Saturday, November 21, 2009
Te Moata
Tairua, North Island, New Zealand
View Listing
Although Te Moata is a Vipassana Meditation Centre, one could easily mistake it for an Ecology Centre.
View Listing
Although Te Moata is a Vipassana Meditation Centre, one could easily mistake it for an Ecology Centre.
The land and its non-human inhabitants are protected by law and are loving cared for by this organization. In addition to hiring out its venue for retreat groups, Te Moata also produces its own series of retreats primarily based around Vipassana and Dances of Universal Peace.
There is a wonderful flower garden for contemplation and a small vegetable garden. Meditation spots about abound on the land as do walking tracks. However, in keeping with the earth based focus of the center, the tracks here are rustic and more naturally rough than common walking tracks.
The main center is wonderfully designed around a central courtyard with three meeting spaces and dormitory accommodations around it.
The “dorm” accommodations have a great deal of privacy compared to other dorm rooms. The center is completely off the grid. Power is solar and water is pumped in from the springs. Audio visual needs are powered by a generator.
The center features three separate meeting spaces. One has hardwood floors and is referred to as the walking meditation room. Another is for seated meditation, and the third is a multi-function carpeted room that is wonderful for Dances of Universal peace and similar events.
The labyrinth is quite spectacular with its placement carefully chosen to take advantage of lay lines, rooted in crystals and containing hand hammered copper accents and hand made decorative elements, this labyrinth is very powerful.
Several goddess spaces have been created on the land including a goddess pool in the stream that is used for ceremonies and initiations.
For private retreats, there are hike-in rustic cabins with stunning views. What they cabins lack in phycial comforts, they more than make up for in peace and expansion offered by the views.
A rustic hike-in Barn is available for ecologically minded groups who are not in need of indoor plumbing. The space is very basic, basically camping with a roof, but provides a great container for nature groups.
# posted by Retreat Finder : 12:07 PM
Dharma Gaia Gardens
Coramandel, North Island, New Zealand
As you approach the gardens from the parking area, you can immediately feel the attentive love that has created this retreat.
Sharing a small isolated portion of the land owned by Mana Retreat, Dharma Gaia Gardens has a very different feeling from Mana.
Here the energy is introspective and vibrant through its simplicity. When entering the gardens you instantly relax and naturally slide into meditative awareness.
The care of the gardens is the living practice for these Zen practitioners in the tradition of Thich Nat Hahn. The gardens radiate with a grounded beauty that is simply not available in public gardens.
A handful of small chalets overlooking the garden are available for private retreat. The main house holds the large shrine room and dorms for retreat programs. Themes range from----
Although the center is Buddhist in background, all faiths (or non-faiths) are welcome. The shrine features a painting of Buddha walking with Jesus-- A symbol that can be interpreted to speak not only of inclusion, but also of the simplicity and importance of mindful walking.
The center offers weekly meditation to the community at large which features a sitting, walking, and shared tea. Also on this compact parcel of land is an area for the monastics..
Because of its proximity to Mana, retreatants are welcome to walk Mana’s trails and partake of their other services.
# posted by Retreat Finder : 11:56 AM
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