The sacred playground of Mvuleni mountain is conducive for practices that encourage healing and peace within ourselves. On this retreat, we aim to lean into the land’s support to explore meditation and deep listening.
The intention will be to turn inwards to our own heart, and to water the seeds of listening. To listen with patience, kindness and curiosity to that which yearns for healing, to that which wants to emerge, to our authentic self.
We aim to listen deeply while practising sitting, standing, walking and lying-down meditation. While walking in the mountain, while sitting in the forest or on the rocks, or while indulging in mindful movement or mindful work. The container for all of this deep listening will be the noble silence that we will offer each other, taking a break from conversation and giving each other space to be with our own hearts.
This retreat is open to anyone interested in meditation of all experience levels. We will listen to the group and create a container that suits your needs.
What might you find in your heart? What baggage might you put down? What quiet joy might you unearth?
About Niel and Maia
Niel and Maia met at Dharmagiri 8 years ago.
Niel is a 10th generation South African, born and raised on a sheep-farm outside Edenburg in the southern Free State. Before moving to Dharmagiri in November of 2022, he and Maia founded and ran a small retreat centre outside Magaliesburg called “lalela. a place of listening” for five years. Niel began exploring meditation 16 years ago and has previously trained as a monastic at the Chithurst buddhist monastery in the UK. He draws inspiration for his practice from Kittisaro and Thanissara, Ajahn Brahm, Antony Osler, Ajahn Sucitto, and Thich Nhat Hanh. Niel is also a cellist and has in the past worked as a South African diplomat, beekeeper and mushroom cultivator. He is a proud co-parent of Freddy and Luna, the two corgis resident at Dharmagiri.
Maia is a healer and a storyteller. She has worked as a social researcher, editor and teacher. And has facilitated storytelling, self-expression and listening projects with people in schools, NGOs, through art projects and on retreats. She is also an initiated healer within the West African Dagara tradition. Maia has been exploring meditation since she was 17 and first started practicing with Kittisaro and Thanissara at Dharmagiri in 2014. She was the co-founder of ‘lalela. a place of listening’, with her partner Niel, which was a home, farm and space for retreat in Magaliesburg for five years. Here they hosted retreats integrating mindfulness, art and healing. Her main aim is to create spaces of gentle holding where we can all just be ourselves. Maia’s poetry can be accessed at https://maiamaries.wordpress.com/
Costs
R4040pp shared room with shared bathroom
R4440pp single room with ensuite bathroom
Teaching on this retreat is offered freely in the spirit of dana. We welcome contributions in exchange to support the teachers on this retreat.
Suggested teacher dana: R600 – R2000
To book email office@dharmagiri.org