Members-only retreats at Tara Hills and Kurlana—go deeper with your practice

Symbols—Eastern and Western, part 1

1pm Fri 21 — 2 pm Mon 24 March
Graham Williams, John Burston

About this retreat
This year the theme for both the Easter and the October Long Weekend Kurlana retreats will be the meaning of symbols used to represent the Inner Life, both in the eastern meditation and western mystical traditions, We will particularly study the symbols used in Tantra and Insight. Also, the relationship between the symbols used in meditation and western mysticism will be explored.

All of the tantric visualisations have a rich variety of symbols which speak directly to the intuition, and understanding these will enhance your practice of tantra. During the retreat you will have the opportunity to concentrate on both tantra and insight meditation and directly apply the understanding of these symbols to your own practice.

Planting seeds in the mind and body, part2: exploring the visualisations of "Linking with Nature" and "Inner Bliss"

11 am Fri 25 — 2pm Sun 27 April
Tara Hills Retreat Centre
Robyn Walden

About this retreat
This weekend offers the time and space to explore and practise the mantras and visualisations in the peaceful surroundings of Tara Hills. The course will focus around two formal visualisations adapted from the Tibetan system, "Linking with Nature" (or, Green Tara) and "Inner Bliss" (White Tara). The word Tara, as used in the retreat centre's name Tara Hills, comes from the ancient Sanskrit and Pali languages "tare" or star, to lead. These meditations are for learning to evoke and work with our body's inherent wisdom. Through the weekend the meditations will be done with music (and accompanying symbols etc) and then there will be time to practise and discuss.

Turning the mind toward meditation and the inner life: working with four contemplations

11am Sat 7 — 2 pm Mon 9 June
(Queens B'day long weekend)
Robyn Walden

About this retreat
This retreat will focus on four contemplative meditations (also known as 'The four thoughts to turn the mind') adapted from the preliminary practices of the Tibetan Mahamudra tradition. The contemplations are designed to focus the mind on the essential truths of human existence and can provide a powerful motivation for developing and sustaining a meditation practice in everyday life.

Participants will be introduced to the four meditations through exercises and there will be plenty of time for individual meditation as well as rest and walks in the beautiful countryside at Tara Hills.

Pricing information is included in the members' newsletter, Insight.

Freedom—embracing the unknown

11am Sun 6 — 2 pm Sat 12 July
Ann Calvert

Have you ever felt like your life is just not going according to plan? This common experience often happens when we are facing a change or new growth in our lives.

This retreat gives you the time and space to learn to accept, and skillfully negotiate life’s unknown and sometimes rocky terrain. We will also explore perspectives on the various cycles of life derived from the meditation tradition which encourage you to accept and work with, rather than fight change. With this acceptance comes the freedom to join in and fully embrace the dance of life.

There will be three group sessions each day with the rest of the time for your personal meditation work. The retreat begins with lunch on Sunday. A flier outlining further details will be sent to you upon booking.

Pricing information is included in the members' newsletter, Insight.

1pm Sat 4 — 2pm Mon 6 October
Graham Williams, John Burston

About this retreat
This year the theme for both the Easter and the October Long Weekend Kurlana retreats will be the meaning of symbols used to represent the Inner Life, both in the eastern meditation and western mystical traditions, We will particularly study the symbols used in Tantra and Insight. Also, the relationship between the symbols used in meditation and western mysticism will be explored.

All of the tantric visualisations have a rich variety of symbols which speak directly to the intuition, and understanding these will enhance your practice of tantra. During the retreat you will have the opportunity to concentrate on both tantra and insight meditation and directly apply the understanding of these symbols to your own practice.

7pm Fri 7 — 2pm Sun 9 November

About this retreat
Full details TBA.

Life in Balance—linking the four streams of Lifeflow

2pm Sun 28 December 2008 — 2pm Tue 6 January 2009
John Burston, Robyn Walden

About this retreat
This retreat will explore advanced practices of Lifeflow meditation, weaving together the four streams as taught in Levels 3 and 4. The core program will be adapted from a classical Tibetan text, "The Mahamudra by the Ninth Karmapa". This text outlines a clear approach for working together ethics, calm and clarity, insight and tantra (or integration). In particular we will be looking at two main areas:
- the practices for developing mental calm and clarity
- and the practices which are used for the integration of the experience of insight.

The first formal session will be deep relaxation starting at 2 pm on the Sunday. You can arrive any time from 10 am onwards on the Sunday and everyone is welcome to come for lunch that day.

Please note that prerequisites apply to this retreat. Participants are expected to stay for the entire 10 days. Also, if you are going straight back to work after this retreat, we recommend that you allow one extra day to settle back into your normal routines before recommencing work, ie arranging your leave so that you are not required back at work until Thu 8 Jan.

Pricing information is included in the members' newsletter, Insight.