Our Retreats
Find your perfect escape from daily stress, everyday pressures, conflicting demands of life – declutter your mind at our retreats and regain a sense of calm and perspective.
Opportunities will be to participate in guided meditation & yoga, which will help you experience a great sense of clarity and calmness, leaving you in a peaceful state of mind, free of stress, anxiety and mental exhaustion
Our retreats are open to all communities.
Objectives
- Provide guidance for meditation and mindfulness activities based on principles of Theravada Buddhism, under the supervision of experienced teachers
- Help instil and cultivate kindness, patience, generosity, compassion, gratitude, respect, the virtue of moral restraint and order, and other important wholesome qualities among people and society.
- Provide guidance and support to enhance mental well being, reduce anxiety, stress and worries, resolve disputes within relationships and help families find harmony.
- Guidance of school aged children through mindfulness activities and help them through day-to-day difficult life experiences in order to develop a sense of calm, empathy, connectedness and enhance emotional wellbeing and productivity.
Next retreat
Venue:
19th and 20th Aug (Residential in English) at the Karuna Sanctuary Retreat Centre, Saywell Rd, Katoomba, NSW.
About the location: Explore the Karuna Sanctuary here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JKPsI9oX6iUUjQhYbzM-Dhnz6tpPDISn/view?ts=6468a2a9
Join us on this special residential retreat organised in collaboration with Metta Centre. There will be talks, Q & A sessions, guided meditation, outdoor activities, campfires and more.
18 – 23 December 2023 – Borambola sports and Recreational Centre, Wagga Wagga, NSW
How to make a reservation?
Send us an email:- info@ministryofnirvana.org.au
Recent retreats
Our Buddhist Detox retreat was a highly successful retreat held in August 2023, participants were able to take the opportunity to pause, relax and detox up in the Blue Mountains in Katoomba. It was a packed weekend retreat full of insightful sessions, engaging outdoor activities, transformative meditations and interesting Q & A sessions. Participants were provided with methods to spot the sources of unhappiness in their day to day lives and at the same time look at ways to address the root cause of those sources to achieve a happier and more fulfilling life.
Click below link to see the highlights of this event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBC07GhYGoM
Several other highly successful retreats were completed in April 2021, December 2021 and December 2022 in the beautiful region of Wagga Wagga countryside, away from the hustle & bustle of city life.
The adult’s program:
All the participants found themselves more relaxed & calmer than ever before and that they have transformed into more forgiving, kind and empathetic people who developed skills to see how events happen around them, identify root-cause for their unhappiness, and stay focused on being positive, happy & energetic..
The children’s program:
The children’s program introduced children to basic meditation practices and problem solving strategies, providing the opportunity for them to develop their potential for inner peace and happiness.
These sessions were offered amidst other enjoyable activities to keep them engaged and active, such as kayaking, BMX biking, pool games, aqua aerobics, rock climbing, survival skills, high ropes etc. The children had a great time!
Facilities at our previous centres:
- Eco friendly, nature-based, spacious and calm environment.
- Accommodation facility for parents and children at the same premises.
- Supervised play areas and activities for kids to keep them engaged.
- Fully fenced safe environments which are appropriately managed by qualified staff
- Reasonable pricing
- All facilities, including food so that participants can focus entirely on meditation, hassle-free.
- Secure parking.
- Bushwalking.
- Local attractions
Similar facilities will be soon developed at our proposed site for future retreats.
More about our proposed site
Our new proposed site will soon become a unique, serene eco friendly attraction that will go hand in hand with the rural farming community and benefit the local neighbourhood and businesses.
Our programs will offer a variety of other activities for anyone from all communities, of all levels of experience and understanding, including beginners.
More regular on-site events will be planned in future (currently most sessions are online due to Covid-19)
- Regular guided residential retreats (on & off-site)
- Guided meditation sessions under the supervision of experienced teachers during residential sessions up to one week for groups.
- Group sessions for school aged children designed to provide guidance with everyday problems and simple practical advise
(current 3 hour fortnightly session online – by appointment only) - Meditation classes and discussions to provide guidance in application of Theravada Buddhist teachings relevant to modern world and daily life experiences.
- Monthly discussions and Q& A sessions
- Group and individual sessions to provide support and enhance emotional well being
Shortly, there will be a resident teacher
FAQ
Do I need to have previous experience in meditation?
No, you don’t need previous experience in meditation. But you need to have a basic understanding of the core principles. We will provide the support and guidance to achieve this.
Do I need to be a Buddhist to attend these sessions?
No, our sessions are open to everyone from all communities, Buddhist or Non – Buddhist.
What do you need to bring with you?
An open mind! and we will look after everything else!
You meditate hassle-free and we will look after all your needs.
Do any rules or conditions apply?
- White dress code
- Silence to be observed when meditation is in progress
- Good understanding of the concept
- Discipline
- Good conduct
Do retreats incur a cost?
Retreats attract some cost to cover the accommodation, meals and other expenses.
Costs may vary for different retreats and the client’s circumstances will also be considered. Our team will discuss further with you when you inquire about a specific retreat.
Can I sit on a chair?
Chairs and meditation cushions will be provided based on personal needs.