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“I have attended a number of Silent Retreats facilitated by Rose. These retreats have honestly changed my life for the better, and also the lives of those around me.”
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ABOUT SILENT RETREATS:
A Silent Meditation Retreat is a gentle, yet profound meditative deep dive that can dramatically shift the way you experience life and your relationship with yourself. It is an opportunity to:
explore yourself earnestly,
experience what it is to be fully present and fully alive
reconnect with your heart.
learn how to calm the mind,
reduce the impact of incessant worry and anxiety,
reveal the innate joy, love, and peace that reside within us all.
Most importantly, it is a chance to remember how to deeply rest.
*Please note that the retreat spans 7 days, including arrival and departure days, with 5 full days of silence
INCLUSIONS:
6 nights accommodation
3 daily delicious and nutritious meals
Water, tea, coffee served throughout the day
Daily yoga classes
Daily meditation classes
Daily pranayama classes
Course Manual
Pre and post retreat support from our team
Parking
“Attending this Silent Retreat was one of the most unexpectedly life-changing experiences I’ve ever had. I left feeling genuinely lighter, more spacious, seen, and grounded.
The facilitators were nothing short of phenomenal; a rare combination of authenticity, presence, warmth and leadership. They weren’t just “running a retreat”; they held space for us with humility, heart, and the perfect sprinkle of humour. Every detail felt thoughtfully curated without being rigid. They were the captains of a deeply human, transformative adventure.”
”
BENEFITS:
Escape the Urban Chaos and Embrace Silence
Digital DetoxDeepen Your Yoga and Meditation Practices Daily
Reconnect with Yourself and Discover Inner Peace
Nurturing a Healthy Body and Mind through Retreat
Dedicated Time to Focus on Personal Growth
Experience Compassionate Guidance from Skilled Instructors
Meet Like-Minded Souls and Build Lasting Connections
The ideal place to unplug, slow down that fast pace, and get back in touch with nature
Be more relaxed and refreshed than you’ve ever been
A chance to get away and step aside from all the hustle and bustle of city life
The ideal location to unplug and enjoy the beauty of nature
FOOD:
3 nourishing vegetarian meals per day will be provided, plus dinner on check-in day, and breakfast on check-out day.
Without a doubt, one of the highlights of this retreat center is the food. Our specialty is vegetarian (and sometimes vegan) cuisine and all meals are prepared fresh onsite in our commercial kitchen with seasonal ingredients and retreat-grown herbs and vegetables. Each meal is presented in banquet style with plenty of variety. We easily cater to vegans, those with allergies, and gluten-free diets. Many of our recipes are unique and the meals you eat on your retreat will be influenced by the seasonal variety of fresh produce at the time.
What you can expect
A typical Happy Buddha dinner may comprise a creamy veggie soup or slow-cooked dhal, a tasty curry or Mediterranean-style stew packed full of vegetables and legumes, a side of rice, quinoa or rice noodles, a seasonal salad, an array of toppings including nuts, spices, seeds. Occasionally we may provide cheese and eggs within dishes (but we’ll always let you know and will offer vegans an alternative.)
Our vegetarian menu
Our food style is tasty vegetarian home-cooked cuisine. Our chefs are influenced by Asian, Indian, and Mediterranean flavors and occasionally we may use dairy and eggs. Spices and chili are utilized in some dishes for flavor and medicinal value. We love to use seasonal vegetables and for added protein, we include legume varieties, grains, tofu, and tempe.
Herbal teas and plenty of filtered water are available. (We do have instant coffee and tea for those needing a little caffeine hit.)
Meals Provided
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Diets Catered
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten Free
Vegan
Vegetarian
ABOUT THE FACILITATORS
Rose Cousens & Alistair Johnston
Rose spent four of the past seven years immersed in intensive training at Hridaya Yoga, a meditation and yoga school on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Her time there included over 250 days of silent retreat, extended solitude, and the joys and challenges of community life.
When COVID-19 brought her home to Australia, she began guiding retreats and yoga classes in Far North Queensland, blending classical Yoga and Buddhist Psychology to offer a sincere, reflective, and wholehearted approach to life.
Before Mexico, she was a busy Sydneysider who (accidentally) gave it all up to follow the question: "Who am I?"
Alistair began meditating in 2014 at a Thai monastery. Since then, he’s studied yoga extensively, and has sat many retreats. He met Rose in Mexico in 2018 and has supported the retreats since their beginning—now co-facilitating. He’s also a writer; find his stories at alistair-johnston.com.
For more information about Rose, including a full list of accreditations and experience, visit the About Rose page.
PRICES & ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS: (for 6 nights accommodation + all meals)
IMPORTANT NOTE: The prices listed below cover the hard costs for running the retreat only, including accommodation for six nights nights, any additional costs to secure the whole venue for our silent container, 17 (delicious!) meals, and unlimited tea and fresh fruit throughout the weekend.
The retreat program itself is by conscious donation. This means there is no built-in fee to contribute to the administrative and other preparatory aspects in the lead-up to the retreat, nor for our time and energy in facilitating the experience.
We do this because we want to ensure the retreat is accessible for as many of you as possible, and we understand that each individual's circumstances and perception of value vary. So, after the retreat, you will get to choose an amount you would like to contribute, that aligns with both your financial capacity and the value you place on the program itself.
WOMEN’S TRIPLE SHARE ROOM: $700 per person + Program fee by donation.
WOMEN’S TWIN SHARE ROOM: $875 per person + Program fee by donation.
MEN’S TWIN SHARE ROOM: $875 per person + Program fee by donation.
PRIVATE ROOM (Single Bed): $1,300 per person + Program fee by donation
PRIVATE ROOM (Double bed): $1,400 per person + Program fee by donation.
DELUXE PRIVATE ROOM (King bed): $1,500 per person + Program fee by donation.
All rooms have private ensuite bathrooms.
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PAYMENT & REGISTRATION POLICIES:
To secure your spot, a $100 deposit is required. Please familiarise yourself with the Cancellation Policy before making a booking.
Final payments are due one month before the retreat. You will receive an invoice to complete your payment. If payment is not received by the due date and we haven’t heard from you, your spot may be offered to another participant.
A Conscious Donation for the program is payable at the end of the retreat, preferably in cash, or via bank transfer :)
This retreat is addressed to those in a stable emotional and psychological state. If you have any mental health conditions, please read our Mental Health Disclaimer to help determine if this retreat is right for you, or write to Rose at hello@rosecousens.com if you have an questions or concerns.
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In order to maintain a silent, sacred container together and support each other on the journey, we follow strict guidelines. Please review these carefully before signing up to the retreat.
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Cancellation Policy
Please note: As these retreats operate on a donation basis, we do not have a financial buffer to absorb cancellations if we are unable to fill your place. We kindly ask that you carefully consider your decision to register and take note of the following refund timelines:
Deposit: The $100 deposit is non-refundable but transferable to another person or a future retreat.
Full Payment: Full payment is due one month prior to the retreat. If payment is not made by this time and no alternative arrangement has been agreed upon, your place may be offered to someone else.
Cancellations 30-15 Days Before Retreat: A 50% refund will be provided (based on the full retreat fee), unless a replacement participant is found.
Cancellations Within 14 Days of Retreat: No refund will be provided.
We strongly recommend taking out travel insurance to cover your retreat fees in case of emergencies, illness, or unforeseen circumstances.
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These retreats are offered by “conscious donation.” This means only the cost of food and accommodation is fixed - the price of which is based on the venue hire and the cost of the meals.
The programmatic component - the program itself, including training, preparation, administrative, marketing, and teaching aspects during the retreat - is up to you. This requires some personal reflection and a level of integrity, weighing up what feels harmonious for you to afford at this moment in time, as well as the perceived value of the retreat (excluding food and accommodation).
To support with budgeting, in general, the minimum donation for a 3-day retreat by full-time students and low-income participants is $150. However, we encourage you to reflect on what feels right for you, and you won’t need to decide until after the retreat. :)
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The full retreat schedule can be found here.
Please note, this is subject to change.
