Connecting through silence, solitude, stillness: cultivating the heart of freedom

This nine-day retreat provides a rare opportunity to explore different aspects of the Buddha’s teachings on freedom, through both individual meditation and relational practice. Grounded in Noble Silence and nestled in the natural beauty of the Te Moata environment, we will learn how to relate more skilfully to ourselves, each other, and the world around us through a blend of individual and relational meditation practice and time for deep rest.

We will explore the four establishments of mindfulness and the four brahmavihara heart qualities of kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity, as supports for releasing the different obstacles that often show up along the path to freedom. As we learn how to overcome these obstacles, we’re able to live with greater ease, happiness, and peace, and to connect with the wisdom and compassion that are our true nature.

The retreat will include daily instruction in insight meditation each morning. Each afternoon, there will be an optional 2 hour session of relational practice. This involves meditating together in pairs or small groups practising mindful speaking and listening, using the six guidelines of Insight Dialogue to support deep inquiry into the dharma, the Buddha's teachings.

For more information about the practice of Insight Dialogue, please see here

Experience level: This retreat is best suited to people who have done at least one previous insight meditation two-day retreat or longer, but prior Insight Dialogue experience is not required.

Teachers: Jill Shepherd and Elizabeth Faria (relational practice)

Time and dates: 4:30 pm Friday 20 August - 1:00 pm Sunday 29 August 2021

More info and to register: here