Retreat Finder Tour Blog

Colville, Coromandel Peninsula, North Island, New Zealand

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This sweet little Tibetan Buddhist center is located just north of Coromandel. The center sits on a small piece of land along the highway but it has a big heart and a strong following of supporters. The center is run by the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), under the direction of Lama Zopa Rinpoche..

The public is invited to picnic at the stupa or come to the main house for tea and questions. 

The center offers mediation classes, courses on Buddhist philosophy, practice, and retreats year around and individuals are welcome to come for personal retreats (short or long term). Although there is no resident teacher, Venerable Nangsel, the centre’s director and an outgoing and engaging woman, is available for consultation and guidance.  Beyond retreat work, the center is also engaged in projects to support the local community.

Thames, Coromandel Peninsula, North Island, New Zealand

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Sudarshanaloka is a retreat centre on about 200 acres of native New Zealand bush with streams, birds and beautiful views. The small resident community is engaging and very welcoming.

Sudarshanaloka welcomes people of all faiths and Buddhist lineages. Programs range in subject matter from Tai Chi, mens retreats, developing kindness, family retreats, to death and impermanence.     

The land has a very strong energy and the space has been created not as a typical retreat center, but as a sanctuary. The location is remote and a bit hard to find, which helps to keep the energy of the land.

Atop the hill stands a stupa which all are welcome to visit. Local community members will make the journey just to visit the stupa.

There is a wonderful sanctuary that will accommodate about 15 comfortably for group retreats and can be hired as a venue.

A new structure is in the process of completion that will serve much larger groups. The design of the structure was done in conjunction with a local University. Simply to walk into the building is a practice in meditation. Once completed it will prove to be a model for contemplative architecture.

Accommodations vary in style and location. There are isolated retreat huts that can be used for long term practice retreats. There is dorm style accommodation in the main house and huts and caravans for use.

Food is vegetarian, all life is respected (ie expect to see spiders), and the drugs, alcohol and sex are not allowed on the sacred land.

To support the work of the center, Sudarshanaloka runs Lotus Realm, an import gift shop in downtown Thames.