27 Aug - 2 Sep 2025: 5 Day, 6-Night Silent Meditation & Yoga Retreat (Blue Mountains, NSW)
This is an intensive, profound, yet deeply restful silent retreat involving five full days of guided meditation, gentle yoga practices, spiritual teachings, and self-inquiry, all against a backdrop of stillness.
Before booking, please read more about our silent retreats here.
No previous meditation or yoga experience is necessary. No previous experience in anything in particular is necessary.
This retreat is located at a dedicated meditation centre, set amidst the beauty and seclusion of the Australian Bush in the Blue Mountains.
START DATE: 4pm Wednesday 27 August, 2025
END DATE: 10am Tuesday 2 September, 2025
LOCATION: Happy Buddha Retreats, Wentworth Falls, NSW (50 Railway Parade).
To read about these retreats from past participants, visit the Testimonials page.
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THE EXPERIENCE INVOLVES:
Multiple guided and partly guided meditation sessions.
2 gentle yoga sessions each day.
Yoga nidra (yoga of sleep) sessions.
Daily breathwork sessions.
Walking meditation.
Spiritual discourses/short talks.
3 nourishing vegetarian meals per day, plus dinner on check-in day and breakfast on check-out day.
The full schedule can be found here.
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PRICES: (for 6 nights accommodation + all meals)
IMPORTANT NOTE: The prices listed below cover the hard costs for running the retreat only, including accommodation for four nights, any additional costs to secure the whole venue for our silent container, 11 (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): $1300 per person + Program fee by donation
PRIVATE ROOM (Double bed): $1400 per person + Program fee by donation.
DELUXE PRIVATE ROOM (King bed): $1500 per person + Program fee by donation.
All rooms have private ensuite bathrooms.
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PAYMENT & REGISTRATION POLICIES:
To secure your spot, a $200 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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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.
This is an intensive, profound, yet deeply restful silent retreat involving five full days of guided meditation, gentle yoga practices, spiritual teachings, and self-inquiry, all against a backdrop of stillness.
Before booking, please read more about our silent retreats here.
No previous meditation or yoga experience is necessary. No previous experience in anything in particular is necessary.
This retreat is located at a dedicated meditation centre, set amidst the beauty and seclusion of the Australian Bush in the Blue Mountains.
START DATE: 4pm Wednesday 27 August, 2025
END DATE: 10am Tuesday 2 September, 2025
LOCATION: Happy Buddha Retreats, Wentworth Falls, NSW (50 Railway Parade).
To read about these retreats from past participants, visit the Testimonials page.
————
THE EXPERIENCE INVOLVES:
Multiple guided and partly guided meditation sessions.
2 gentle yoga sessions each day.
Yoga nidra (yoga of sleep) sessions.
Daily breathwork sessions.
Walking meditation.
Spiritual discourses/short talks.
3 nourishing vegetarian meals per day, plus dinner on check-in day and breakfast on check-out day.
The full schedule can be found here.
————
PRICES: (for 6 nights accommodation + all meals)
IMPORTANT NOTE: The prices listed below cover the hard costs for running the retreat only, including accommodation for four nights, any additional costs to secure the whole venue for our silent container, 11 (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): $1300 per person + Program fee by donation
PRIVATE ROOM (Double bed): $1400 per person + Program fee by donation.
DELUXE PRIVATE ROOM (King bed): $1500 per person + Program fee by donation.
All rooms have private ensuite bathrooms.
————
PAYMENT & REGISTRATION POLICIES:
To secure your spot, a $200 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.
————
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.
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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.