WHAT THIS RETREAT IS ABOUT
Consider this a journey into the heart of awakening and healing. Our time will weave rites of passage processes, nature connection, insight meditation, sacred arts, body/feeling connection through conscious movement and dance. It will include whole group, small groups and solo inquiries. It offers three phases in three different places as part of a one month residential retreat.
We humans are poised on a threshold. It is time to bring forth awake, empowered and well resourced communities. Communities that are able to listen deeply and speak with clarity; able to respond with creativity in a range of modalities; have developed capacities in all dimensions of being (Wholeness); can live with agility and fluidity to move well with change; people who carry a sense of belonging to this living earth.
FOR WHO?
For young adults aged 18-35
POSSIBILITIES OF PARTICIPATION
There are 3 possibilities of participation, these include:
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Participate in all the phases, 1st to 30th November
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Start the journey and set a date to come out of the retreat (this needs to be stated when you register)
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Come just for the 2nd part (Insight Meditation Retreat) at the Wangapeka Study & Retreat Centre
A Wilderness Journey Into Wholeness
Waking Up * Cleaning Up * Showing Up
FOUNDATIONS OF THE RETREAT
This year's retreat is influenced by the work of Bill Plotkin and Joanna Macey. Plotkin suggests that each life stage has tasks we must develop to mature the psyche. Macey offers a spiral of gratitude, grief and inspiration to transform the everyday traumas incurred by a consuming and conforming culture into a thriving self sustaining society. We want this. Both teachers explore poetry, wilderness, arts and movement in the process. Rooted in the understanding that we are all in this together.
"Everyone yearns for — and needs — a purpose that can be embodied, a meaning that can be lived… Our love for our own life, for all living things, and for community pours itself into the world, like a prayer, through our deepest purpose…" Bill Plotkin
We will identify and explore the key developmental tasks relevant to the life stage of a young adult. We seek to get clearer about the tasks and create the supports and conditions for young adults to thrive. This will include:
WAKING UP
The earth is speaking through us. If we can only slow down to hear and feel the message. Waking up is to know in our bones we belong, that we can trust the wisdom of our bodies and that we are here for a purpose. It is the opening of our view beyond a limited sense of self to include everything. A willingness to surrender into the ever changing interbeing of life. Waking up is about cultivating our depth intelligence.
CLEANING UP
We cannot clean up what we cannot see. The journey toward true adulthood requires high levels of self awareness and self compassion. As we wake and grow up it becomes essential to clean up. In cleaning up we come clearer about the potential to become dazzled by the bright lights of awakening and so fail to see the habits that are causing us and others suffering. We are talking about the habits of compulsion, addiction, difficult moods, depressions, defensiveness, manipulations, anxieties etc. We will cultivate patient healing spaces where we can meet our difficulties with friendly inquiry, honesty and the sincere motivation to know thyself.
SHOWING UP
It is time. Your mythopoetic journey begins here. Inspired by Joanna Macy's 'Going forth', we focus on empowerment. Who do you speak for? What do you stand for? What is your contribution/offering? We reflect back to each other our gifts and hope to learn more about and manifest our soul purpose.
THE PROGRAM, WHEN AND WHERE
01/
BUILDING COMMUNITY TO THRIVE
Beginning the journey in Golden Bay at the Treefiled
1st - 5th November
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Coming together in nature setting
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Guest facilitators to work with trauma and sacred arts
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Sweat Lodge
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Open Floor Dance
02/
AWAKENING THROUGH OUR TRUE NATURE
10 days Samatha-Vipassana retreat at Wangapeka Study & Retreat Centre
6th-17th November
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Learn and deepen your ability to meditate in nature
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Explore noble silence as a resource for insight and gentleness
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Allow yourself time to rest deeply and simply be
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EnJOY the beauty of the Wangapeka river and valley and be motivated by its rich lineage of teaching.
03/
WALKING IN WISDOM
An 8 day hikoi at the Kahurangi National Park and
Integration time in community at Treesong
18th - 30th November
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Meditative wilderness walk and nature inquires
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8 days to integrate the insights
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Get fitter, strong and connected
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A time to honour our connection and experiences.
AWAKENING THROUGH OUR TRUE NATURE
This insight meditation retreat is the second part of the Bodhi Seeds journey. We are welcoming young people aged 18-35 who want to deepen their meditation experience. (Participants can come to this stand alone retreat).
It will be a gentle, deep, embodied offering held by three long time facilitators, Jaime Howell, Juliana Griese and Andy McIntosh, taking place in the beautiful and supportive environment and history of Wangapeka.
If you are interested in participating just for this period, check all the information and register through the Wangapeka Website (link coming soon).
Open Period at the Wangapeka Study & Retreat Centre
10 days Samatha-Vipassana retreat
6th - 17th November
THE TEAM
Jaime Howell
Managers and facilitators
Juliana Griese
Jaime Howell is a musician, story teller, rite of passage developer and Meditation/Open Floor teacher. He is a graduate of a three year school of mindfulness/meditation who went on to spend another three years as the resident practitioner at the Wangapeka Study and Retreat Centre. He is a volunteer Director of the Rites of Passage Foundation and is the Director of Opening Minds, an organisation dedicated to nourishing the seeds of wisdom and compassion here in Aotearoa. Jaime has a Masters in Education.
Environmentalist, wild animals ecology researcher, passionate about Deep Ecology and spiritual development through the path of Meditation.
Facilitator and Support
Adge Tucker
Adge has 30 years experience working in a variety of ways with people, family
and Community. The last 20 have been in Golden Bay where he’s been a close
part of developing and directing the Rites of Passage Foundation and the
Tracks programmes.
He’s a student of the ‘human condition’ and a firm believer in people’s
instinctive knowledge, good nature and ability to assist one another in
profound ways.
Cook and Group Care
Laksmi Crick
Laksmi Crick has practiced meditation for 25 years; which has underpinned/anchored the twists and turns of life. She has worked as a gardener, cook, outdoor instructor, support worker and massage therapist; loves the connections between many heart-centered, holistic traditions and sharing the human experience. A privilege to cook, be with the group and to support this amazing work!
Facilitator and Support
Andy McIntosh
Andy is living in Australia at the moment and his presence depends on travel freedom
Andy McIntosh is a Meditation teacher and Feldenkrias awareness through movement instructor. For the past 15 years he has been Studying Meditation and Awakening under the Guidance of, and attendant too, Tarchin Hearn and other inspired teachers. His exploration of Wisdom and Compassion, a deep appreciation of the natural world and regular sharing with others brings a grounded and practical approach to the question of what it means to live well and awaken in these times.
Bill McEwan
Elders
Lois Mead-McEwan
I’m a 76 year old retired counsellor with an academic background in Agricultural Science and Theology. I live in Blenheim with Lois. In 2015 I felt overwhelmed by an ignorance of climate awareness in Marlborough and sat in the centre of Blenheim for a week with my son Robbie and fasted. That led to the formation of Climate Karanga Marlborough. I’m giving a lot of attention to ways of being an older person in an adolescent society. I am a work in progress and treasure close listening, silence, patience, emotional warmth, tenderness with shame and support for the broken-hearted.
profound ways.
I am a seventy year old retiree with a professional background in education and mental health.
I’m passionate about the well-being of the eco-system - in the widest sense of the word - and all that interconnects within it.
Running alongside this is a love of making collages, singing, poetry writing and playing an indigenous North American flute, all of which are expressions of my internal world.
Family, friends, humour and adventure also play an important role in my personal well-being.
SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTIONS
Ako-A-Rongo
THIS RETREAT IS FOR YOU?
This is an intimate offering for young adults who want to integrate their understanding and practice of meditation with the living earth. Places are available by application.
It is not our intention to exclude anyone, if you feel the call, please, register and we will get in contact with you. Anyway we thought that is good to give you an idea of what kind of experiences will help you to make the most of the journey:
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A consistent meditation practice
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A willingness to live outdoors and cope well with adversity
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Overall mental and emotional stability, can cultivate moments of resilience, can receive feedback, exist on the edge, self regulate emotions
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Willingness for adventure, to enter the great not knowing.
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Live with the challenges and blessing of being in a community.
This retreat is to support the change makers. Young people who feel motivated to learn how to plant, grow and harvest the fruits of mindfulness and more for the wellbeing of everyone and everything.
How to Participate
Express your interest and we will get in contact with you or get in contact directly in jaime8ju@gmail.com | 0204 011 9025 (Ju) | 0210 264 4351 (Jaime)