This seven-day retreat offers a rare opportunity to connect with one of the most highly-respected insight teachers in the US, Gil Fronsdal, in the peaceful natural environment of Te Moata.

Each day, there will be sessions of guided and silent sitting meditation, walking meditation, group discussion, individual meetings with the teachers and a period of optional, gentle mindful movement.

Teachers: Gil Fronsdal (USA) and Jill Shepherd (Aotearoa / NZ)

Gil Fronsdal is the founding teacher, and a co-guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California and the Insight Retreat Center in Santa Cruz, California. He has been teaching since 1990. Gil has practiced Zen and Vipassanā since 1975 and has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford. He is a husband and father of two boys.

You can read Articles by Gil and see information on Gil’s Books on this site.
You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma.

Jill Shepherd began practicing insight meditation in Thailand in 1999, and since that time has lived and worked at several meditation centres and monasteries in the US, Australia, England, and Thailand. She recently spent seven years on staff at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, and is a graduate of the IMS / Spirit Rock teacher training program in the US, under the guidance of Joseph Goldstein and Gil Fronsdal.

Experience level: This retreat is best suited to people who have done at least two previous insight meditation retreats of five days or longer.

Accommodation: Rooms are mainly curtained cubicles with shared bathrooms. Men and women and couples are housed separately. A limited number of single rooms/cabins/cottages are available at a $30 a day surcharge#.

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

Special diets: The centre requests a $10 per day surcharge to cater for special diets. This additional fee of $70 is payable directly to Te Moata so please bring cash for this.

Work meditation: To help integrate mindfulness into daily life activities, there will be a period of work meditation each day of approximately 45 minutes.

Retreat fees: sliding scale $950-$750 + dāna*

Supporter rate $950 - Slightly more than actual-cost ticket: covers cost of food and accommodation, a contribution to the teacher's international airfare, and a contribution to scholarships for low-income attendees

Actual cost $850 - Actual-cost ticket covers cost of food and accommodation, and a small contribution to the teacher's international airfare

Scholarship rate $750 - Below cost ticket: covers a contribution towards cost of food and accommodation only

The teaching is freely offered, and there will be an opportunity to give dāna* to the teachers 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.
If we have to cancel the retreat due to Covid-19, you will receive a full refund, minus a $50 administration fee.

*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 for the teaching at the end of the event.

#Please note: Single Accommodation, Bedding, and Special Diet Surcharges are payable directly to Te Moata so either pay the centre in advance, or bring cash and pay on arrival.