New Year "No Intentions" Retreat

"The best laid schemes of mice and men

Often go awry,

And leave us nought but grief and pain,

For promised joy!"

Robert Burns

As 2020 showed us, we have entered a time of disruption. How many of us set goals and intentions for the new year, and then had to take a swift left turn?

For 2021, we will explore the idea of setting 'No Intentions'. Instead of developing a wish for the future, and imagining specific outcomes, we will learn how to create the conditions for the future to emerge from the present moment. This requires a shift from the head to the body and heart; a shift from the logical mind to the more mysterious, creative and intuitive self. Goals and intentions tend to be made from our conscious mind but, like the hippo, there is far more under the water than we can see. The unconscious mind is constantly gathering information, and our invitation is to explore this vast capacity to bring our dreams into reality, through embodied awareness.

Find out how to create the conditions for clarity to arise, through developing a daily meditation practice. This might be a moving or sitting meditation, journalling, contemplation or reflection. We will learn how to ensure that our daily practice becomes the one non-negotiable part of our life. Increasing our times of solitude and silence enhances our ability to receive the guidance that helps us make subtle adjustments to our life, so that we live in greater alignment and joy.

Programme:

After the first evening of introductions and grounding practices, we will wake up to gentle moving and sitting meditation sessions in the Octagon, followed by healthy breakfast in the open dining area. There will then be an extended 'No Intention' workshop before tucking into a filling vegetarian lunch. Participants can either rest in the afternoon or visit the nearby waterfall in Tara’s Valley, or die Oog – the Eye. This is the 14m deep source of the Marico river, and popular with swimmers and divers. Our Saturday evening practice will be Expressive Movement, which takes us through a full dance wave; from finding Presence, Expressing what we notice in our embodied mind, Releasing blocks and old patterns, then moving to Dreaming and Integrating, where our future might emerge in the moment. Later, we can sit together at the open fire and watch the magnificent night sky.

Cost:

Includes accommodation, all meals, tea and snacks and facilitated moving and sitting meditation sessions. Cost is dependent on your choice of accommodation. The food is ovo-lacto vegetarian, with vegan/gluten free options available on request.

2-night retreat:

Single room with shared bathroom (only 3 available): R3200

Twin/double room with en suite bathroom (per person): R3000

Twin/double room with shared bathroom (per person): R2800

Dormitory (per person): R2550

Camping (own tent & bedding): R2350

Single use of twin rooms is also available on request, at a supplementary cost.

Bookings via this link.

A 50% deposit secures your place. This is non-refundable, but is transferable to another TRC retreat. Do not let your inability to pay prevent you from attending. Contact the Tara Rokpa Centre for scholarships, payment options and volunteer trade opportunities.

For general retreat information about what to bring, please click here.

About the Facilitator:

Lucy Draper-Clarke has a doctorate in mindfulness and teacher education and loves to run retreats as well as support yoga teacher training schools. She has practised yoga for 20 years and taught yoga and mindfulness in Southern Africa since 2006, while also offering embodied practices at Wits. While doing so, she has been lucky enough to study with inspiring Buddhist mindfulness, Vinyasa yoga teachers, and Expressive Movement dance therapists. Her light-hearted and compassionate approach to teaching allows participants to explore their inner worlds through a joyful, yet transformative practice.

Bookings via the Tara Rokpa Centre on this link.