My Balm
I close my eyes and sigh, and here I am
lying in the hammock in my heart.
Moving gently, with the soft air of my breath.
When I fall from my head past my words,
I’m caught lovingly by the hammock
of my heart and rocked to its rhythmic beat.
It is my peace, my rest, my quiet,
cradled in the hammock of my heart.
It is constant; it is safe to be held
in the hammock of my heart.
No place to go
Nothing to do
Nobody to please
It is my altar, my blessing, my balm,
here in the hammock of my heart.
- Jane O’Shea
Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Retreats
Our silent meditation retreats aim to provide you with an oasis of silence, comfort and calm, allowing you a breathing space to unplug, replenish and reset.
Offering: 4-hour in person and 5-day online / in person retreats
In our life we are frequently operating in a doing mode, often multi-tasking which can feel like we are chasing to catch our breath. This pace can often be relentless, whereby we are constantly wired and plugged in, struggling to switch off. This can have a negative impact on our ability to be present in our lives.
Our wellbeing, relationships and our performance at work and play can all be affected, bringing added suffering both physically and mentally.
Retreats can assist us to feel our way back home, to a sense of being grounded and balanced. They can also reignite or deepen our mindfulness practice.
We offer regular 4-hour silent retreats and an annual 5-day residential silent retreat and online retreat.
The 4-hour silent retreat is structured to allow you to immerse yourself in a mindful compassionate presence. Tina and Emma provide a gentle flow of led compassion-based mindfulness practices. Within this structure is the quiet freedom to move in and out of the garden and the practices themselves as you need to ensure the morning meets your needs and is nourishing for your body, mind and heart.
Online 5-Day Silent Meditation Retreat
Tina Gibson and Siri Chandler will be offering this retreat from the 6th to the 10th of October 2021.
For details of registration please email Tina.
5-Day Silent Retreat in Phuket
We will be offering this wonderful retreat again in October 2022. Click here to find out more.
Morning Retreat at Sophia
5-Day Online Silent Meditation Retreat
This 5-day silent retreat is for anyone who is wishing to deepen their personal practice of mindfulness and self-compassion and the 5 qualities of G.R.A.C.E: Generosity, Reflection, Awareness, Compassion and Equanimity.
The philosophy of mindfulness and self-compassion will be woven throughout the retreat. You will be invited to practice noticing ‘what is here for you in this moment?’ Ongoing inquiry of what is present will be married in with the deepening into ‘what is needed in this moment?’ Therefore, building the understanding that can come from awareness of experience and the experiencer, holding both in kindness, connection and curiosity.
This retreat allows opportunity to strengthen your ability to be present with yourself just as you are within the safe container of expert guidance by experienced retreat leaders and in a compassionate community of fellow practitioners.
The daily schedule includes guided and silent sitting and walking meditation, mindful movement, daily sense and savour walking outdoors and teaching focused on applying mindfulness and self-compassion, in particular personal practice in daily life. Individual and group inquiry sessions with teachers are included.
This fulfils the silent retreat requirement for professional teacher training in MSC, MBSR and MBCT. Spaces Limited.
Morning Retreat Details
Time: 9.00am - 1.00pm
Venue: Sophia Centre, 225 Cross Rd Cumberland Park, SA 5041
Cost: Full fee $50 (thank you for supporting concession places)
Past participants & concession $40
Herbal teas are provided.
Upon registration a reminder follow up email will also be sent out one week before hand.
5-Day Online Retreat Details
Silent Meditation Retreat, G.R.A.C.E, Cultivating Generosity, Reflection, Awareness, Compassion and Equanimity
"When you become aware of silence, immediately there is that state of inner still alertness. You are present. You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective human conditioning.” - Eckhart Tolle
- Keith Smith
