Silent Meditation Retreat, G.R.A.C.E, Cultivating Generosity, Reflection, Awareness, Compassion and Equanimity

Join us in Phuket, Thailand, for this 5-day silent retreat.  It is for anyone who is wishing to deepen their personal practice of mindfulness and self-compassion and the 5 qualities of G.R.A.C.E.

“I do not at all understand the mystery of grace–only that it meets us where we are but doesn’t leave us where it found us.” – Anne Lamott

The philosophy of mindfulness and self-compassion will be woven throughout the retreat. You will be invited to practice noticing ‘what is here for you in this moment?’ Ongoing inquiry of what is present will be married in with the deepening into ‘what is needed in this moment?’ Therefore, building the understanding that can come from awareness of experience and the experiencer, holding both in kindness, connection and curiosity.

This retreat allows opportunity to strengthen your ability to be present with yourself just as you are, within the safe container of expert guidance by experienced retreat leaders and in a compassionate community of fellow practitioners.

This fulfills the silent retreat requirement for most professional teacher training in MSC, MBSR and MBCT. Please check with your specific training facility prior to registering. 

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.”

-Rumi

The Venue:

We will be in the beautiful Garden Wing of Thanyapura which was purpose built as a meditation and mind centre. We will have exclusive access to our own restaurant within the Garden Wing with plenty of open garden space, and the beautiful well ventilated and spacious Meditation Hall. 

COVID information:

Here is the latest news on Thailand travel regulations: 

• Thailand Pass registration is no longer required for all travelers since July 1, 2022.
• Travelers entering Thailand will only be required to show Proof of Vaccination or COVID-19 test results for the unvaccinated.
• Travel Insurance is highly recommended to have comprehensive travel insurance when you travel to Thailand.

To get Weekly Updates on Thailand Travel Restrictions, please visit...

The Retreat Schedule:

The daily schedule includes guided and silent sitting and walking meditation, mindful movement, daily sense and savour walking outdoors and teaching focused on applying mindfulness and self-compassion, in particular personal practice in daily life. Individual and group inquiry sessions with teachers are included. Below is a tentative schedule for you to get a sense of how each day will flow.

Wednesday 

• Arrival from 2pm onward 
• 5pm brief introduction to the retreat 
• 6pm shared dinner 
• 7pm retreat commences with a talk and meditation, silence starts 

Thursday - Sunday (will all follow a similar flow with opportunities to meet with the teachers and join small group discussions) 

• Mindful movement 
• Meditation  
• Breakfast and break 
• Alternating between a seated practice and mindful walking 
• Lunch and break 
• Afternoon talk followed by seated practice and mindful walking 
• Dinner and break 
• Evening talk and meditation 

Monday  

• Early Morning Practices 
• Breakfast 
• Coming Out of Silence 
• Closing with a shared lunch

"This will be a retreat, that is also a rare treat! Meditation retreats can be a transformative experience, but so much depends upon the ability of the teachers to create a welcoming, supportive and rich learning environment. I honestly cannot think of two more skilled, wise and warm retreat leaders and teachers than Tina Gibson and Siri Chandler. Having known these two talented teachers of mindfulness and self-compassion for many years, I can easily say that I have no doubt that the participants in this retreat will be richly supported, wisely guided and warmly held by these two remarkable women. Spending time in silence and contemplation can be beautiful as well as challenging at times, and these two are among the best at supporting this inner journey. Those who attend will count themselves as lucky for having met Tina and Siri." Steven Hickman, PsyD, Executive Director, Center for Mindful Self-Compassion

Your Teachers:

Tina Gibson is a skilled and heartfelt Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teacher. She brings years of experience facilitating MSC and Mindfulness programs and workshops within the Education and Health Care Systems, Cancer Support and to the general community. Prior to this Tina’s qualities of warmth and ease in connection flourished working as a Rehabilitation Counsellor, Health Educator and Emergency Paramedic. Tina is currently the only Certified MSC Teacher Trainer and Mentor in Australia and the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion's Professional Training Coordinator for the Asia / Pacific region. She is a member of the International Advisory Council for MSC and the Mindfulness Teachers Network of South Australia.

Tina believes that while she teaches MSC it remains alive and vibrant in the way it keeps teaching her as she shares MSC far and wide. She is continually learning and growing her understanding of her personal practice. A key to this is her ongoing practice within community and regularly committing time to both attend and lead retreats herself.

Tina brings an authentic sense of warmth, ease and gentleness to the way she lives her life, teaches and leads meditation retreats.

Siri Chandler is a Certified Teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and an experienced mindfulness educator. She is a dual Thai-American national living in Pranburi, Thailand where she facilitates retreats, courses, and workshops in-person and online. Her genuineness, kindness and personal experience of the benefits of MSC and MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) infuse her courses with a special personal touch.

As an enthusiastic life-long learner, she devotes her time to continuously deepening her own practice which she has been cultivating over the past 30 years. She is especially drawn to bringing mindfulness into daily life in a practical way. She enjoys kiteboarding, trekking, yoga and walking her dogs on the beach. 

We are so fortunate to have a fellow mindfulness teacher Pete Gibson as our retreat manager.

By nature Pete is a quietly spoken and caring listener, valuing the importance of connection via holding space for one’s self and others. He has slowly transitioned from the building industry to counselling and teaching groups.

You can rest assured that he will be an approachable and caring person to turn to at any time during your retreat to assist you in whatever way possible to allow your stay to comfortable and meaningful for you.

Pete is a trained MSC teacher, Counsellor and NLP practitioner. He currently co-teaches MSC programs alongside Tina and facilitates a men’s group.

Comments from some of our 2019 retreat participants:

• Creature comforts and healthy food soothed our body and refreshed us.
• The beautiful nature that I was immersed in, the spaciousness of the green spaces, the lovely hills, the trees, plants, ponds and their kindly guests: birds, cicadas, ants, butterflies, frogs, tadpoles, fish, millipedes, centipedes, snails,…
• I can’t think of a better venue for this event. It is peaceful, lots of space, lots of nature, good air – a most appropriate conducive ambient space.
• The venue was outstanding, the food was delicious, healthy. I would ask to continue the tradition of organizing such kind of retreats with the same teachers and of course with the same manager who was so kind and patient with all the requests that was coming to him.
• It was remarkable venue.
• Venue is awesome. Would recommend Thanyapura again.

Please find a helpful document of things to know before you go to Phuket here...

We look forward to meeting you and having you join this retreat, with great kindness, Tina, Siri and Pete