Date

07 - 14 Jul 2023

Expired!

Time

All Day

Meditation Mindfulness Retreats Western Mysteries

Pan and Artemis Meditation Retreat with Mira Riddiford

Name: Pan and Artemis Meditation Retreat with Mira Riddiford
Start: 2023-07-07
End: 2023-07-14

Spend a week reveling in the awe-inspiring presence of ancient Greek gods and goddesses

_{Artemis by Tsuyoshi Nagano}

For the ninth annual mid-year Western Mystery retreat we will be welcoming the wisdom teachings of the goddess Artemis and god Pan. Artemis is the greek goddess of the moon, the wild feminine, protection and safety and Pan is the goat hooved, playful, masculine god of Nature.

This retreat is an opportunity to unplug from the busyness and demands of everyday life, to reconnect with nature and your body, and to safely process your emotions. It’s a way to sit with and heal from the difficulties of life, and to go deeper in your meditation and mindfulness practice.

Please email course manager Louise Mair if flying into Nelson airport and needing to book transport to the Wangapeka retreat centre first so flight times can be coordinated. Mira needs to set up the shrine so will be getting to the retreat centre earlier in the day.

_{Mr Tumnus and Lucy by Pauline Baynes}

This retreat is also for those who are:

curious about how god and goddess archetypes can be relevant in modern life
in need of something beautiful, uplifting and inspiring
interested in Western Mysticism, Archetypes, the Tarot, the Qabalah and/or the Tree of Life
looking for creative fun ways of meditating that encourage mindfulness and peacefulness throughout the day

Investigating the richness of Western Mystery teachings can help our understanding of Buddhism and other wisdom traditions, as well as supporting our wellbeing and creativity.

This universalist meditation retreat is based on a series of symbolic, ancient mystery teachings, helping people live more loving, purposeful lives.

Mira Riddiford is a meditation and mindfulness teacher who runs retreats and series in Australasia. Her online classes have participants joining from North America, Europe, and Asia. With more than 20 years of daily practice, Mira has been trained through retreat work, study and apprenticeship in the Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche stream of teachings. She has a close ongoing relationship/association with the Wangapeka Study and Retreat Centre and the Auckland Sphere Group.

Having worked in creative fields, Mira understands how meditation can enhance the arts, and she is respectful of diversity in all its forms. Mira focuses on the relevance of mindfulness in modern daily living, and how it can help bring about calm and well being. She specialises in making teachings on mysticism available – and accessible to students who are new to these subjects. Her contemporary warm and engaging style breathes life into these meditation teachings.

Mira is passionate about what we can learn from meditating on gods and goddesses and how their teachings can work as a map for personal development. You can find out more about her astounding work here: www.mirariddiford.org

Contact Louise Mair for more information about the retreat and accommodation or Register now.

Costs and Registration

It is possible to start the retreat and leave earlier than the finishing date, but the full week will allow you to immerse yourself more deeply into this study of Wisdom gods and goddesses. Book now to secure your place, this will be a popular retreat, and numbers will be limited.

Date: 7 July 2023, 5.30pm – 14 July 2023, 2pm

Investment: $732 (*plus dana)

Members discounted price: $662 (*plus dana)

If using Paypal please add 5% of the total cost and include with your payment to cover Paypal’s fees – many thanks.

*Plus Dana (donation) to Mira for her teachings.

These figures above include accommodation, food and a nominal contribution towards Mira’s travel costs. They don’t include any dana/donation to Mira for the teachings she will impart. So people from different income brackets can benefit from this retreat, no set fee is put on the teachings. Please give generously according to your means, this will support the further scholarship of Western Mysticism. You could use as a guide $15 – $60 per day (with the understanding that everyone’s circumstances are different). Please bring cash to pay for the Dana.

To register please fill out our online registration form

Register now

*Please consider becoming a Wangapeka member – click here for details.

If you need to apply for Sangha Support (financial assistance with paying a portion of your fees) please contact the Wangapeka Centre.

Daily Schedule

What is Western Mysticism?

Encompassing archetypes, meditations and symbolism from Egyptian, Greek and Roman spirituality as well as Qabalistic, Islamic and Christian themes, Western Mysticism is for those who:

have an interest in these symbols and tradition and wish to use them for practical healing in everyday life
are curious about esoteric, mystical, magickal, pagan and nature-based teachings
are looking for mindfulness practices and mantras that focus on healing wisdom goddesses
are looking to explore a deeper level of psychic awareness and spirituality
have a desire to learn the origins and evolution of wisdom goddesses and their manifestation throughout different cultures
are looking to understand and integrate their innate, divine transcendent energies

More about the retreat

With 27 years of Buddhist and Western Mystical study and practice with teachers around the world, Mira employs these esoteric teachings of ancient wisdom goddesses and symbolism to support empowered, healing and mindful meditation practices.

She believes we all possess positive energies and healing powers within us. Her work focuses on identifying, awakening and being able to call forth these healing energies through:

Recognition: Using texts and visuals of angels through time, and exploring how their forms manifested and took different names throughout different cultures.
Symbolism: Delving into the motifs and artefacts depicting angels possess and what they stand for.
Desired Traits: Understanding why older cultures focused on these symbols and archetypes – to raise the archetypes’ traits within themselves.
Personified energies: Learning to call upon these energies or traits to overcome one’s own personal or emotional battles and fears.
Integration: Call the above healing energies and integrating their powers to guide and aid you in your everyday life, by way of mindfulness meditation and mantras.

What can I expect to achieve?

A greater understanding of goddesses and esoteric work
The opportunity to unplug from the busyness and demands of everyday life
An opportunity to reconnect with nature and your body and safely process your emotions
A way to sit with and heal the difficulties of everyday life
The ability to go deeper in your meditation and mindfulness practice
A takeaway kit of visual tools, practical mantras and texts to continue to heal and strengthen your practice
A deeper sense of mindfulness and personal empowerment
Initiation into the esoteric teachings and the opportunity to further study and pursue this spiritual path

What should I bring?

Whilst a more detailed practical packing list will be provided, we suggest that to get the most out of the workshop, bring:

an open, curious “beginner’s mind”
a genuine interest in western mysticism and esoteric teachings
a willingness to partake in the suggested exercises and activities
an open heart that’s ready to receive these energetic gifts
an inclusive attitude of all religions, backgrounds, genders and races
your meditation practice (all levels welcome)
your sense of humour
retreat etiquette – this retreat will be in silence other than class times, to encourage calm and clarity

_{Diana the Huntress by Guillaume Seignac}

Testimonials

“Wow! The meditation retreat with Mira Riddiford was so incredibly powerful & transformational for me. I spent the entire week in my own private hut which allowed me to deeply explore my mind, body & spirit. Meditating on gods, goddesses & tarot card archetypes opened me up to new ways of being. Almost like I could create myself & BE anyway I choose in each moment. I feel like I was reborn. On top of the transformation that was happening inside, I felt immense peace being surrounded by nature on the outside. Mira’s teachings were thoughtful yet playful. Her strong presence, intuition & wisdom created a safe, loving space where everyone’s needs were acknowledged. She is a powerhouse Wonder Woman. A truly amazing retreat to be on.” – L. Hill

“I highly recommend the Western Mysteries series with Mira. Anyone genuinely searching for meaning in life will not be disappointed. This course is so rich with content, thoroughly enjoyable and so much more than an intellectual exercise. Mira took us on a journey of exploration of the fabric of life. Her wealth of practical experience in esoteric study allows these teachings to truly come alive.” – N. Stevens

“The Western Mysteries retreat was a highly supported environment for the exploration and meditation on the Tarot archetypes. Mira’s teaching was thought-provoking and gripping, nurturing the various levels of meditators present. It was an incredible experience to explore the Dharma from this colourful, creative and totally different perspective – with such a gifted, open-minded, modern, tuned-in teacher. I am only beginning to see the effects of the retreat, but am beyond grateful to have been there.” – N. Karneef

“Recently I attended a Western Mysteries retreat taught by Mira Riddiford.

I originally registered hoping for a rest and respite from a busy work life in community healthcare. I was not disappointed and received so much more.

Mira skilfully held space for the diverse retreatants to experience the teachings. These were vibrantly given in a respectful, humorous and supportive way.

They were fascinating teachings, drawing on ancient western wisdom, while also resonating with modern science.

Being a fledgling meditator, discovering meaningful ways to support myself and others was gold. Drawing on thousands of years of collective wisdom has been an unexpected and refreshing experience.

Returning to daily life and facing a particularly challenging situation, I found myself naturally drawing on the rich learning experiences to feel further calm and support.” – S. Hollobon

“The Western Mysticism retreat with Mira Riddiford was a precious opportunity to experience the richness, colour and depth of meditating on archetypes and symbols. As the stillness and silence deepened, I felt I could catch a glimpse of gods and goddesses behind the next tree. The delicious meals provided by the Mystery Kitchen were also very memorable. What a profound gift to study a path exploring the spiritual traditions of my ancestors. A magical week.” – N. Paton

“With an interest in meditation, but being unfamiliar with Buddhist imagery, Mira’s course on Western Mysticism resonated strongly with me. Contemplating together on some of the classical and pagan icons, so embedded in Western culture and heritage, was a powerful means of gaining greater insight. The beauty and tranquillity of the Wangapeka Retreat Centre was a wonderful place to enjoy that.” – J. Leyland