Deepening the Practice of Everyday Awareness
A Weekend Retreat
with
John Massey
Wangapeka Study & Retreat Centre
There are probably endless practices of developing awareness; for example, mindfulness meditation, insight meditation and meditation on the breath. The seed of all these mindfulness practices is our natural, ever present awareness. Nourishing this seed, it grows and blossoms, finally fruiting as an awakening to the inexpressible wonder of the present moment.
Before the practice there is awareness, in the middle there is awareness and afterwards there is awareness.
The focus for this retreat is simply to deepen the practice of everyday awareness.
For fifty years, the Wangapeka Centre has been a place of refuge for countless people, who have explored ways and means of deepening their awareness, by taking refuge in wisdom, compassion and non-clinging awareness. This retreat offers yet another opportunity to explore and evolve our practices of awareness.
Humans, if we include our distant ancestors, have been around for roughly a couple of million years. In that time we have been continually altering the environment, both intentionally and unintentionally. Within the last one thousand years, we humans, some more than others, are becoming increasingly concerned about the harm caused by our ‘footprint’ on the planet and are trying to rectify the trend towards imbalance, disharmony and environmental degradation. I think we are all aware of these things to some extent.
What might happen if we deepen our own practice of awareness, so that we can clearly see and understand the harm being done to the earth and our natural environment? This is perhaps the most practical first step to help address the impact eight billion people are having on this planet. Our seemingly unquenchable demand for resources and the resulting pollution, puts a huge stress on our precious ecosphere.
The purpose of this weekend is not to explore the implications of the way we humans are living on the planet. The essence of this retreat is to deepen our practice of non-clinging awareness, in all aspects of our daily lives and to “rest” in this space, noticing and appreciating the life in and around us.
These two days of retreat may be the proverbial “drop in the ocean” of exploring life, but they are also an opportunity to reconnect with and deepen, simple but very profound practices, such as noticing one’s awareness at all times; while walking, eating, sitting, talking, or lying down. There are endless possibilities for reconnecting to life, both inner life and outer. The particular and vast aspects of life are nothing short of wondrous. Would you like the opportunity to reimmerse yourself into this?
Your sensitivity and your awareness grows, as the life around you grows.
You will be well catered for. The food will be vegetarian, simple and nourishing. It will be locally sourced, organically grown, as much as possible.
Eating can be a great journey of discovery; an opportunity to explore your relationship with the world as you eat and digest.
Please let us know if you have any dietary concerns.
I’ve been coming and going, to and from the Wangapeka retreat centre, for over thirty years.
It is a place of refuge for me, somewhere where I can walk slowly and softly on the well-trodden pathways. Somewhere I can sit and be in an all pervading stillness of mind and body.
I’ve been gardening and orcharding and composting and mushrooming and eating and using a wide variety of plants and plant parts for health and medicine for a long time. I’ve been sharing all of this with countless beings, teaching and offering this abundance of knowledge and sustenance.
Realizing that the Wangapeka centre has grown through the Dana of countless beings, I too can offer conscious Dana, of the natural wisdom that is all pervading and will benefit the Centre and countless beings.
I would love to share with others, in this place of refuge, how we can live simply while deepening our awareness of the wonder and the mystery of the livingness of the world we share with countless other beings.
The Wangapeka Retreat Experience
Whenua Land
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.
Kainga Accommodation
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.
Kai Food
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.
Whare Wānanga Teaching Space
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.
Whare kai Main Hall
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.
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