The Invitation
Join us for this urban meditation and yoga retreat in Ponsonby, central Auckland. Meditation is a journey of discovery; this practice cultivates understanding of how your mind works and offers the possibility of flourishing in this world.
This is a non-residential retreat where participants have the flexibility to find their own accommodation, coming together each day for learning and practice.
Suitable for beginners and advanced practitioners.
Rather than learning off an app or a book, come and receive personal instruction at this South Island retreat facilitated by one of NZ’s most experienced teachers, Susan Allen.
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At this meditation and yoga retreat you will:
– Learn a structured meditation practice that you will be confident and inspired to continue on your own at home.
– Understand what meditation is and how it can be used in your life to decrease stress, to cultivate ease of mind, and as a tool for flourishing in your life.
– Gain an understanding of the common obstacles to meditation and how to overcome them.
– Ask questions and receive personalised advice on how to progress in your practice.
– Have 4.5 days immersion in meditation and yoga, recharge and get clear on a path moving forward.
– Learn from one of NZ’s most experienced and competent meditation teachers Susan Allen.
– Take home a collection of meditation audio recordings that you can continue to use to progress your practice.
4.5 days of inspiring practice and learning, setting a new direction for yourself
Location and Venue
- The Life Centre, Ponsonby -
Beautifully presented and set in a tranquil garden with rare, energy enhancing crystals, The Life Centre is an urban sanctuary in the heart of Auckland city.
A converted villa, full of light, timeless character, spacious and quiet – this is the perfect inner city retreat venue.
This is a non-residential retreat. Participants need to find their own accommodation locally. Price includes all meditation and yoga instruction as well as audio recordings of selected practices to take away.
Pricing
4.5 days retreat (non-residential)
Early bird price – $950 – available till 15th June, 2025
Full price – $1,080 – if registered after 15th June, 2025
What’s included
* All practices as well as refreshments in the breaks
* Audio recordings of all practices to take home
Schedule
All retreat participants are required to attend all of the meditation sessions as we will build on the information each day. This Auckland meditation retreat also includes optional daily yoga classes.
5 – 8 pm Welcome, Opening circle,
and Introduction to Retreat Content
8 – 8.45 am Yoga practice (optional)
9 – 10.30 am Meditation practice and discussion
10.30 – 11am Break
11 – 12.30pm Meditation practice and discussion
12.30 – 2.30pm Lunch break
2.30 – 4pm Meditation practice and discussion
4 – 4.30pm Break
4.30 – 6pm Meditation practice and discussion
Meditation approach
The meditation practices and discussion will have a particular emphasis on cultivating quietness and steadiness in the mind as well as cultivating insights that bring freedom and peace of mind into our everyday life. Tibetan Buddhist meditations value an intelligent and structured approach to investigating ‘What is the mind?’ and consequently frame meditation in a practical and methodical way. The meditation practices will be taken from the Mahamudra and Dzogchen Tibetan Buddhist tradition. These will be presented in a secular, practical fashion.
The primary offerings on this Auckland retreat are:
1. Attention training practices specifically to quieten the busy mind; this cultivates tranquility and stability of mind.
2. Insight practices that liberate the mind from its conditioned patterns. This causes our habitual reactive emotional states to decline, we feel more connected to others and we begin to operate more from a spacious, ease-ful awareness rather than from the obsession with thought.
3. Quiet time to nourish and gain inspiration on a path forward.
Meditation will change your life, it is a tool for developing a calmness of mind, a poise of character. Through the practice we gain insight into how our mind works; we find a path that facilitates the flourishing of all positive mental traits.
Testimonials
What they say about us
About Susan Allen
Susan Allen is the founder of Retreats NZ and the leading facilitator on this meditation and yoga retreat.
Susan’s mission is to play a part in the awakening of human consciousness where all people experience ease, feel connected, and can flourish to their fullest potential. She is inspired to demystify meditation and yoga by sharing accessible, transformative practices that cultivate ease, expand the heart and restore our sense of connection and belonging.
Susan has been teaching yoga and meditation for over 22 years. Having practised meditation as a teenager, meditation has been a lifelong passion of Susans. She has been lucky enough to study under some of the great living meditation masters in India and across the world, and knows firsthand how meditation can transform one’s mental and emotional state at a foundational level of being.
As well as an in-depth knowledge of these age-old practices, Susan also has a distinct talent of delivery, communicating complex sophisticated ideas in a way that is easily digestible and clear.
Susan also runs a yoga teacher mentorship service The Yoga Transition and the online yoga platform Entering The Stream.
Read more.
