Chris Greenwood sought refuge from football fever among the peaceful residents at a spiritual centre near York.

PAIRS of benign half-closed eyes gazed down on me from golden faces on the ornate walls as I breathed deeply and tried to concentrate on as little as possible. Buddhist minds might be clear but their rooms are amply furnished and the early evening chanting session was an opportunity to immerse in the mysterious Far Eastern culture, golden statues, colourful wall hangings, luxurious offerings and all.

As residents at the rural retreat that is the Madhyamaka Buddhist Centre led the indecipherable but calming chant, described as a wish-fulfilling jewel puja on my itinerary, I meditated on what on earth had brought me here in the first place.

The chance to try something different, a glimpse through a window into a different world of values, a break from World Cup fever - it didn't really matter, so I sat back and savoured the taste of an authentic tradition, performed with gusto.

What did it all mean? In a typically modest way, attendees had already been told that we were unlikely to find out over two days, maybe even two lifetimes, but perhaps we could take away small seeds of calm and insight to sow at home.

But by now I had learnt one thing for sure as bells rang out and wooden blocks were knocked together - this was not a normal way to spend a Saturday evening.

Tucked away in the hills behind Pocklington, the Buddhist centre is housed in an airy former stately home and exists to offer a retreat from the whirlwind rush of everyday life and an opportunity for relaxation and meditation.

Apart from the eight hours of eyes-closed meditation I try to take every night, the art of being still and emptying your mind is a new experience. To be honest, two minutes sitting still with no distracting influences is a bit of a struggle.

Go on, try it for yourself... those seconds just pile up when there's no television to watch, no radio or music to listen to, no conversation to engage in or food to prepare, plans to make or children to control.

So when I called the softly-spoken Welsh organiser Adrian Jones to book a place on a weekend retreat for my girlfriend and me, it was a surprise to find that there were no vacancies for months.

Clearly a lot of other people had decided to find time in their busy modern lives for inner peace. Unfortunately I had to look forward to two days of calm in four months time. But, as I was soon to learn, this was no cause to be bitter.

The Madhyamaka Centre community came to the then derelict Kilnwick Percy Hall in 1986 and has set about converting the Georgian mansion and its outbuildings into a comfortable base to practise the Kadampa Buddhist tradition.

The building, which is open to the public all year round, is set in 40 acres of parkland and wood and hidden at the end of a narrow track, beside two lakes.

The retreat attracted people of all ages and from all walks of life. There was a publisher from London, a sixth-form student from Leeds, a globe-trotting senior manager for the Royal Shakespeare Company and even a retired woman from West Yorkshire who organises Ann Summers parties.

Buddhism is not big on self-denial and the vegetarian food is fantastic, freshly-prepared and plentiful. The group mealtimes are an integral part of the experience and offer a chance to chat and chew over the lessons and meditation sessions which are spread over the slow-paced weekend.

With simple and comfortable accommodation, even the hardened cynic couldn't disagree that the centre offers a low-cost and straight-forward rest from the outside world.

The theme of this retreat was the true nature of love but this was no romantic weekend in Paris.

We were given short lessons which led into a discussion group and questions. The lessons were a bit over most people's heads, with the more cynical among us muttering at the back.

I later found out that other courses look at patience, the power of meditation and specialist areas of the teaching tradition.

Adrian led the lessons from his raised platform at the front and as the weekend wore on more people gained confidence and graduated from the chairs at the back to the more traditional floor cushions.

A number of meditation sessions of varying lengths in the main teaching room interspersed the lessons, meals and other activities.

And a bracing four-mile walk on Saturday afternoon was well received and gave everybody an opportunity to get some fresh air and have a good gossip.

Overall, the slow pace of the weekend, combined with the peaceful messages in the lessons, soon made my impatience at the four-month wait seem embarrassing and I kept quiet about my intolerance.

Although I found the mediation sessions and lessons a struggle, I was able to take away ideas for my own life. And I find the "take it or leave it" attitude of many of the weekend's events very appealing.

For a relaxing weekend that is fantastic value, only a short drive from York, the Madhyamaka centre offers a golden opportunity to take a step back from everyday life and glance at a colourful bigger picture.

The Madhyamaka Centre is about one mile outside of Pocklington on the B1246 Driffield/Bridlington road. Weekend retreats and courses cost £80 including accommodation and meals for a single room, and £72 each for a twin room.

For information on retreats, weekly classes, events at the centre or meditation classes in towns and cities around Yorkshire, call 01759 304832, email info@madhyamaka.org or view the website at www.madhyamaka.org

Updated: 09:14 Saturday, June 22, 2002