you are doing! It's certainly made a huge positive difference to my lockdown experience
"
subscriber
"The retreats are incredible! Crystal clear teachings and meditations given with empathy and heartfelt engagement. The most profound topics explained in such a way that I want to say thanks, thanks, thanks for all!"
Retreater
"Thank you so much for the retreat. It has opened up previously closed doors and came at a great time of year."
Retreat participant
"Although it was online I still felt as if I was in the class. It was so peaceful and considering the latest lockdown I feel in a very positive state of mind which I think helps everyone I come into contact with."
course participant
"Thank you so much for the 3 Yogas Retreat which I'm still going through fairly slowly. It is great to have access online to such deep guided meditations."
Retreat participant
"Thankyou for a beautiful and meaningful retreat, I feel a wondeful sense of peace and understanding, also a new sense of determination to continue and deepen my Dharma studies."Retreat participant
"Thank you for a truly wonderful Retreat. As always, so beautifully taught. The meditation tonight was perfect, it all came together so well. I cannot wait for our next retreat!"
Member
"Firstly let me say just how much I enjoyed doing the retreat. Everything was done with such depth and precision. Very many thanks for putting it together so amazingly."
Retreat participant
"I have had the good fortune to be able to listen to Buddha's teachings on Emptiness during the last 4 weeks with Gen Tubchen culminating in the retreat "Abiding in the Peace of Wisdom". These very profound teachings were given in such a way that for the first time in 5 years of studying dharma I am starting to understand a little bit more this subject on Emptiness. The live classes and recording on-line was a huge success and everyone who put together this event should be very proud. I look forward to joining more classes on-line in the future."
Ian C Tomlinson
"Thank you for the teachings and opening up an authentic way of life. ❤️🙏"
Monthly member
"So wonderful to have this opportunity to deepen our wisdom and practice through these online classes. So grateful for having the opportunity to access these wonderful scientific methods to transform our lives!"
On-going Member
"Love being reminded that our natural state of mind is peaceful and calm and it’s just delusions getting in the way & polluting our inner experience.🌤 How we can learn how to abide with peaceful states of mind and possess the secret of happiness!"
subscriber
"Have to share that I really love the online access. I can practice at times when the world is absolutely silent such as the very early hours or late in the evenings. I am extremely grateful for a wonderful teacher and the method of teaching. Thank you 🙏"
Subscriber
"There is a heart full of peace and gratefulness to have had the grace to experience these very deep, systematic and clearly expressed teachings from Gen Tubchen! A longed for change in my closest relationships happened. I can never repay all this grace and love. Thanks helping me to pursue the path in the right direction!"
Tranquil Abiding Retreat
"Thank you so much! I was so looking forward to the retreat as I loved the teachings leading up to it. I learnt so much and improved my meditation technique over the weekend. 🙏"
Special Event - Concentration Course & Retreat
"Even if you are a newcomer to the idea of retreat, as I was, Gen Tubchen's guidance is rock solid. I was hugely inspired by her to do the best I could. It was a very uplifting experience and has helped me to deepen my ability to concentrate since the retreat."
Special Event - Retreat
"Thankyou for a wonderful retreat experience. Really benefitted from the step by step guidance. Felt very connected to everyone even though we were separate and just felt “right.” Questions I had were answered and any doubts soon left me. Felt encouraged, very peaceful and totally reassured throughout.
Can’t wait till next one. Thankyou so much. 🙏💜💕"Tranquil Abiding Retreat
"I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the work you put in to providing us with such a fantastic retreat. I learnt so much that I know will really help me with my meditation and I feel very inspired to continue to work on my concentration now that I have received such clear instructions on how to do it. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to join this retreat and can't thank you enough for all your wonderful teachings and guided meditations. I hope I will have the opportunity to join you again for your next retreat."
Special Event - Tranquil Abiding Retreat
"Thank you sincerely for the weekend online retreat which was interesting and insightful."
Special event - Tranquil abiding retreat
"I have just finished my last session from the weekend retreat. What an immense journey. Thank you Gen Tubchen for your teachings and guidance. 😊🙏"
Special event - Retreat
"What an insightful and encouraging retreat! It really helped me let go of old conceptions around how to meditate and incorporate much more qualified ways of going about it. Very enjoyable. 💞
Even though we were not physically in the same place, a special retreat environment arose in the heart. Thank you everyone for making this retreat possible."
Special Event - Retreat
"Thank you Gen Tubchen for providing us with a wonderful Retreat. This was all very new to me and I enjoyed the whole experience from actually not engaging in any of the usual rubbish like listening to news, cooking, shopping, driving etc to the most peaceful meditations. Your guidance was simply beautiful. Thanks again ❤️🙏"
Concentration Retreat on the Root Mind
"Just finished the last session of the retreat. It was wonderful & I managed to make it work around my busy, noisy house & family. I felt very held through the meditations, even though it wasn't live, just incredible really. Thankyou 🙏🧡"
Retreat on Tranquil Abiding
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KMC ABERDEEN
77-79 King St,
Aberdeen, AB24 5AB
07483 914 371
info@meditateinaberdeen.org
Registered Charity – SC037146