Exploring the Buddha's path to freedom: a four-night insight meditation retreat 2026

This four-night insight meditation retreat offers a rare opportunity to explore some of the key aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path, the holistic path of practice laid out by the Buddha that supports us to find ease and freedom right in the midst of our everyday lives.

The retreat will be grounded in noble silence, and will include:

• guided and silent sitting and walking meditation;

• some relational practice, contemplating aspects of the teachings together in pairs and small groups through mindful speaking and listening

• optional individual meetings with the teacher

This retreat is suitable for beginners as well as people with an established insight meditation or mindfulness practice.

Accommodation: Rooms are all single rooms

Food: The centre will provide simple vegetarian meals for the retreat. Please indicate on the registration form if you have any food allergies or medical dietary needs. 

Mobile phones: In support of your own and others' meditation practice, please don’t use mobile phones or any other electronic devices during the retreat.

In the event of an emergency, family members or friends can call the St Francis retreat centre on 09 625 6651

Retreat fees: sliding scale $850-$650 + dāna*

The retreat fee covers only the cost of food and accommodation, plus a small contribution to administration costs. The teaching is freely offered, and there will be an opportunity to give dāna* to the teacher at the end of the retreat.

To reserve a place on the retreat, you will need to pay a deposit of $100 through Humanitix. The balance of the retreat payment is due one week after registering with Humanitix. Account details for balance payments will be included on your Humanitix confirmation email.

Cancellation policy:
The retreat fee is refundable - minus a $50 administration fee - up to one month before the retreat begins.
If you cancel after that time, the retreat cost will be forfeited and used to help subsidise low-income tickets.

Please note the venue cancellation policy: "Non-arrival of booked participants, who are unable to attend or fail to attend for whatever reason will still be required to pay the full amount of the booking."

*Dāna: In most Buddhist traditions the teachers are not paid to teach. Instead, the teachings are given on a dāna basis – dāna being the Pali word for generosity or giving freely – so there will be an opportunity to offer a donation to support the teacher at the end of the retreat.