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5 Day Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Retreat with Yoga in Wanaka, New Zealand
The Camp, Haast Pass-Makarora Road, Lake Hawea, Makarora, New Zealand
Meditation Retreat in New Zealand
Join Susan Allen in this epic setting on the shores of Lake Hawea. The dramatic mountain lake background is the spacious backdrop for this immersive meditation learning experience.
Meet the instructors
Susan
Read more
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Highlights
- 4 meditation classes per day
- Daily yoga lesson
- Meditation discussions and Q&A sessions
- Tranquil surroundings
- 4 nights accommodation
- Drinks
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
5 days with instruction
Group size: Maximum of 25 participants
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
17:00
Check-out Time:
18:00
The retreat is located at the Lake Hawea campground which is called The Camp. The Camp has a huge range of options - accommodation for all budgets, from very basic to very flash. There is a range of accommodations onsite. If you want more choices than are available here do get in touch and they can send you further options - from more basic, to very flash. The Camp has a huge range of options - accommodation for all budgets, from very basic to very flash. You can discuss with the retreat team which accommodation suits you best before booking.
It is also possible to book just to attend the retreat sessions (and find your own local accommodation). There are also meals available from local cafes on site and close by or a kitchen where you can prepare your meals. On-site there are hot tubs that can be hired, big roaring outdoor fires you will enjoy, the Secret Sauna, many stunning walking tracks as well as massages that can be arranged. Lake Hawea is a magical place to swim and there are many many hidden quiet spots under the trees to read and hang out. Plenty of space and an open sky for you to rest and retreat.
Program
The Tibetan Buddhist meditation practices and discussion will have a particular emphasis on cultivating quietness and steadiness in the mind as well as cultivating insights that bring freedom and peace of mind into your everyday life. There is a range of accommodation on-site and also an option for participants to find their accommodation. You will come together each day in this one-of-a-kind setting, for learning and practice. Suitable for all levels as the skills you are learning you can continue to refine and develop regardless of your level of previous experience.
All retreat participants are required to attend all of the sessions as Susan will build on the information each day. There are also optional daily yoga classes. Led by Susan Allen, practitioner and meditation teacher for the last 22 years. This is an opportunity for you to begin a daily practice for life or to advance an existing practice with fresh ideas and strategies. The retreat is hosted by one of New Zealand’s most experienced yoga and meditation teachers, Susan Allen. Susan has been teaching meditation for 22 years and has an authentic passion for sharing this transformative practice with others.
Cultivating stability of mind. Refining concentration, increasing cognition of when the mind wanders
Almost all meditation techniques have a concentration component. On this retreat we will use the breath and mindfulness of body sensations to develop stability and a quietness of mind. We will cover refinement techniques to improve the stability of your concentration/mindfulness. These are called intensifying practices - used to bring greater awareness to background thoughts as well as to the dullness that can develop in the mind when meditating.
If your meditation progress is stagnating then this improvement in looking more closely at the object of your concentration will enable you to start progressing again. It is through this increased focus that you experience a stilling of the fluctuating of the mind; tranquility and clarity arise.
Insight practices: Moving beyond identification with self, thoughts and emotions
Emptiness practices are a central component of Buddhist Insight practices (Vipassana). Emptiness means ‘a construction of mind.’ Using these practices we develop an insight into how our mind plays a part in constructing our reality, from our sense of personal identity to how we relate to our experiences with reactivity.
On this retreat we will examine the substantiality-ness of the sense of self (personal identity), thoughts and emotions; the benefit of these insight practices is we loosen our self identification, attachment and reactivity; they are very liberating practices.
Resting in awareness: A new basis of operation
Much of our daily lives we tend to be busy thinking, to operate and interact using thought. However when we learn to still the fluctuations of thought we can shift to spending more time in awareness, an awareness that is still of the busyness of thinking. When we operate out of awareness there is no reactivity, we feel less self-centered and more connected to others; we are less tossed around by the turbulence of our thoughts and emotions. On this retreat, we will then practice taking this off the cushion as we interact with others and the nature around us.
Receive personal guidance around your meditation habits so you keep progressing
We each have habits that we develop in our practice, some serve our meditation and others do not. On this retreat, Susan will encourage you to be observant and disciplined in the habits that support your practice and bring more awareness to those that do not, both on and off the cushion. Personal suggestions will be given to each student so that you can be inspired to develop this life-changing and abundant practice.
The practice
The meditation practices will be taken from the Mahamudra and Dzogchen Tibetan Buddhist traditions. These will be presented in a secular fashion with a particular emphasis on cultivating quietness and steadiness in the mind as well as insights as to how this brings release and freedom into your everyday lives. Tibetan Buddhist meditations value an intelligent and structured approach to investigating what is the mind and consequently frame meditation practically and methodically.
What will you be practicing?
There will be three main areas of practice:
- Concentration and tranquility practices
- Insight practices - emptiness of self, thoughts, and emotions practice
- Creating a new way of operating in this world, resting in a non-reactive, space awareness
Daily schedule
The times are subject to small changes.
Day 1: Wednesday
- 17:00 - 20:00 Welcome, opening circle, and introduction to retreat content
Days 2 - 5: Thursday - Sunday
- 08:00 - 08:45 Yoga practice (optional)
- 09:00 - 10:30 Meditation practice and discussion
- 11:00 - 12:30 Meditation practice and discussion
- 12:30 - 14:30 Lunch break
- 14:30 - 16:00 Meditation practice and discussion
- 16:30 - 18:00 Meditation practice and discussion
Included excursions
There are many glorious walks right from the doorstep around the beautiful lake, rivers and mountains. Many spots for a swim, a bike ride or a sleep under the trees.
Instructors
Susan Allen
Susan Allen who is leading the retreat is the founder of Yoga Ground, yoga and meditation studios in Auckland and Wanaka, New Zealand. Susan has spent the last 22 years running yoga studios, teacher trainings, extensive workshops and retreats in NZ and abroad. Her foundation is her Tibetan Buddhist meditation practice and teaching. Susan’s greatest skills are her ability to communicate complex ideas in clear and precise language as well as her passion and enthusiasm for sharing these transformative practices. She is one of the most experienced and highly regarded teachers in New Zealand.
Retreat location
This program will take place in Lake Hāwea which is in Wanaka, in the region of Otago of South Island, New Zealand. This retreat will be held in the epic setting on the shores of Lake Hawea. The dramatic mountain lake background is the spacious backdrop for this immersive meditation learning experience. The setting is the wild spaciousness of Lake Hawea, 15 minutes from Wanaka and one hour from Queenstown Airport (ZQN). The retreat location is Cross Hill at The Camp, a large geodesic dome right on the lakeshore with a spectacular mountain background that only New Zealand can offer.
Distances
- Wanaka - 15 minutes
- Queenstown Airport (ZQN) - 1 hour
Food
Tea, coffee, and refreshments are included, but meals are at your own expense. There are also meals available from local cafes on site and close by or a kitchen where you can prepare your meals.
The following meals are included:
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Coffee
- Tea
Things to do (optional)
- Massages
- Secret sauna right on the lakeshore
- Wood-fired hot tub
What's included
- Daily optional yoga classes
- Specific and clear meditation instruction
- Q&A sessions for personalized instructions for your practice
- Epic nature setting for a retreat
- 4 nights accommodation
- Tea, coffee, and refreshments
What's not included
- Flights
- Airport transfers
- Meals
- Transport from Wanaka
- Extra activities
How to get there
Recommended Airports
CHC
Christchurch International Airport
290 km
Transfer not provided
DUD
Dunedin International Airport
164 km
Transfer not provided
ZQN
Queenstown Airport
61 km
Transfer not provided
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookYogaRetreats.com. All major credit cards supported.
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