Stillness in Action Retreats 2013
Tilba Tilba, South Coast NSW
Namgyalgar Retreat Centre
20 – 24 April, 2013
Fee $375 – 490 on a sliding scale according to income
Retreat leaders: Bobbi Allan, Olivia Bernardini & Skye Etherington
Contact Skye Etherington:
[email protected] / 026494 1334
Brochure
Booking Forms
Stillness in Action Retreats take place by request.
If you would like to organise a retreat in your area, please contact us
Another retreat is being planned near Bellingen in October / November 2013
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Our Venues
Our venues are always in beautiful locations with easy access to bush or beach. Accommodation and facilities vary from location to location.
Namgyalgar Retreat Centre at Tilba is nestled on the slopes of mount Gulaga, a sacred site of the local Indigenous people, close to the coastal beaches. It features spectacular views of forests, mountains, sea and lakes, a pristine stream, abundant native wildlife and beautiful bushland.
Facilities include the Gonpa (meditation hall), retreat cabins, kitchen, camping ground, showers and toilets, gazebo, and pathways for walks. The Centre is powered by solar power, gas and wood fired systems (there is no mains electricity).
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Fees and Dana (Generosity)
The fee for the retreat covers only food, accommodation, and workshop materials, but not fees for the teachers. This is because we follow the Buddhist tradition of Dana. Dana means ‘generosity’ or ‘giving’. In traditional Buddhist teachings it is one of the ten perfections. Generosity of spirit in practical and spiritual matters is the path of opening the heart to oneself, to others, and to the world. From the time of the Buddha, 2,500 years ago, the teachings have been given freely. In Asia lay people have supported the monastic community by providing for their material needs, as they in turn offered the teachings of liberation and guided the practice of lay students. Without the generosity of the lay community, the Buddha’s teachings would not be available to us today.In the West many teachers are not monastics with a traditional support structure behind them. The realities of daily living expenses make for an interesting counterpoint to a tradition built on giving, rather than asking for a set fee for our time and effort. Yet we believe the principle that the teachings be available to everyone regardless of their means remains as relevant in our market orientated society as is was in more traditional societies. As lay teachers we give enormously of our time, energy and understanding, and rely on the generosity of retreat participants and friends in order to continue this work.
“Go forth on your journey for the benefit of the many, for the joy of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, for the benefit and joy of all beings.” The Buddha