with
Lama Mark Webber
Wangapeka Study & Retreat Centre
A perfect opportunity for Dharma practitioners—both seasoned and new—to gather for a one-month Dzogchen retreat guided by Lama Mark Webber.
Accommodation for this retreat is now fully subscribed.
Please contact [email protected] if you wish to be added to the waitlist or are open to camping.
Lama Mark has recently entered a six-month solo retreat, so the exact daily structure remains adaptable. Historically, each day offers up to two group sessions along with plenty of individual retreat and self-practice time, including days with no formal sessions at all.
Participants can expect:
This covers accommodation, meals, and the resource fee; Dharma instruction is offered freely in the spirit of generosity. A suggested dana offering of ~NZ$30/day is appreciated but should be guided by personal means.
PayPal for dana: [email protected]
A deposit of NZ$200 (half to Wangapeka, half to course organisers) is required to confirm your place.
A limited scholarship fund is available to NZ citizens or permanent residents experiencing genuine financial hardship; priority often goes to those with prior connection to Lama Mark’s teachings. Contact the course manager to apply.
Course manager: Jonathan Chambers
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +64 21 1860 476
Online registration form: https://wangapeka.org/about/registration-form/
Lama Mark Webber (Lama Yongdu Chokyi Gyaltsen) has been studying and teaching Buddha-dharma for almost fifty years. For thirty years his main root teacher was the great Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche who taught all three cycles of the Buddha’s teachings, including Abhidhamma, Vipassana in the lineage of Mahāsi Sayādaw, generation and completion stage practices of the Tantrayana and Mahamudra/Dzogchen of many lineages, especially of the Karma Kagyu and Sakya. Under the guidance and transmissions of the late Drikung Kyabje Ontul Rinpoche and transmissions from H.E. Lho Ratna Rinpoche, Lama Webber has been teaching principally the richness of the Drikung Mahamudra, Drikung Dzogchen Yangzab and Orgyen Nuden Dorje Dzogchen traditions, transmissions of pith texts of Padmasambhava, Je Gampopa, Jamgön Ju Mipham, Patrul Rinpoche and Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra a transmission from Amnyi Trulchung Rinpoche.
He has a deep and long-term interest in the sciences and collaborates in marine biology research and the arts which he integrates with the teaching of Buddhism. Lama Webber is a founding board director of the national ecological research institute IMERSS (imerss.org) Lama Webber’s compassionate activities demonstrate a profound commitment to freeing beings from innumerable suffering states. His emphasis with practitioners and students is on uncovering pure Dharma to reveal its extraordinary benefits and share the great joy of its deep study, meditative practices and integration into all aspects of our lives.
For more information about Lama Mark Webber please see: www.markwebber.org, www.nybcc.org, www.facebook.com/lamamarkwebber, www.crystalmountain.org, www.dharmacentre.org
The retreat takes place on the beautiful Wangapeka whenua nestled in stunning native forests with expansive views down the Wangapeka valley. The land itself provides a healing sanctuary surrounded by mature trees and offering the perfect environment for reflection and reconnection with nature.
Accommodation is included in the price of the retreat, with all rooms being comfortable and well-appointed with single beds and electric heating. Shared bathroom facilities are conveniently located close to all rooms.
All meals are included in this retreat to support the your well-being and focus. Our kitchen team prepares nourishing vegetarian food to sustain and delight you throughout your stay. Specific dietary requirements can be accommodated and self-catering is also possible if you prefer to bring and prepare your own food.
This teaching room is beautifully crafted and has been used for a wide variety of teaching for over 20 years. It has a wooden parquet floor and a pot belly stove to keep away winter chills. Set amongst beautiful mature trees, it offers a charming view looking down the Wangapeka valley, creating an inspiring environment for movement and meditation practices.
The original building at Wangapeka, the Main Hall serves as the heart of community life with its combined living and dining room, library, and welcoming wood burner. Tea, coffee, and snacks are freely available here throughout your stay. Whether you choose to relax in the cosy interior or step out onto the porch to enjoy the expansive views, this space invites connection and contemplation. The hall also houses the kitchen, bathroom facilities, and laundry for your convenience.
The retreat is residential and the dates span Easter 2026. Chimé has also indicated that the community are welcome to attend, on a daily basis, on Easter Saturday (4th April) for teaching on...
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