Retreats

If you are interested in retreat, email Mana for further info.

Mindfulness weekend retreat 7 pm Friday Nov 11 to 2.30 pm sunday nov 13

This is a chance to take your practice deeper with a supportive group. We will be working with both calming and insight practice, also sound, form, colour meditations and drawing to help our insight work deepen and connect. There will be times for quiet individual work, and plenty of time for interaction, question, sharing.

We will start with a Green Tara puja on friday evening, all are welcome to come to the puja whether doing the retreat or not.

This is a non-residential retreat. There are spaces for a few people to stay if you are coming out of town, have mobility issues, or have a busy household. Please attend to the home life before the retreat, and plan not to answer phone messages, emails etc for the weekend. Clear a quiet, supportive space for yourself. The time moving into and out of retreat is good to take care of also - plan a relatively quiet afternoon and evening on sunday if you can.

The retreat will be of benefit to meditators at all levels. The retreat is open to all, no previous experience necessary. However, if you are planning to do the retreat you will make much better progress with some meditation preparation. It is recommended that if you are new to meditation you come to the wednesday evening course if you can.

Anyone wishing to do a longer retreat starting on the weekend and continuing for a few days or a week please discuss with Mana.

When: 7.30 Friday Nov 11 - 2.30 Sunday Nov 13. Option to do a longer retreat.
Where: 45a Harvey St, Mosman Park
Bring: Wear loose comfortable clothing. Notebook. Drawing materials - paper (large - A3 or A2 size) and coloured pencils or pastels etc. Your favourite meditation cushion if you have one. Also plate(s) to share for meals - we will coordinate this before the retreat.
Cost: suggested donation $100-250 (about dana)
Info & registration: email or ph Mana on 9284 4882

Green Tara puja 7.30 friday Nov 11

Green Tara - the Divine Mother Green Tara practice is designed to provide stability for meditation practice and the life. Many find it also helps work with difficulty, fear and illness.

All are welcome, whether you are staying for the retreat or not. Please let Mana know if you are coming.

It is traditional to bring something of value, something useful, and something beautiful as an offering.

Feedback on previous retreats

'Thanks for a great retreat day on Sunday. Peace' Mala

'The retreat was a coming together of like-minded people - moving down the Dharma path with a teacher who moves with us, takes us along and extends us when needed.
A great way to explore the teachings of the Buddha, learn to integrate them into our particular lives, and feel the energy of group meditation.
Sometimes joyful, sometimes confronting, but always a feeling of travelling the Path to coming home to that which is already there waiting to be discovered.' Sherrell

'I found the retreat to be a lovely and supportive space to deepen my meditation practice. I particularly enjoyed the sound meditations and the way sitting meditations were broken up with walking meditation and Tai Chi practice. My mind seemed to settle down after the first half day and an amazing stillness settled in, and I found myself inclining more and more towards that stillness and the peace and the joy that accompanies it.
It was wonderful to have friends on the path – the energy generated by people who willingly and with great joy want to look at their own mind states and understand them is a special experience.' Beth

'I realize now that participating in the Weekend retreat was a major step for me. Practicing meditation during an entire weekend helped me realize that this can be a natural, daily activity. As a result of the weekend, I have set up some space in my house, which is inviting for meditation. And I come to meditation more easily now.
I particularly liked experiencing various forms of meditation: sitting, walking, watching the light on leaves, watching the light through a crystal. This is encouraging me to bring more awareness and a calm mind into my daily activities, by stopping to watch the light, or walk mindfully.
As we were sharing with each other, I could appreciate your delicate guidance, which is encouraging me to explore some questions arising from deep within. I also value the sense of interconnectedness gained from sharing these moments with the friends on the path.
For all this, Thank you Mana.' Nathalie

'A truly huge thankyou for the weekend. Love' Deb

more feedback on retreats

Mandalas

Many of our retreats and courses use artwork, discussion etc to extend and integrate our mindfulness explorations. Mandala practice is a wonderful method for integrating and balancing different aspects of our lives, for developing our intuition, and understanding the deeper currents in our lives. Most people find mandala work both enjoyable and enriching - even those who swear they cannot draw usually get a pleasant surprise!

Mandalas made by Fred, Julie, Romy and Cynthia