“Sometimes the most important thresholds of mystery are places of silence.”
John O’Donohue
Winter is the ideal season to retreat into silence and allow the weary soul to rest. Through the practice of Mindfulness Meditation this retreat aims to provide the nurturing and healing space needed for the necessary journey inward, entering the threshold of mystery through silence that will to allow body and soul to restore. I will offer additional Reiki sessions on this retreat to further enhance the body’s own restorative and balancing properties and support inner healing. The retreat programme will be designed to accommodate the needs of both beginners and existing practitioners in meditation. An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation will be given the Friday evening. There will be ample opportunity during the remainder of the retreat to engage with the following Meditation Practices:
Early morning stretches and Movement Meditation
Mindfulness Breath Meditation
Meditation with Sound and the Senses
Walking Meditation, including walking the labyrinth
Reclining Meditation and evening Sound Journeys
The retreat will be observed in Silence from the Introduction the Friday evening till Brunch the Sunday morning, in order to fully enter the Divine space of inner silence. It will also allow the space for Mindful Eating during meal times. Ample free-time will be made available for personal meditation, reflection, creative journaling or resting. Art material will be available for those who are drawn to drawing, painting or collaging. During the free-time optional Reiki sessions can be booked with me at a special rate. For those staying over the Sunday evening, there will still be opportunity to book Reiki sessions with me during Sunday afternoon. I will also be available for guidance or discussion throughout the retreat.
Cost and Bookings:
The retreat fee is R 3 500.00 for shared accommodation and R 3 900.00 for single accommodation and inclusive of brunch and dinner daily, coffee/tea with snacks as well as all retreat activities and art materials used. Checking in-time will be from 14:00 on Friday 28 June and we will gather 16:00 for the start of the retreat. The retreat will end at 13:30 on Sunday 30 June, although the fee includes free accommodation for Sunday evening for those that can stay over. Supper on Sunday evening will be at your own cost. The restaurant, Tebaldi’s at Temenos is closed on Sunday evenings, but you can order a take away at the restaurant before 2pm, or choose to self-cater. The cottages at Temenos are fully equipped for self-catering.
An immediate deposit of R 1 000.00 secures your booking. The outstanding balance must be paid by Tuesday 25 June. Payment options can be discussed. Please book soon as space is limited. For bookings, contact Johann at johann@jvangreunen.co.za or 021-914 1294 or 083 764 5978.
About your facilitator:
Johann Van Greunen has realised the value of Meditation and Mindfulness Practices early in his life, and has come to know Mindfulness Meditation as an invaluable aid in assisting us to develop integrated and coherent life stories. With an interest in Integral and Complementary Medicine from early on, Johann qualified as Reiki Master to offer a hands-on healing practice that complements his counselling practice. Being a Master in Reiki, he teaches courses on Levels 1, 2 and Master Level. Johann had been training in both ballroom and contemporary dance for years, and developed a strong interest in the healing power of creative processes, especially in art, movement and music. He uses these processes working with groups and during his workshops and retreats teaching Mindfulness Practices. He encourages his clients coming for counselling to use creative processes in order to develop new narratives for their life stories. Johann holds an Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Pretoria and a M.Th. (Clinical Pastoral Care) from the University of Stellenbosch. He is registered as Specialist Wellness Counsellor at the Association for Supportive Counsellors & Holistic Practitioners. He is involved with mentoring programmes for the City of Cape Town and Desmond Tutu TB Centre linked to the University of Stellenbosch, which involves psycho-social support for health clinic staff, clinic managers and field workers. His work with these teams includes team-building, trauma debriefing and teaching mindfulness practices. In his private practice, apart from counselling, Reiki healing and training, he teaches meditation courses and various workshops focused on mindfulness practices. Johann is passionate about life, the arts, music, dance, nature, good food, coffee, wine and soulful friendships. He lives with his partner in the leafy suburb of Kenridge in Durbanville and is the servant of a big fluffy ginger cat.
At Temenos we're always happy to host Retreats and Workshops, for more details contact Margaret