30 May – 4 June 2025  

(5-day retreat with weekend option)

“The one who made the universe dwells in our hearts and in silence is loving to all.”

The words of the Chandogya Upanishad are echoed all throughout the world’s wisdom traditions, the confidence that our source of peace is within us. Meditation, the way of silence beyond words is where we find our union with each other and all that is.

“If we can find stillness at the centre of our being, we will experience a wonderful transformation of our lives” (Laurence Freeman)

Judi and Paul Taylor will be leading this retreat, they follow the way of Christian meditation and have for nearly 15 years run an interfaith meditation group spending time in silence and in reflecting on the sacred texts of many different traditions with meditators from all traditions and none.

You are invited to come apart with others of one heart and mind … to join us in a time of retreat where we’ll reflect each morning on a selection of poetry from a variety of sources, following a  process of attention and contemplative conversation … an encouraging support for us in our time together to go deeper into the silence “loving to all”. Walking the labyrinth and the practice of dadirri will also be part of the time, immersed in the sacred desert landscape of Campfire in the Heart.

This year our meditation community is exploring the theme “The Risk of Living Together”. Our hope is that this Radical Simplicity retreat will make a small contribution, as each of us delight in our essential humanity beyond any ‘seeming’ difference, part of the recovery of the basic sense of connection to each other that makes us human.

How to recover a humane world that actively cares for the poor and the stranger, that promotes public kindness and protects the innocent from war and abuse …

Is it contemplative consciousness and contemplative wisdom that will open our eyes to what being human really means and so help us to care for ourselves by caring for others?

“Meditation is a universal spiritual wisdom … Its essential insight is that the most human aspects in the journey of life: truth, love, joy, peace, compassion and wisdom, are there to be found within our own selves. To discover this inner reality it is necessary to come to clarity, to calm the mind and  emotions – and to ‘descend’ into the heart, the deeper level of consciousness where we remain awake in silence, undisturbed by the images of conflicting ideas and desires. The universal human wisdom teaches us that the way to this is simple – but not easy.” (Laurence Freeman)

Cost: Packages from $270 – $1,095

From late afternoon Friday 30th May until Wednesday lunchtime 4th June, with an option to just come for the weekend ending Sunday lunchtime 1st June.

Full 5-days $635 (swag camping) – $775 (shared room) – $1095 (private room) –
$450 non-residential

Weekend $270 (swag camping) – $350 (shared room) – $490 (private room) –
$180 non-residential

(Extra charges may apply, see registration options)

Within the 5-day retreat you will be asked to indicate your preference for activities Monday and Tuesday:

1. Viewing the film and a reflective session with Warlpiri woman and star of the documentary Audrey Napanangka (we will share the payment of an honorarium to Audrey)
2. The possibility of a day pilgrimage walk on a section of the Larapinta Trail (we will share the cost of transportation)
3. A street retreat morning in Alice Springs/Mparntwe (we will share the cost of transportation)
4. A self-guided retreat day with guidance material provided.

NO. OF PARTICIPANTS Around 15

ENQUIRIES: Judi Taylor taylor.judi@outlook.com