Mindfulness Retreats in Auckland and Nelson 2020
Join us for weekend of rest and relaxation, delicious vegetarian food, gentle movement practices and meditation in Swanson Auckland.
The retreat provides you with a chance to get away for a weekend and to relax, recharge and meditate.
If you’ve never been on a meditation retreat before, this is an ideal place to start. There will be meditation instruction for both beginners and advanced practitioners, plenty of free time and opportunities to walk through the surrounding forest and to appreciate the beautiful scenery.
This retreat is not just about mindfulness meditation, it is about connecting with nature and be in a surrounding that supports inner reflection. Take a break from the busy world and daily routines and learn lifelong skills :
• How to connect with the body’s self-calming system.
• How to shift attention when caught up in unhelpful thoughts and emotions.
• How to identify and stop listening to the often critical inner voice.
What’s possible with regular mindfulness practice is self-regulation, giving up unhappiness and living a life of purpose as well as experiencing a more vibrant connection to life itself. Even if you are not fully convinced, you will have a relaxing weekend and learn how to connect with a deeper reality.
Guided group and individual Meditation
A 2 day semi-silent* mindfulness retreat to relax, rejuvenate and have the opportunity to deepen your mindfulness practice together with like-minded people in a beautiful setting.
Enjoy Delicious Food; breakfast lunch and dinner with options for vegan and any special diary requirements (gluten-free etc.)
• Guided group and individual Meditation
• Yoga classes
• Bush Walks
• Pool & Sauna
• Comfortable accommodation
• Vegetarian food from local produce
VENUE:
located 2-3 minutes past the Swanson Railway Station, on the Scenic Drive, heading west toward Te Henga – Bethells Beach and the Waitakere ranges. Turn right into the driveway directly opposite Range Rd.
Address:
Vartamana Retreat
1119 Scenic Drive
Swanson
Waitakere
Auckland 0816
Plenty of parking available.
* This is a semi-silent retreat which means at certain hours of the day we will keep talking to a minimum.
The benefit of having silent periods are many. It gives the brain a break from unnecessary distractions and time to deepen the contact within. It gives a chance to be fully present and just calmly observe whatever goes on, both on the outside and inside.
The Natural State Of Being Human
Mindfulness is not new, it is thousands of years old and has been practiced in many eastern cultures as a way of maintaining mental balance against the inevitable distortions the mind generates. Mindfulness has made it to the west for a number of reasons; technology has developed and allowed researchers to study and understand the function of the brain more fully so that we now have an enormous amount of evidence-based research confirming the benefits of regular practice.
The increasing demands of living places enormous stress on all people, children, teenagers and adults, the purposeful, daily cultivation of minimising stress, self-regulation, connection to self, others and the world around us has been proven to assist mental, emotional and physical balance.
In our fast paced and increasingly distracted and fragmented world mindfulness and meditation is proven to re-empower people with their own natural ability to restore the fragmented mind to a state of wholeness and presence.
Understanding how the brain works goes a long way to empowering people to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness ‘teaches’ us how thoughts and feelings affect our state of being and how we are able to train ourselves, intentionally, to observe the activity of the mind without becoming entrapped and start believing every thought the mind produces or be swept away by every emotion felt.
Mindfulness trains us to recognise we have a choice of where to put our attention and to recognise when we are becoming trapped in unhelpful thinking.
At this retreat you will have opportunity to deepen your own Mindfulness practice and be empowered by the discovery that you can self-manage your thoughts and emotions.
It doesn’t matter if you never meditated or done one mindfulness exercise in your life, this retreat is for anyone who are moved to establish or deepen their own Mindfulness practice and to improve focus, mental resilience and find more emotional and mental balance in their life.
Benefits such as:
- Decreased stress and anxiety
- Better sleep
- Better self-management
- Less reactivity
- Improved mental resilience
- Increased self-awareness
- Better memory
- Increased attention and focus
- Better conflict resolution skills
are common and expectable result from regular Mindfulness practice.
REGISTER HERE
Situated at the door step of the magnificent Waitakere Ranges Regional Park
Only 25 minutes from downtown Auckland
ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THIS RETREAT
“With Mindfulness training you are not adding to your knowledge in the
traditional sense – you are in fact removing some of the mental clutter
that is holding you back from being naturally mindful and in a state of
equilibrium”.Rita Riccola
About the Trainer
Rita Riccola
Rita Riccola
Rita Riccola is one of New Zealand’s leading mindfulness trainers She is a former teacher and a trained mindfulness teacher with 28 yrs experience who has completed courses with Mindful Schools USA and attended many Mindfulness retreats. These courses are designed to meet the growing need for Mindfulness training to all interested.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS SAY ABOUT RITA’s 2 DAY COURSE
“Rita is a fabulous facilitator – she made us feel extremely comfortable, was open minded and encouraged us all to share from our diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. I came away with many very practical, easy to use exercises …Thank you Rita for gifting me such a wonderful and enjoyable afternoon of learning”.Louise Dore, Auckland
“I found Rita’s expert and gentle facilitating a wonderful way to explore mindfulness personally, whilst also guiding me to share mindfulness with others”.Suzanne Henwood, Auckland
“ Thank you for offering this course, it has been a blessing in my life.”
Nicky M, Gold Coast
“ I’ve learnt that you can choose to change. The interaction between participants was especially valuable”
Jen, Sydney
Make A Booking
Choose a Date
Friday: Start 5.00pm
Sunday: End 4.00pm
Cost: $495
including all meals, shared accommodation.(single accommodation can be arranged on request) access to all facilities and participating in all activities (yoga classes, guided and individual meditation).
Limited to 12 people
8 seats left
Friday: Start 5.00pm
Sunday: End 4.00pm
Cost: $495
including all meals, accommodation andparticipating in all activities (yoga classes, guided meditation).
Limited to 12 people
10 seats left
Why Mindfulness?
Evidence based results from around the world continue to show that the regular practise of Mindfulness has ongoing benefits for physical and mental health. Research over the past few decades has found that Mindfulness training helps to;
Relieve Anxiety & Stress
In our fast paced lives, where we rush from one demand to another, there is very little time or space to stop and pause. Mindfulness offer the tools needed to connect with our inner intelligence, where we can access natural calmness beneath the busy minds.
Let go of Anger & Frustration
Coming in contact with your direct experience in the mindful state allows us to become familiar with the patterns that direct our lives; our thoughts, emotions and reactions.
OVERCOME WORRYING
& NEGATIVE THINKING
Pain is an inevitable part of being human but suffering is optional. In Mindfulness we learn how to manage our thoughts and emotions instead of letting emotions and thoughts manage us.
STOP INNER CHATTER
Aimless thinking and inner chatter is draining our energy and clouding over the present moment. One of the most common benefits from regular Mindfulness training is greater mental clarity and a new sense of inner peace.
Have Better Sleep
To be able stop incessant thinking and worrying is one of the great benefits of Mindfulness and it makes it easier to sleep in and have unbroken sleep throughout the night.
STOP LIVING IN THE PAST
Mindfulness practices increasingly bring you more into the present with the growing awareness that going over the past keeps you stuck in the past.
Start Practising Mindfulness
Self-Paced Online Course
Learn the effective mindfulness techniques that are helping individuals from all walks of life to have more balance and focus in their lives.
Bring Mindfulness to the Classroom
ONLINE TRAINING
For teachers and consultants who want to introduce mindfulness to their students, children and staff.
PROGRAM FOR THE WEEKEND RETREAT
The programme is designed to be accessible for all levels of experience; both beginners and more advanced practitioners. (the program might be subject to some changes.)
FRIDAY
5.00-6.00pm: Arrival & Welcome
6.00-7.30pm: Dinner
7.30-8.30pm: Guided Meditation
8.30pm: Free time and relaxation.
SATURDAY
7.00-7.30am: Wake
7.30-8.15: Meditation
8.15-9.30am: Breakfast
9.30-10.30am: Gentle Yoga
10.30-11.00: Tea break
11.00-12.00am: Guided Meditation
12.00am-2.00pm LUNCH
2.00-3.00pm: Meditation
3.00-3.30pm: Tea break
3.30-4.00pm: Nature walk
4.00-5.00pm: Meditation/Free activities
5.00-7.30pm: Dinner
7.30-8.30pm: Meditation
8.30pm: Free time to relax
SUNDAY
7.00-7.30am: Wake
7.30-8.15: Meditation
8.15-9.30am: Breakfast
9.30-10.30am: Gentle Yoga
10.30-11.00: Tea break
11.00-12.00am: Meditation
12.00am-1.30pm LUNCH
1.30-2.30pm: Meditation
2.30-3.00pm: Nature walk
3.00-3.15pm.Tea break
3.15-4.00: Meditation and finish.