MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION IN DAILY LIFE

Presented by Ruth and Ian Gawler with Melissa Borich

7 – Day Meditation Retreat

Saturday 1st to Friday 7th of July 2017

Chenrezig Retreat Centre, Eudlo (Near Maleny), Queensland

 

We take time out of our busy lives to meditate for a variety of personal reasons. All very valid; but the real value that comes from our meditation practice is in how it affects our way of being in daily life. How does our meditation influence our mind? Our relationships? Our health and wellbeing? Mindfulness offers the secret that unites meditation with life.

Join us for this very special retreat where the focus is on bringing our practice alive.

 

DAILY THEMES

 

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This is our first meditation retreat in Queensland and comes in response to many requests. To be held in the dedicated meditation retreat centre Chenrezig, like all our retreats, this one will be accessible to any beginner along with the more experienced meditators.

This meditation retreat will be of moderate intensity and is designed to assist you to make significant progress with your understanding, practice and experience. It will be both practical and regenerative, with excellent meals, periods of silence and optional yoga. It will be readily accessible to both beginners and more experienced meditators.

Also, this program is well suited to meditation teachers and health professionals seeking personal and professional development. Some health and educational professional organisations will accept this program for Continuing Professional Development requirements and a certificate of attendance will be issued to those that request it, after completion. 

 

Contact Numbers

During the days before and after retreat on Melissa 0417200192 or Ruth 0417869938

Whilst at Chenrezig – Melissa Borich and Dr Ruth Gawler will be available on site.

 

THE PROGRAM

The retreat is of medium intensity and centers around 5 hrs of meditation each day. This is divided into 40 minute sessions with short and longer breaks, and will be quite spacious; interspersed with walking mindfulness sessions and free time to enjoy the environment and personal time.

We include dedicated optional sessions of Mindfulness walking through the gardens and gentle basic Yoga each day from Melissa, a qualified yoga teacher.

After a day to settle in, “noble silence” is encouraged until afternoon tea, and the option is there for those who would like to be in silence for most of the retreat. A wonderful gift to yourself at your own level.

The days begin with a wake up bell at 7.15am; first meditation is at 7.40am, with the evening sitting and supper closing the day at 9.40pm in the evening.

There is a meditation teaching session each morning, presented by Ian, which is along the themes each day.

There is a longer break in the afternoons, to have a rest, to relax in your own way or to do some more personal meditation practice. There is also a shorter break after dinner.

THE MEDITATION TEACHINGS

Ian will be providing a well structured and in depth teaching on the practice of meditation. This will be supported and extended by an exploration of Buddhist mind-science and philosophy, in a way that is accessible to all. This is relevant to all spiritual traditions. The teaching sessions will be supported by the meditation practice sessions that follow each day.

The structure of the retreat builds steadily with the intention of guiding both those newer to meditation and established meditators into a more direct and profound experience of meditation.

 

Pre-retreat Reading

This will help you significantly to benefit even more from the retreat, especially as a less experienced meditator.
For an easy to read good introduction to meditation we recommend “Peace of Mind” by Ian Gawler, and if you want to have a more detailed understanding of meditation, a more comprehensive and detailed book is “Meditation – an In Depth Guide” by Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson.

Click here to visit the webstore if you would like to purchase these books, or call 1300 651 211

 

PRACTICAL DETAILS

The Venue

Chenrezig Institute is a Buddhist retreat and study centre nestled in the hills of the Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland, Australia. Established in 1974, the Institute was among the first Tibetan Buddhist centres in the Western World and remains one of the largest.

The centre also has accommodation facilities, a vegetarian cafe, library, meditation hall, art studio, memorial garden and beautiful grounds.

All of the accommodation available at this venue has been booked for this retreat. Most of the accommodation areas are up on the hill behind the temple, with the Wellbeing Centre that we will be learning in, being in the area on the lower side of the property.

The walk between the Wellbeing Centre and the accommodation areas is very steep and there are many stairs. It is therefore important that all participants at this retreat are able-bodied. If this venue does not suit your physical capacity then please alternatively consider attending a retreat at the Yarra Valley Living Centre, like Deepening Your Meditation in June or the Mana Retreat in New Zealand in October, as these venues would be more suitable.

 

Sleeping arrangements at Chenrezig

There is a range of accommodation at Chenrezig from basic dormitory accommodation in a variety of locations, to smaller shared rooms , and some individual retreat huts. Booking early will give you more choice about where to stay.

Most of the accommodation spaces have external shared bathrooms. All the accommodation is simple with single beds and in pre-defined gender-segregated areas. However, couples are welcome to share. Linen and towels will be provided by the venue.

It is recommended you bring a torch, as although solar lights illuminate the paths, a torch will assure your ease of walking safely at night.

 

The Food

The quality of food will be excellent. Each day, wholesome, vegetarian food will be freshly prepared with loving care by our on site caterers at the Big Love Café and delivered to the Wellbeing Centre where the course will be hosted.

The menus are based on the “Eat Well, Be Well” recipe book of The Gawler Foundation – a wholefood, plant-based diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. (Sometimes referred to as the Wellness diet in Ian’s books). Herbal teas will be available (although the café serves fresh coffee) at breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner are included in retreat costs every day. So, given the purity of the food, there is also the opportunity to give your body a natural, easy detox.

Unfortunately we cannot provide regular juices on this retreat. Apologies to those who may want them. So if regular juices are important to you, please come to a different retreat.

Getting There :

Plane

The closest airport is Maroochydore (Sunshine Coast) Airport, which is a 50-minute drive away. However there is no direct public transport connection to Eudlo, only Taxis. Brisbane Airport is about 1.5 hours away. The airport train links with the Sunshine Coast line (change at Eagle Junction). The train journey from the airport (domestic and international) to Eudlo takes between 1.5 – 2.5 hours depending on the connection.

 

Train

The nearest train station to Chenrezig Institute is at Eudlo, approx. 8km away. The Sunshine Coast line serves Eudlo, from Brisbane via Caboolture. Train timetables can be called on 13 12 30 for information.

The available transport from Eudlo up to Chenrezig Institute is by taxi (costing approximately $15 / $20). Unfortunately we cannot offer any pick-up services however we are happy to help you work out a suitable arrangement. We advise you to pre-book your taxi as soon as you know the arrival time of your train, on 13 10 08. Eudlo is small country town; it does not have a taxi rank. It has a general store, post office and a cafe.

With respect to these arrangements we advise speaking with Melissa Borich 0417 200 192 for best advice for your own personal needs and circumstances.

 

Travelling by car

We recommend taking the route via Eudlo and Highlands Road. Follow this link and scroll down for a clear map, including landmarks, of how to find the venue.

Navigation systems and Google maps often show the route through Mooloolah and via Neil Road/Brooks Road, but we do not recommend this route as it is largely on a narrow dirt road.

 

Retreat Cost

Guarantee your place in this unique retreat with a $220 non-refundable deposit.

Pricing is staggered to reflect varying accommodation from single room to dormitory share.

Please chat to Melissa who will allocate you to a room on booking.

$2390 – Single

$1990 – Twin-share

$1780 – Dormitory ( internal or external bathrooms)

The cost includes accommodation, all meals at Chenrezig and the full meditation retreat program.

Full payment is due by the 10th of June 2017 (3 weeks before the retreat starts)

No refunds can be made after June 10th 2017, therefore please consider adequate travel insurance.

 

Payment for retreat

Payment can be made in two ways:

1. Direct Transfer to Insight Health Services. Commonwealth Bank of Australia BSB 063 853 – Account 10227948

2. Direct transfer through Paypal business account called [email protected]

If you already have paid the $220 deposit, simply deduct it from the final amount when the time comes. This should be apparent on your initial retreat deposit.

You will receive a confirmatory email and receipt both when you initially book and when your full payment has been banked.

 

Contact Numbers

During the days before the retreat please call Melissa or email [email protected] and after the retreat Ruth or email [email protected]

Whilst at Chenrezig both will be on site : Melissa Borich 0417200192 ( Community Room) or Dr Ruth Gawler
0417 869 938 (Retreat Hut 5)

We recommend printing this Rereat Information document and bringing it with you when you come on retreat for some of the details which may be helpful at the time.