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Earth Body Human Body

with

Chani Grieve & Duncan Mckay

Wangapeka Study & Retreat Centre

This retreat is now FULL. Please contact Chani [email protected] to go on a waiting list.

“You need go no further than your own body to understand the Universe.” – Namgyal Rinpoche

Weaving together movement, meditation, art and science, in this retreat we will enter the studio/laboratory of our own human experience. We will observe, contemplate, explore, play, and come to understand some of the patterns that shape our own lives and all of life.

Our human bodies are the doorway to our personal, ancestral, collective and planetary history, and the vehicle for liberation in this life. They show us the way to remembering and realising our fundamental wholeness. Through our loving attention and intention, we will honor the intimate relationship between healing ourselves and restoring our world. As we align our human body with the self-healing mechanism of the earth body, we ourselves become the medicine so sorely needed in our world.

Join us as we embark on a restorative, creative, experiential and illuminating journey into our interbeing nature, to bring healing, insight, liberation, and joy to our lives.

This retreat will be supported by assistant teaching from Duncan McKay

In this retreat you will be supported by :

  • connected movement sessions using Feldenkrais, chi gong, and gentle somatic practices
  • guided meditation suitable for beginners and those with experience
  • creative enquiry and contemplative art explorations of the theme
  • evolutionary biology and the natural sciences and how they provide a foundation for human unfolding
  • ample time for rest and personal practice
  • delicious vegetarian food
  • the healing beauty and support of the Wangapeka whenua

This retreat is suitable for adults of all ages. It may be of particular interest to those in healing/education/environmental/scientific/creative professions, people with health challenges needing a gentle, attuned and embodied approach to healing, and anyone curious about how the body guides our natural unfoldment into wisdom and compassion.

Facilitators

Chani Grieve was born into a dharma community in Tasmania, and has been a dedicated practitioner of meditation and body-centred modalities for over 17 years, sharing her experience since 2012. She graduated from the 4-year Feldenkrais Professional Training Program in Melbourne in 2013, and has been weaving movement and meditation together ever since. She works as a Feldenkrais Practitioner and Embodiment Trainer/Facilitator, and is passionate about sharing with people the power of working with the body to liberate our creativity, joy and full potential, by accessing the natural laws of growth and unfolding encoded in our bodies. Chani is a mum to a joyful and active toddler, and is now walking the awesome, difficult, and deeply satisfying path of motherhood, and the beautiful challenge of integrating the essence of our world’s wisdom teachings into the nitty gritty of everyday life.

Photo of Chani Grieve

Duncan is an experienced meditator, Tai Chi practitioner, artist and maker of jewellery. He lives in sunny Nelson with his partner Diane and makes and sells jewellery in galleries throughout NZ. He also works part time at the Nelson Library. Upon leaving High School he completed a degree in Geology and worked in this sphere for a number of years. He has maintained a strong interest and love for earth history and processes. It is this and the wonder experienced in observing the patterns in nature that drives the jewellery making process.

Since travelling with Tarchin Hearn to Central America in 1989, Duncan has maintained a dedicated meditation practice over the last 35 years. Duncan has attended a wide range of meditation retreats primarily at the Wangapeka Centre, and has studied with with Tarchin Hearn, Bonni Ross and many other Teachers. Another strong area of interest is the human body, our evolution over time and how we function in the world. He studied Tai Chi and Chi Gung in Auckland over a number of years, and has studied various forms of body work and massage. Maintaining a current Tai Chi and Chi Gung practice, body awareness and fitness is an important facet of his life.

Photo of Duncan Mckay
Essential Information

To register for a retreat or programme, participants must complete the online registration form or contact our office directly. Registration is confirmed upon receipt of the required deposit.

  • All fees are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD) and include GST unless otherwise stated.

  • A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place.

  • Full payment is due at least one week prior to the start date unless otherwise arranged.

  • We accept payment via bank transfer, credit card, and other specified payment method

Dana is the practice of generosity, a gift freely given with no strings attached. In keeping with ancient wisdom traditions, the facilitators offer their teaching freely, and no fee for their facilitation is included in the course costs. The retreat fee covers accommodation, meals, and course resources, but not compensation for the teachers.

You are warmly invited to offer Dana as a gesture of appreciation and support for the teachings and those who share them. This is an offering from the heart, given according to your means and circumstances. There is no expected amount—Dana is about generosity of spirit rather than a prescribed fee.

Traditionally, Dana is offered at the beginning of the retreat by placing an envelope in the Dana bowl or box. However, there are many ways to express generosity, and if you'd like to explore other forms of Dana, please feel free to ask.

If cost is a barrier to your participation, Wangapeka has a Sangha Support Fund available, and you are welcome to apply for assistance to attend. If you are experiencing financial hardship and would like to participate, please contact the course manager to discuss possible options.

If cost is a barrier to your participation we encourage you to consider applying for sangha support. Funds have been donated to Wangapeka to offer support for people who want to attend retreats and are unable to afford it. Sangha Support is for accommodation costs only and up to a maximum of 50% of those costs. More info can be found on our costs page. To apply contact the Wangapeka Office Caretaker [email protected].

Please remember to bring sufficient cash to cover your dana to the teacher (if you are attending a group retreat).

  • Bedding (pillow, pillowcase & 2 blankets are provided)

  • Towel

  • Personal items, toiletries, medication

  • Alarm clock

  • Torch (with spare batteries)

  • Easy slip-on shoes as all shoes are left outside buildings

  • Raincoat and/or umbrella

Winter

  • Hot-water bottle

  • Extra bedding

  • Warm clothing

Summer

  • Sunscreen

  • Insect repellent

  • Sun hat

  • Swimming gear

The Wangapeka Study & Retreat Centre is located about an hour and a half drive SW of Nelson, New Zealand. Nestled in the foothills of the Southern Alps it, overlooks the beautiful Wangapeka River.

If you require transport advice or assistance or, please let us know when you register.

During your stay at the Centre you are invited to abide by five precepts of skilful living:

  1. to refrain from harming others

  2. to refrain from stealing

  3. to refrain from sensual misconduct

  4. to refrain from unskillful speech

  5. to refrain from taking substances that cloud the mind and hide the openness of the heart

We understand that sometimes plans change, and we are happy to offer a refund for cancellations made at least 30 days before the start date.

If a person cancels within the month before the course starts:

  • The deposit is non-refundable but can be used for another retreat within 6 months

  • Fees paid are fully refunded if cancellation is at least a week before the course starts

If a person cancels within the week before the course starts:

  • The deposit is non-refundable

  • If cancellation is due to illness, all fees paid are fully refundable on request

  • If cancellation is for any other reason, 50% of fees paid are refundable on request

If a person leaves the course for reasons beyond their control (e.g., illness, death in the family) during a retreat:

  • The deposit is non-refundable

  • 50% of the balance of any fees paid for the missed days are refundable on request

  • If a person leaves the course for any other reason, no refunds will be provided

In the rare event that Wangapeka cancels a course:

  • All deposits and fees paid will be fully refunded, or

  • Participants may choose to transfer their payment to another course within 12 months

22 - 25 Nov 2024 17:00 - 15:00
4 days residential retreat
Wangapeka Study & Retreat Centre
Register Now

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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