Mindfulness practice invites us to come into relationship with ourselves just as we are, with compassion and patience. It gives us the tools to regulate our body and mind so that we can feel more calm and at ease, and strengthens our capacity to face the challenges of life.
Being mindful allows for a clearer understanding of how thoughts and emotions impact our health and quality of life. Often our attention follows restrictive and repetitive patterns, which cause us to focus more on the past or future than what is happening right now.
Mindfulness is an orientation to life through feeling-awareness of our natural state, moment by moment. It is developed through simple meditation practices that involve stilling the restless mind, relaxing the body, and softening into the feeling of being. Mindfulness invites us to deepen self-awareness and liberate our attention to be more fully and joyfully in the present moment. The process of mindful awareness makes use of the inherent ability of our mind and body to re-balance and sustain well-being and discover positive new insights and responses to the challenges of life.
The application of mindfulness-based interventions is supported by a growing empirical evidence base that is validating their benefits.
This silent retreat will consist of group sessions along with free time for retreatants to move with their own rhythm. Daily sessions include instruction in the practice of mindfulness, sitting and walking mindfulness meditations, and an inquiry period.
This retreat is suitable for people who are new to the practice as well as those with previous experience of mindfulness.
START AND FINISH TIME: We start at 6pm on Sunday 5th January and finish at 12pm (after lunch) on Sunday 12th January
Please respect the process of this group retreat by arranging to begin and complete together.
FEES: $840 registrations are now open
The registration fee covers food and accommodation for the retreat. Please see our FAQ page for our cancellation policy.
The facilitator’s fee is not set and consists entirely of your Dana. There is now Eftpos at Te Moata so Dana payments can be made the end of retreats or made online.
Dana (meaning generosity) invites each individual to develop their own capacity to be generous according to their means. We invite you to also contribute Dana for Te Moata’s ongoing costs. Dana contributions can be given at the end of the retreat.
Accommodation
Rooms are mainly curtained cubicles with shared bathrooms. A limited number of single rooms/cabins/cottages are available at a surcharge – please see our FAQ page for surcharges and explanation how this works. Those booking early and paying in full will be in the queue for an accommodation upgrade. Bedding can be hired for $25.00 but is reserved for those flying to the retreat as we only have solar powered washing machines!
Meals
The kitchen team will provide delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals. Please indicate on the registration form if you have any food allergies or special dietary needs. Please ring us to discuss your allergies/intolerances if your needs are complex. There is a $10 per day surcharge to cater for special diets.
*Please note: Single Accommodation, Bedding, and Special Diet Surcharges are payable directly to Te Moata so please pay online once your requests have been confirmed with you, ( we will contact you prior to the retreat starting).
For more information or to secure your spot, simply email us at retreat@temoata.org, and our team will respond to you promptly.
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR: Stephen Archer
Stephen Archer is a mindfulness educator, presenter, principle of Mindfulness Trainingand lead trainer, and supervisor for Mindfulness Works for Organisations, the largest network of Mindfulness Facilitators in Australia and New Zealand. He is passionate about helping people to learn mindfulness and discover its benefit.
Stephen is an engaging speaker and trainer providing practical and original perspectives on practicing mindfulness in the digital age.
He has been involved with mindfulness for over 35 years and began practicing while he was finishing a degree in Eastern studies in the UK. At the age of 23, Stephen was formally trained in mindfulness as an ordained Buddhist monk in the Thai forest tradition.
His training included working closely with different teachers and completing a number of long solitary retreats to strengthen his practice. Thirteen years later he emerged from the monk-hood with the intention to offer his skills and learnings to the general public.
During the last 20 years, Stephen has run workplace mindfulness trainings for organisations including Westpac, Kiwibank, and Air New Zealand, delivered courses in healthcare and prisons, and assisted the Mental Health Foundation of NZ to develop their approach to mindfulness.
He has worked at the Leadership Development Centre in Wellington running year-long mindful leadership programs and is also a trustee of Te Moata where he has led over forty public 7-day residential mindfulness intensives since 1996.