25 November — 2 December: 2011 Dharma Gathering at the Yarrahapinni Ecology Centre
This is more a festival than a meditation retreat. Patrick teaches along with Christopher Titmuss, a senior dharma teacher from Britain (visit www.christophertitmuss.org), and Radha Nicholson, a guiding teacher in the Australian insight tradition (visit www.insightmeditationaustralia.org), along with Ellen Davison, Will James, Jess Huon and guest presenter John Seed.

The Dharma Gathering is held at the Yarrahappinni Ecology Centre at Grassy Head. For more information on the venue, visit their website at www.yarra.org.au. The Centre is set on 75 acres of rainforest and bushland approximately 1 hour south of Coffs Harbour and 40 minutes north of Kempsey on the coast. It is half way between Sydney and Brisbane.

The Dharma Gathering includes workshops, inquiries, teachings, networking, entertainment, and more. It is suitable for families with young children, people curious about dharma and Buddhist meditation, and confirmed practitioners — in short, everyone.

Patrick contributes his “Dharma Salon,” a daily class/workshop/exploration of the Buddha’s teachings that follows a particular theme each year. This year we will explore mindfulness (sati) and its application (satipaṭṭhāna).

Bookings and further information: Application forms can be downloaded from www.insightmeditationaustralia.org, or www.dharma.org.au. For further information, contact Lyn and Rowan by phone (02 6657 2504) or email .


8 — 21 December 2011: Satipaṭṭhāna retreat at Sāsanā Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS), Taiping Malaysia
This retreat is held at a monastery/retreat centre located in the hills above Taiping, which is located on the west coast of peninsula Malaysia, to the south of Penang. For more (not very up-to-date) information on SBS, see their website at www.sasanarakkha.org. The retreat is suitable for experienced and beginning practitioners.

As SBS is a Theravāda Buddhist monastery, the retreat is held on a dāna, or “gift,” basis. In Buddhist tradition, the dharma is felt to be of such great value that it cannot be bought or sold. It is not a commodity. It can be received and transmitted only as gift. The dharma cannot be found in the economy of the market, but only in the economy of gift. Therefore SBS does not charge for this retreat, and practitioners are asked to contribute to the financial support of the monastery, to ensure it can continue to offer the dharma to all who come, and to the teacher, to enable him to continue his work of spreading the Buddha-dharma.

Bookings and further information: Contact SBS .


10 — 19 February 2012: Satipaṭṭhāna retreat at Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre (BMIMC), Medlow Bath NSW
This is a satipaṭṭhāna retreat held at BMIMC in the upper Blue Mountains, outside of Sydney. BMIMC is easily available by train from Sydney. The retreat is suitable for beginners and advanced practitioners.

The cost is $540. This covers accommodation and meals only. In keeping with Buddhist tradition, Patrick relies on the gifts (dāna) offered by his students for his livelihood.

Bookings and further information: Contact BMIMC, 25 Rutland Road, Medlow Bath NSW 2780. Phone: 02 4788 1024; or . To register, complete the Retreat Application on their website, www.meditation.asn.au, and post or email it to BMIMC .


20 — 29 April 2012: Mindfulness immersed in Body retreat, at Govinda Valley Spiritual Retreat Centre, Otford NSW
What is the unconstructed?
Obsession exhausted, aversion exhausted, delusion exhausted:
This is called the unconstructed.
What is the way leading to the unconstructed?
Mindfulness immersed in the body:
This is called the way leading to the unconstructed.
(Kāyagatāsati Sutta (Mindfulness immersed in body) Asaṇkhata Saṃyutta 43)

This retreat is organised by Kalyāṇa Mittā Saṅgha, the association that supports Patrick’s teaching. It will be taught by Patrick Kearney and Kit Laughlin. The retreat will focus on the first of the four applications of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), the contemplation of body (kāyānupassanā). While we tend to regard meditation practice as “spiritual,” the Buddha saw it as fundamentally embodied, for our relationship to body is central to our quest for liberation. Calming the body, we can calm the heart-mind; seeing into body, we can see into heart-mind. A full embodiment allows ethical sensitivity and wisdom to emerge in this very life.

Patrick will explore the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness and liberation. Kit will lead two exercise periods a day that are designed to cultivate an intimacy with posture, with a particular emphasis on the sitting posture. We hope a dialogue on themes such as mindfulness, the body and liberation will emerge from their collaboration.

Kit Laughlin is a former athlete who has pursued his fascination with the workings of the body through studies of traditional Japanese medicine, gymnastics, yoga, Pilates, anatomy and physiology. He was awarded a Master’s degree from the Science faculty of the ANU, and did funded PhD research; back pain was a key case study. He is the creator of the Posture & Flexibility and Strength & Flexibility exercise modalities. Based in Canberra, Kit leads workshops and classes worldwide.

Kit is also a long time meditation practitioner who brings to his practice a depth of knowledge of the human body rarely found in the specialised world of Buddhist meditation. He is the author of a variety of books, articles and DVDs. Possibly his best known books are Overcome neck & back pain and Stretching & flexibility. For more information, see his website at www.pandf.com.au.

Bookings & further information: Contact Di Evans .


11 — 27 May 2012: Satipaṭṭhāna retreat at Jhāna Grove Retreat Centre, Serpentine, Western Australia
Jhāna Grove is the retreat centre of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. For more information, visit their website at www.jhanagrove.org.

The retreat runs for two weeks, and offers experienced practitioners an opportunity to deepen their immersion into satipaṭṭhāna. Jhāna Grove offers excellent facilities, beginning with private rooms for all participants. It is an ideal venue for deep practice.

Bookings & further information: Contact Bavali Hill on (08) 9335 3847, or her.


8 — 17 June 2012: Satipaṭṭhāna retreat at Rocklyn, near Dalylesford, Victoria
The retreat is suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners. It will be held at Rocklyn Yoga Ashram. For more information about the ashram, visit their website at www.yogavic.org.au.

Cost is $680, or $610 for camping. This covers accommodation and meals only. In keeping with Buddhist tradition, Patrick relies on the gifts (dāna) offered by his students for his livelihood.
Bookings & further information: Melbourne Insight Meditation, or call Katie on 0429 955 824.


26 October — 4 November 2012: Satipaṭṭhāna retreat at Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre (BMIMC), Medlow Bath NSW
This is a satipaṭṭhāna retreat held at BMIMC in the upper Blue Mountains, outside of Sydney. BMIMC is easily available by train from Sydney. The retreat is suitable for beginners and advanced practitioners.

Bookings and further information: Contact BMIMC, 25 Rutland Road, Medlow Bath NSW 2780. Phone: 02 4788 1024; or . To register, complete the Retreat Application on their website, www.meditation.asn.au, and post or email it to BMIMC.