Welcome! The Wangapeka Study and Meditation Retreat Centre in New Zealand

The beautiful Wangapeka Study and Retreat Meditation Centre runs retreats and events throughout the year. We welcome external bookings and solo retreats.

View our Programme

Upcoming Events

12 September - 24 October 2021 FULL

Life Before Birth - How Womb Experience Shapes Us
24 - 26 September 2021 FULL

Don't Just Do Something ... Sit There! 2021
15 - 17 October 2021

Natural Loving-Kindness — Already Here, with Kath Mitchell
22 - 25 October 2021

Labour Weekend Working Bee and Remembering Namgyal Rinpoche
6 - 17 November 2021

Bodhi Seeds Retreat 2021 - Awakening Through Our True Nature
20 – 27 November 2021 CANCELLED

Foundations of Samadhi: Düntün (Seven-day) Retreat with Jakob Leschly
3 - 10 December 2021

Time Out for Peace, a Meditation for Humans who want to Change the World with Bonni Ross
13 - 19 December 2021

YAR: Embracing Life - A toolkit for living with Wisdom and Compassion
28 December 2021 – 4 January 2022

Garden of Mindfulness Family Retreat: Star Wars & Lucid Dreaming
7 - 12 January 2022

Beginning Again! An Introductory Meditation Retreat

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**Chenrezig Meditation Retreat with Mark Schrader*

**Chenrezig Meditation Retreat with Mark Schrader**

Aug 20 @ 5:00 pm – Aug 24 @ 2:00 pm

4 days (or 2-day weekend option)

This is an experiential meditation course that focuses on developing compassion for oneself and therefore for others. Both beginners and those wishing to deepen their meditation practice are welcome to attend. Each day we will meditate together as a group as well as having space for people to practice independently. Throughout the retreat we will touch into a variety of themes such as: Refuge – where is my place of safety?, Wholesome livelihood – what is an ethical life?, connecting into one’s heart-felt aspiration – what is most important to me in life?. Questions arising spontaneously from those attending will also be explored. As a way of supporting participants to deeply benefit from the retreat there are periods of silence built into the course.

**Chenrezig Meditation** – this is a Tibetan Buddhist meditation that embodies the union of wisdom and compassion. It is an exploration of rich symbolic imagery alongside sound (mantra) that enables us to connect deeply with these two qualities. The facilitator, Mark Schrader, is an experienced teacher who brings enthusiasm, creativity and care to the retreat. It is the 8th year that Mark has offered this course at Wangapeka.

The course is limited to 14 participants so registering early is advisable. There is an option of attending just the weekend rather than the full 4 days —please enquire.

# MORE INFORMATION

For more information please contact Kath Mitchell (Course Manager) mitchell.kath@gmail.com

# About Mark Schrader

Mark has a respectful style of teaching that encourages each person to touch into their own inherent wisdom. He teaches with humour and kindness. He began working in the field of Mental Health about 20 years ago and currently works as a counsellor in Nelson where he lives with his partner, Kath.

# REGISTRATION

To register please fill out our online registration form

https://wangapeka.org/registration-form/

Joy! # Photo Hadleigh Tiddy

Joy!

# Photo Hadleigh Tiddy

#lovingkindness #compassion #joy #equanimity # P

#lovingkindness #compassion #joy #equanimity

# Photo Hadleigh Tiddy

Upcoming Events - September 4, 2021

Upcoming Events - September 4, 2021

**Exploring kaitiakitanga of the Wangapeka whenua

**Exploring kaitiakitanga of the Wangapeka whenua with Rob McGowan**

Aug 27 @ 5:00 pm – Aug 29 @ 3:00 pm

*Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata*
*When the land is well, the people will be well.*

The Wangapeka Study and Retreat Centre is a flourishing sanctuary for many beings in these times of rapid change and challenge.

And yet, how well do we know the health of the whenua at Wangapeka, the very ground on which we and many beings depend? What is our understanding of what the Wangapeka whenua needs to be well, and so in turn, enable a sense of connection that strengthens our health and wellbeing and the health and wellbeing of many beings?

How do we become better kaitiaki of the land?

Dharmasphere are delighted to host Pa Ropata (Rob McGowan) as he guides us through a weekend of enquiry, connecting us to the whenua and its journey back to health.

As the old people said, "All you have to do is get to know the plants and they will tell you everything you need to know".

# Weekend costs:

Costs for the weekend include accommodation, food and a resource fee.

Members: $202

Non-members: $222

Children 5-13 years: $86

Under 5's: free.

Pa Ropata is generously giving his time and energy to this weekend and a dana/ koha bowl will be provided for anyone who wishes to give.

# More Information:

For more information contact Louise at <louise.petzold01@gmail.com>

# About Pa Ropata:

Rob McGowan is a prominent rongoā Māori practitioner, well respected for his work in the restoration of rongoā practise and traditional knowledge of native plants and medicines in Aotearoa New Zealand. Pa's foundational knowledge of Rongoā Māori comes from Kaumatua on the Whanganui River, and he has spent the last 30-40 years learning and sharing his knowledge in a variety of ways about Te Waonui o Tāne.

# Registration

https://wangapeka.org/about/registration-form/

# Banner photo by kazuend on Unsplash

Spring # Photo Hadleigh Tiddy

Spring

# Photo Hadleigh Tiddy

**Sanctuary in Uncertainty with Jeremy Logan & Kan

**Sanctuary in Uncertainty with Jeremy Logan & Kanya Stewart**

Insight Meditation Retreat
15 – 19 September 2021

*Fully Booked*

In these unprecedented times of radical change and uncertainty, a new world is being born. Courage and compassionate presence strengthens us to face into the chaos and not turn away. With wisdom and determination, we can move forward together to create a world based on justice, kindness, and shared resources, rather than on greed, hatred and delusion.

The practices of Insight Meditation support our inherent capacity to awaken to wisdom and an open heartedness. In recognising our own suffering, we recognise our interconnectedness and see that our personal welfare and happiness is intimately interwoven with the wellbeing of all.

**Jeremy Logan** has studied and practiced insight meditation for over 30 years and has been teaching retreats throughout New Zealand since 1993. He lives in the Wairarapa and works as a counsellor, supervisor and facilitator of change programmes.

**Kanya Stewart** lives in Taranaki, where she teaches classes and courses in Integral Yoga and Insight Meditation. Since her involvement in both traditions since 1984, Kanya has offered practices of deep relaxation, compassionate self care, embodiment and inner listening as a path to healing and renewal. Her own journey through CFS over many years has brought deep appreciation and gratitude for the Dharma in her life.

More at - https://wangapeka.org/event/sanctuary-in-uncertainty-with-jeremy-logan-kanya-stewart-2/

** Yielding ** #wangapekacentre #retreat #buddhad

** Yielding **

#wangapekacentre #retreat #buddhadharma #community

**LIFE BEFORE BIRTH** *A Virtual Exploration of H

**LIFE BEFORE BIRTH**

*A Virtual Exploration of How Womb Experience Shapes Us*

with Bonni Ross

Online -- September 12 to October 24, 2021

*Six Recorded Classes, with an App-based Feedback Loop.*

*This is a pilot project offered with the support of the Wangapeka BOT and its Program Committee.*

The period from conception to emergence, Namgyal Rinpoche declared, creates a matrix of patterning within which our lives unfold. The basis for physical and mental health, sexuality and our views on everything from philosophy to food are seeded in the womb.

These experiences do not happen to “you,” because “you” as a separate, self-aware being developed gradually after birth. It is relatively easy to contact events that we remember. But what about the blind spots? How do you meet with conditioning that happened before there was a self-reflecting ego?

This online study will be based in the Sutra App. Instructions will be provided to those who register how to connect with the app and access these teachings.
# Costs

The Wangapeka Educational Trust is generously offering this course at no cost. Dana, the traditional practice of generosity, may be offered to the teacher and the Wangapeka.

# About Dana

These priceless teachings can’t be quantified in monetary terms. Liberation teachings have always been given freely by Bonni.

An offering can be made to the teacher, traditionally at the beginning, and is a profound practice in itself. Giving can help us open; and through an open-hearted state of receptivity, we can find ourselves more able to receive.

# About Bonni Ross

Bonni Ross has taught extensively at the Wangapeka over the last 30 years and is a deeply respected ‘Centre Elder‘. She guides individuals in developing focused and skillful meditation and leads retreats for depth unfoldment.

# Registration

For registration, please contact Matthew Eades: mattheweades2@icloud.com

Registration will be limited to thirty people

# Shortened

This has been shortened to fit into Facebook and Instagram. Full description at https://wangapeka.org/event/life-before-birth/

Winter Frost # Photo Sarah Baldwin July 2021 #wa

Winter Frost

# Photo Sarah Baldwin July 2021

#wangapeka #retreat #buddhadharma #meditation

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