7 day retreat – 2025

Insight and Soulmaking Dharma: 7 Day Silent Insight Meditation Retreat in Canberra

In this retreat we’ll start with mindfulness and samadhi practices to settle and move towards a sense of spaciousness and sensitivity. We’ll explore particular ways of looking, or ways of seeing, that can lead to being less bound up, more free in a sense. And then we’ll spend some days on the area of sensing with soul, sometimes called Soulmaking Dharma.

Soulmaking is based on aspects of our personal experience or images we might have that may have some sense of sacredness, or meaning for us, or where we feel some sense of duty, or reverence, or an unfathomable quality, or a sense of beauty. There could also be unusual images that might be helpful for us in some way.

“Images” in the way we’ll be using it, don’t have to be static or visual. They can include figures, felt or sensed experiences. None of the images or figures are set or prescribed: they come - at times - from our individual experience.

The retreat is an introduction to soulmaking (sometimes called imaginal) practice. Soulmaking is most likely a new area for many people and participants will have the choice of spending more time with soulmaking or quite limited time on working with images and more time on other practices, like those that lead to feeling less bound up.
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One of the features of soulmaking is that it can help us see the beautiful qualities or even a sense of sacredness in our distinctively individual experience. It’s very much about what is meaningful or significant to us.

There’ll be talks giving an understanding of what we’re doing and what to look out for and periods for Q & A. The Soulmaking Dharma we’ll be covering was developed by the much-loved English meditation teacher Rob Burbea (1965-2020).

“Soulmaking Dharma” or “Imaginal practice” are terms for teachings and practices developed by Rob Burbea. He was influenced by archetypal psychologist James Hillman, author of The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling, French philosopher Henry Corbin, and many others. Soulmaking Dharma brings the Buddhist understanding of emptiness, as well as the quiet and discernment that can come with meditation to the realm of what is seen as soulful or meaningful. It could be seen as an extension of traditional dharma practices.

Rob Burbea also developed an approach to the heart of traditional dharma practice: the understanding of shunyata, often translated as emptiness. Aspects of this form a foundation for soulmaking practice. The approach first develops a settledness, a sensitivity to the field of the body and then explores the insights that can come from different ways of looking, different perspectives. This approach is detailed in his book: Seeing That Frees: Meditations on Emptiness and Dependent Arising.

Who this is for

Some experience in mindfulness meditation is required with at least a day-long program of meditation/retreat. This retreat is not recommended for absolute beginners. If you'd like to discuss whether this is suitable for you, feel free to contact us.

Accommodation

The Gathering Place is a small retreat centre, a garden oasis nestled in the heart of inner north Canberra. A former convent, it is a very peaceful venue with 2 beautiful meditation rooms. There are 12 simple, comfortable bedrooms, a large beautiful garden and we are close to the Dickson wetlands and bush walking areas of Mt Ainslie and Mt Majura. You can choose between residential or non-residential options (participate fully in the retreat and go home to sleep at night). Campervans are welcome for the non-residential fee - please contact us to discuss.

Each bedroom has a single bed, cupboard, desk, chair, lamp, mirror and sink. All beds have electric blankets, doonas, pillows and 2 spare blankets. Linen is included. There are shared unisex bathrooms and toilets.

Cost

There are limited spaces on this retreat due to the size of the retreat centre, so please book early to avoid disappointment. We will keep a wait list for anyone who misses out. Cancellations do occur, and we will contact anyone on the wait list as soon as possible.

Residential: for all meals, and accommodation $1160 (GST inclusive)
Non-residential: for all meals, sleeping at home or elsewhere at night $630 (GST inclusive)

Additional Cost: Dana
In keeping with a 2,500 year old tradition no fee has been charged for the teachings. At the end of the retreat you are invited to give a donation (dana) to express your appreciation and to support the teacher to continue their work.

Program

The retreat program consists of sitting, walking and guided meditations, meditation instruction and dharma talks, group and individual meetings with teachers and daily gentle yoga/exercise sessions and unscheduled time to meditate, rest, walk.

The retreat will be in silence apart from necessary communication.

There'll also be a 45 minute work period each day to help with food preparation, washing up, light gardening and general cleaning.

Daily Schedule

In approximately two sitting periods each day there will be some instruction from Victor.

• Early morning yoga/exercise period, followed by silent sit
• Breakfast
• Work period (food prep, cleaning or gardening)
• Alternating sitting/walking
• Teacher interviews/groups on some days
• Lunch
• Rest/free time
• Alternating sitting/walking
• Possible short yoga before dinner
• Dinner & clean up
• Dharma talk and practice

The Teacher

Victor von der Heyde has been practising meditation for thirty five years. He's spent over two years in total in silent retreats and has taken dharma teaching roles since the mid 1990s. He was co-founder of Sydney Insight Meditators and of the Bodhgaya Development Association. He was a student, friend and supporter of Rob Burbea (1965 - 2020) from 2012 to 2020. Visit Dharma.org.au

Cancellation policy

Cancellation prior to 1 September: full refund minus $75 admin fee)
Cancellation after 1 September: 50% refund (minus $75 admin fee). This cancellation policy is applied because suppliers and caterers must be paid well in advance and it is often difficult to fill retreat places at short notice due to the time commitments involved. If you are able to find someone to take your place, we may be able to increase your refund amount.
Cancellation after 15 September: no refund unless you find someone to take your place

All cancellations incur an admin fee, this is a non refundable amount charged to partially cover admin costs.