An Invitation to Journey Into the Heart

We all feel the pull to rest more deeply, but stepping away from everyday life can feel like a big decision. A silent retreat is not about effort or doing more. It’s about laying everything down for a few days — the performing, the explaining, the busyness — and letting yourself be held by silence.

Silence is not empty. It is alive, tender, and spacious — a place where the heart can breathe again. When we rest in silence, the layers of striving and self-protection begin to soften, and the heart’s natural qualities — presence, compassion, clarity, and love — come forward. This is not something we force; it unfolds on its own when given the right conditions.

The heart is both the doorway and the teacher here. It is where stillness meets aliveness, where we remember our belonging, and where we can touch what is most essential in us.

Through Mouna (noble silence) and embodied presence, we create the conditions to soften layers of tension and distraction, allowing the essence of your being to gently reveal itself. This retreat offers a sacred space to explore the interconnectedness of body, heart, and awareness, cultivating a grounded experience of wholeness and inner peace.

Why Mouna?

Mouna, the practice of silence, is a powerful way to attune to the deeper layers of our being. By setting aside words and external interactions, we create space to listen—to the quiet wisdom of the Heart, the rhythms of the body, and the presence that underlies all experience.

What You’ll Experience

• Silence & Self-Discovery: A quiet, supportive environment—noble silence, no interaction, and contemplative practices to support inner exploration.

• Guidance and Education

• Meditation: Anchored in three foundational attitudes:

1. Awareness of the Heart Centre.

2. Awareness of the natural pauses after inhalation and exhalation.

3. Self-inquiry, using the question: "Who am I?"

• Embodiment Practices: Hatha yoga & somatic practices, pranayama, and guided exercises to help you inhabit your body with presence and ease.

• Rest

• Nourishment

• Integration: A closing sharing circle to reflect on your journey and connect your insights to daily life.

  
  

This retreat is open to beginners and seasoned practitioners alike, offering a sanctuary for Stillness and self-discovery, no matter where you are on your path.

Daily Flow

7:00–9:00 AM: Meditation

9:00–10:00 AM: Breakfast

10:00–11:00 AM: Teachings

11:15 AM–1:30 PM: Hatha yoga & Meditation

1:30–3:30 PM: Lunch & Rest

3:30–6:30 PM: Meditation (with breaks)

6:30–7:00 PM: Personal Practice

7:00–8:00 PM: Dinner

8:00–9:30 PM: Q&A / Technique Presentation / Practice

The Practical Details

- Location: Stroud Monastery, surrounded by peaceful bushland (1-hour drive from Newcastle).

- Accommodation: Single basic rooms with shared bathrooms.

- Meals: 3 nourishing vegan meals per day.

- Dates & Cost: Includes 3 nights accommodation and all meals.

Why Join This Retreat?

With years of experience guiding silent retreats, I hold a compassionate and supportive space for each participant to feel safe, respected, and seen. This retreat weaves together practices that gently guide you into a deeper connection with yourself—bringing Stillness to the mind, openness to the Heart, and grounded presence to the body.

The teachings I draw from integrate yoga, psychotherapy, and non-dual awareness. Yoga offers a way of listening to the body and softening into presence. Psychotherapy brings an attuned, trauma-informed lens that honours the nervous system and the tender places within us that need safety to unfold. Non-dual wisdom invites us beyond fixing and effort, into a deeper intimacy with what already is. These streams come together to create a retreat that is both grounded and spacious, both practical and deeply spiritual.

You may come with questions, weariness, or simply curiosity. You don’t need to arrive with experience or know how to meditate “properly.” This retreat is about creating a safe, simple space where your body can settle, your nervous system can rest, and your heart can open into its natural wisdom.

You’ll leave with a clearer sense of inner spaciousness, connected to the truth of who you are and equipped with practices to sustain this connection in your everyday life.

Take the Next Step

Let this retreat be a gift to yourself—a space to rest in Stillness, uncover the Heart’s wisdom, and com home to yourself.

Email me with any questions or to reserve your place. Spaces are limited.

“The Heart is the portal to the infinite. Through Stillness, we discover the unshakable ground of our being.”

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations more than 21 days prior: $100 deposit is non-refundable; balance refunded.

- Cancellations 8–21 days prior: $200 partial refund provided.

- Cancellations within 7 days: No refund, but your place may be transferred.