100h Meditation Teacher Training.

In Person Component: May 13-19, 2026 Blue Mountains.

Online Component: May 19 - August 8, 2026.


“The true practice of meditation is to sit as if you were drinking water when you are thirsty.”
- Shunryu Suzuki

A heart-centred, experiential training for those drawn to depth, clarity, and sincere practice.

Why this training?

  • Experiential first.

    A five-day silent retreat forms the foundation of the training.

  • Depth without Dogma.

    The curriculum draws from multiple contemplative approaches while emphasising discernment, sensitivity, and direct experience over rigid frameworks.

  • Teaching from embodiment.

    Rather than learning scripts or techniques alone, participants are supported to teach from presence, clarity, and lived understanding.

  • A longterm view.

    This training is designed to support a lifelong relationship with meditation, not a quick qualification.


”Set fire to the Self within by the practice of meditation. Be drunk with the wine of divine love. Thus shall you reach perfection.”

 - Shveta Shvatara Upanishad

This 100-Hour Meditation Teacher Training draws from a range of contemplative traditions that place direct experience at the centre. These include awareness-based and non-dual teachings rooted in Advaita Vedanta (non-duality), Atma-Vichara (self-inquiry) classical Buddhist meditation practices, heart-centred approaches such as prayer and compassion practices, and both classical and tantric yoga perspectives on breath, mantra, and subtle energy.

These traditions are not taught as belief systems or philosophies to adopt, but as living practices to explore for yourself.

For some, this training will primarily deepen personal practice. For others, it will also support the capacity to share meditation with others. In both cases, the emphasis is on direct experience rather than theory or performance.

The intention isn’t to separate meditation from the rest of life, but to let it shape how we live, relate, and work. The focus isn’t on acquiring techniques, but on developing discernment — learning when and how different practices are appropriate in different settings, for different individuals.

You’ll learn how to guide meditation without memorising scripts, by understanding the inner process you’re inviting others into. The aim is to teach in a way that feels natural, responsible, and rooted in your own experience.

In a culture that rewards speed, productivity, and constant movement, the capacity to pause, listen, and rest in stillness is increasingly rare. This training offers space to develop that capacity — for yourself, and, if it feels right, to share it with others.

How we will learn.

In-Person Silent Retreat

Wednesday 13 – Tuesday 19 May

A five-day immersive silent retreat forming the experiential foundation of the training through sustained meditation practice, guided inquiry, and silence.

Weekly Live Online Sessions

Thursdays | 7:00–8:30pm (Sydney time) between 21 May - 6 August.

These shorter, consistent sessions support integration, introduce key practices and themes, and provide space for reflection, questions, and group dialogue.

Half-Day Online Immersions

Saturdays | 10:00am–2:00pm (Sydney time)

  • 30 May, 13 June, 27 June, 4 July, 11 July, 25 July, 1 August, 8 August.

Half-day immersions allow for deeper exploration of core themes, combining extended practice, teaching input, inquiry, and experiential learning.

Guided Self-Practice & Teaching Practicum

Ongoing throughout the training, including assigned meditation practice, reflection, and progressive opportunities to guide meditation and receive feedback.

Feedback on the teachers.

  • "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. Every detail felt thoughtfully curated without being rigid. They were the captains of a deeply human, transformative adventure."

    Melanie Mapleson, Retreat Participant June 2025.

  • "I had been busy at work for years and with life. I felt drained and it was starting to impact my thinking. My sister proposed this 3-day silent retreat to me and I am so thankful. The experience was so supportive, with amazing facilitators and a beautiful group of humans all coming together to focus on ourselves and go a little deeper. "

    Bridie O’Sullivan, Retreat Participant June 2025.

  • "I was a little daunted by the guidelines before the retreat but being in silence with strangers turned out to be the comfort and support that I needed. Rose and Alistair were simply amazing teachers and facilitators. They have a gift of holding space for others that is quite rare. I finally was able to find my groove with their techniques and guidance that I have been able to hold onto back in day-to-day life."

    Sarah Taylor, Retreat Participant July 2024, May 2025, August 2025.

  • "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."

    Jane Brewer, Regular Silent Retreat Participant.

  • "This has been a transformational experience. Rose teaches with wisdom, humility, compassion and humour, making meditation, yoga and breathwork accessible. I’ve come away with a new perspective on how I interact in the world."

    Nadine Liddy, Retreat Participant, August 2022.

  • "This three-day silent retreat was a world-class experience. The birdsong, the lovingly prepared food, and Rose’s gentle guidance made it a journey of profound nourishment and self-discovery."

    Bek Honeyman, Retreat Participant, AprIl 2024.

The Approach.

This is a heart-centred and experiential training.

Rather than collecting techniques, and learning facts, we explore meditation as a living practice.

A range of meditation approaches are explored, including:

  • Mindfulness-based meditation

  • Heart-centred and compassion practices

  • Breath

  • Mantra

  • Self-Inquiry

  • Subtle energy (Shakti/prana)

The emphasis is not on doing more, but on understanding when and how different practices may be supportive, for our own practice and for our future students.

Who this is for.

This training may be well suited to:

  • Dedicated meditation practitioners

  • Yoga teachers and retreat facilitators

  • Therapists, counsellors, and health professionals

  • Anyone feeling a sincere call to deepen their relationship with meditation

Note: this course is best suited to those with existing meditation experience, whether through a daily meditation practice, and/or presence at a previous silent meditation retreat. Please write to us at hello@rosecousens.com if you’re unsure about your suitability for the course.

The Facilitators.

  • ALISTAIR JOHNSTON

    Alistair started his spiritual journey in 2014 at a Buddhist monastery in the North of Thailand. In the years since he has practised meditation with various teachers, learned several styles of yoga, and sat many retreats. In 2018 he went to Mexico for a yoga course, and met Rose as he arrived at the front gate.

  • ROSE COUSENS

    Rose spent four of the last eight years at Hridaya Yoga in Mexico, immersing herself in intensive yoga training, community living, and over 250 days of silent retreat. Returning to Australia during COVID, she began offering meditation retreats and yoga classes in Far North Queensland and now in the Blue Mountains, blending classical Yoga and Buddhist Psychology. She has continued her studies under her brilliant teachers in Mexico, India, Thailand and Bali.

    Read Bio

Investment.

Pricing & What’s Included

The 100-Hour Meditation Teacher Training is offered as a single, integrated program. The pricing reflects both the depth of the training and the way it is held.

5-Day Silent Meditation Retreat (Food & Accommodation): From $700-$1400 (depending on choice of accommodation)
100h Program: $1,500 (i.e. $15 per hour :))

Total training investment: $2,200 – $2,900

What’s included in your training fee

Your fee includes the full 100-hour training as well as the five-day silent meditation retreat, which forms the experiential foundation of the course.

Included in the price:

  • Five-day in-person silent meditation retreat

  • All meals during the retreat (nourishing, simply prepared, and supportive of meditation practice)

  • Six nights accommodation during the retreat

  • All weekly live online sessions and half-day immersions

  • Guided self-practice, teaching practicums, and feedback

  • Teaching from Rose, Alistair, and guest teachers

There are no additional fees for the retreat component. Everything is included within the training price.

Accommodation options (retreat component)

Accommodation is offered in the following options, subject to availability:

  • Twin share

  • Triple share

  • Private room (single bed)

  • Private room (double bed)

All rooms have ensuite bathrooms.

The accommodation component ranges from $700 (shared) to $1,400 (private) and is included in the total training price shown above. Rooms are allocated on a first-come basis once your place is confirmed..

*If you or someone you love is in need of this retreat and does not currently have the means, please contact us about scholarship opportunities.

 FAQs

  • No. While this training does prepare those who feel called to teach, it is equally suitable for committed practitioners who want to deepen and clarify their own practice. Many people may join primarily for personal practice and integration, and allow questions about teaching to unfold naturally.

  • This training is best suited to those with an existing meditation practice or prior retreat experience. You don’t need to be an “advanced” meditator, but you should feel comfortable sitting regularly and be open to self-inquiry and silence.

    If you’re unsure whether this training is the right fit, you’re very welcome to get in touch.

  • All live online sessions and half-day immersions will be recorded and made available to participants. While live attendance is encouraged wherever possible, the training is designed to be accessible for people with work, family, or time zone constraints.

    Some teaching practicums may require live participation, which will be clearly communicated in advance.

  • In addition to live sessions, you can expect to spend time on:

    • Personal meditation practice

    • Reflective journaling or inquiry

    • Occasional peer practice or teaching preparation

    On average, participants spend a few hours per week engaging with the training outside of scheduled sessions.

  • Yes. Participants who complete the training requirements will receive a 100-Hour Meditation Teacher Training Certificate.

  • The training fee includes:

    • The full 100-hour training

    • The five-day in-person silent meditation retreat

    • All meals during the retreat

    • Six nights accommodation during the retreat

    • Weekly online sessions and half-day immersions

    • Teaching practicums and feedback

    There are no additional fees for the retreat component.

  • Yes. During the retreat, you can choose from:

    • Twin share

    • Triple share

    • Private room (single bed)

    • Private room (double bed)

    All rooms have ensuite bathrooms. Accommodation is allocated on a first-come basis.

  • Yes. Payment plans are available to support accessibility. Details are provided during the application or booking process.

  • Meditation teacher training exists in a space that doesn’t sit neatly within formal education or licensing frameworks, and there are relatively few accreditation bodies that are both widely recognised and well aligned with the depth and experiential nature of contemplative practice.

    While external accreditation can be useful in some contexts, it often requires training to be structured in ways that prioritise standardisation and academic frameworks. For a program like this one, that can sometimes limit the space for embodied learning, discernment, and the relational aspects of teaching that we believe are essential.

    For this reason, this training is not aligned with an external accrediting body.

    Participants who complete the program will receive a 100-Hour Meditation Teacher Training Certificate issued by The School for Soulful Living. This certificate reflects completion of a substantial, practice-led training grounded in lived experience, ethical responsibility, and integration into daily life.

    Many graduates find that the clarity, confidence, and depth developed through the training naturally support their teaching, regardless of formal accreditation pathways.

Ready?

“You talk to yourself too much. You’re not unique in that; every one of us does. We maintain our world with our inner dialogue. A man or woman of knowledge is aware that the world will change completely as soon as they stop talking to themselves.”
– Carlos Castaneda

This retreat is your chance to pause, to rest, and to remember what truly matters.

📅 July 16 - 20, 2026
📍 Byron Hinterland, NSW

REGISTER NOW