welcome
I’m really glad that you’ll be joining me for the 7-day retreat, Natural Ease and Mindful Living, from 20 - 27 April at Strathean Retreat Centre in Otaki. I know that you’ll find it an important experience in your life. It offers you the rare opportunity to retreat from everyday activities, responsibilities and routines, to slow down, and to open to a deeper wisdom that can emerge from a clear quiet place of being.
There’s usually a natural process of stilling that happens over the seven days. Most of the retreat will be in silence for participants, though there will be full instruction and guidance (I’ll be talking!) to give you the chance to really come home to yourself without the usual energy involved in chit chat, presenting ourselves in a favorable light, and fulfilling others’ conventional (and our own!) expectations. Having said this, we'll be talking and getting to know each other the first evening, the last session and Monday (27th) lunch time, and each day there will be a circle for questions and the sharing of reflections and insights. In the second half of the week, there will be chance to book a half hour session to chat with me about how you’re doing. If you need to, you are also welcome to come and speak with me between sessions or at lunch.
I understand that you may need under special circumstances to honour obligations (such as calling a young child on their birthday). However unless this is the case, I strongly suggest that you turn your phone off and to leave it turned off for the week, to enable you to receive the full benefit of the retreat. My mobile number is available for friends and family to contact you in an emergency and I will be checking that frequently.
Leading up to a retreat, it is not uncommon for some anxiety or ambivalence to arise, or strong dreams, or for some inner habit patterns of thinking/feeling to make themselves known. I urge you not to let this discourage you, but to trust the deep intelligence of your Heart that drew you to enrol!
There will be time in the schedule to allow for reflection, walking, resting and writing.
Please feel free to attend as much or as little of the schedule as you feel to.
getting to strathean
Strathean Retreat Centre is at 212 Old Hautere Rd, Te Horo.
BY CAR: Take the expressway north from Wellington or SH! if you’re travelling south, and turn off at the Otaki exit to take Otaki Forks Road. Keep travelling east along Otaki Forks Road, and Old Hautere Road will be on your right (there’s a sign for Strathean Retreat Centre). The address is 212 Old Hautere Rd (on your left) and there’s a sign outside the gate. (Please note that there is another way to approach the centre, taking you straight down Old Hautere Road instead of Otaki Forks Road. If the GPS takes you that way, Strathean will be on your right!)
Please park just outside the main entrance to the house to unload your gear, then drive a little further on to the graveled parking area to make room for more people to arrive and unload.
BY TRAIN: Please let me know if you will be arriving by train, and then text or ring with the time so that we can pick you up from Otaki railway station.
things to bring
Sheets, pillow case, duvet and a towel (or a sleeping bag) Pillows are provided. (Bedding is available from Strathean for an additional $50 per person)
Warm socks or slippers (the house is shoe-free)
Torch
A journal and pen - to record reflections, insights, etc.
Jacket/raincoat
Walking shoes
A yoga mat If you don’t have one, just let me know and I’ll bring one for you.
Water bottle
Loose, warm, comfortable, casual clothes, and plenty of layers to allow for warming up and cooling down
A blanket for the evening sessions, large and substantial enough to lay over a mat, and which won’t pucker up when you move your limbs over it! (I’ll have some spares if you’re not able to bring one)
We don’t provide coffee, so if you want to drink coffee, please bring your own supply along - there are plungers available for you to use.
All the beds have electric blankets and there are heaters in all the rooms. There are hot water bottles too, though not enough for everyone.
OPTIONAL:
Meditation cushion or stool (if you have a favorite one). I will bring zafus, and there are plenty of chairs there.
Please note that some people react to strong perfume, so it’s a good idea not to wear it in a meditation retreat.
preparation
There are several things which in my experience help maximize the benefits of a retreat like this one. Here are my suggestions. Remember they are simply suggestions that will help you make the most of the retreat!
Set a clear intention, or intentions, for the weekend
Tell people close to you and leave an office assistant message that you are on retreat for the 7 days and won’t be available to be contacted. Please give them my number (021 473 012) for any emergencies
Arrive as well-rested as you can so that you have energy on board for the practices (I know, not always possible!)
Turn your cell phone off, leave it in the car and commit to not using it or checking messages for the duration of the retreat
If you bring books, choose something that inspires and uplifts you but not ones that are full of head-content, or that take you into the world of someone else’s imagination. I’ll be bringing some books you can dip into and reflect on
Bring a journal, and use it to record insights, mindfulness tools, dreams or reflections that you can go back to after the retreat.
bedding
If you need to hire bedding, Strathean charges a surcharge of $50. If you would like bedding, please let me know.
things to note
You may arrive any time from 4pm on Monday 20 April to give yourself time to settle in. The retreat begins at 6pm with a light meal of soup, so leave the city early to avoid the traffic if you're driving from Wellington. We'll finish mid-afternoon on Anzac day, Monday 27 April.
If you are delayed on the Friday night, please text me on 021 473 012.
We’ll be eating healthy vegetarian meals and we can arrange to address any special food restrictions you have for health reasons, but only if you let us know in advance. Jana is a fabulous cook and will be cooking a main meal in the middle of the day and a light supper in the evening for us, and Jo, who is planning to take part fully in the retreat but also help me, will do breakfasts and help set out the evening meal.
Please let us know if you would like porridge in the mornings. (E-mail Rachel).
Please note that Strathean Retreat Centre is a drug, alcohol and smoke-free venue.
payment
The fee you have paid only covers your accommodation and venue hire at Strathean, food and catering costs for the week.
DANA* is payment to me (which includes my accommodation and food costs at Strathean, marketing, preparation and admin and costs, travel, my time, the retreat programme and individual sessions. Please be aware that this is the way I make a living.
Dana can be paid in cash (there will be a dana box), or by bank transfer, at the end of the retreat.
* DANA means generosity, and is based on the principle of self-responsibility, and invites each individual to develop their own capacity to be generous according to their means. It is a payment to the facilitator which reflects an exchange of energy relating to what you have received at the end of the retreat.
mindfulness in action
As part of a mindfulness retreat, I invite people to practice bringing presence and ease to simple ordinary tasks that we usually rush through as quickly as possible. There will be a sheet pinned up on the noticeboard that you can put your name on to do a role of your choice during the retreat, for instance helping with lunch dishes, making sure the wood store in the lounge is kept full, tending the log burner fire, sweeping the kitchen floor, keeping the hot water topped up etc….
At the end of the retreat I will also be asking for your support in leaving the centre as we find it. This also helps to keep the cost of the overall retreat down. I would ask you to factor in a good hour after our retreat ends to help tidy up, gather your things and help clean the centre. This means that with everyone’s help we will be leaving the retreat between 3 and 4pm
contact details
John and Gabrielle, who live in the main cottage, will be present on site,. They’ll be keeping an eye out to make sure your needs are all met. You may also see volunteer helpers (WWOOFers), around, but they know a retreat is running and will be respecting our space and the silence.
Once again, my mobile number is 021 473 012 and you may give it out to whanau members as a contact number for use in any emergency,. I will let you know as soon as I do if anyone needs to get in touch with you.
If I can be of any further help, or if you have any questions about the retreat, please contact me by e-mail: rachel@theartofmindfulness.co.nz or give me a ring on 021 473 012.
I'm really looking forward to meeting you, or seeing you again soon!
Warm regards
Rachel
cancellation policy:
Full refunds, minus a $50 admin fee, are provided up to 2 weeks before any course or retreat starts
50% refunds are provided if you cancel within 2 weeks of a course or retreat starting.
You may transfer your booking to a later retreat, but if this is within 2 weeks of the event, there will be a 10% admin fee incurred. (10% of the fee for the retreat you can't make)