Mindfulness Meditation Retreats

Insight Meditation Retreat

Four Foundations of Mindfulness

With Nadav Avny and Mary McIntyre

31 July – 6 August 2026
Sangsurya Retreat Centre, Byron Bay, N.S.W, Australia

The Interpersonal Mindfulness Retreat:

from silence to connected presence

An urban (non-residential) retreat

7-8 November 2026

This two-day retreat is for anyone with some experience of mindfulness practice (e.g., MBSR/MBCT graduates, people who use mindfulness in their work) who wish to deepen or refresh their practice.

Some prior experience of meditation practice is recommended.

This will be the third year that Sue and Nadav have facilitated this retreat together. The previous retreats were fully booked, so early registration is recommended.

Day One: Cultivating Presence

The first day will be a day of silent practice. The practices will be guided by Sue and Nadav and will focus on cultivating presence, compassion, enjoyment, and equanimity in the beautiful, nature-rich environment of the Mary MacKillop Retreat Centre, overlooking Rangitoto and the Hauraki Gulf.

The day offers an opportunity to step out of the demands and busyness of everyday life, slow down, and reconnect with yourself through sustained mindfulness practice.

Day Two: Mindfulness in Relationship

On the second day, we will expand the practice to include interpersonal meditation.

Much of our lives unfolds in relationship—with our loved ones, friends, colleagues, communities, and the wider world. Even with an established mindfulness practice, our interactions with others can quickly activate familiar patterns of reactivity.

Interpersonal meditation offers a structured and supportive way of bringing mindfulness directly into relationship. Through carefully guided contemplative dialogue, we practise noticing and naming our internal experience while in connection with another person.

This practice can help us become more aware of the space between an event and our reaction to it—creating greater possibility for transitioning from automatic reaction to a more conscious and considered response. Over time, this can support the way we meet difficult conversations, conflict, uncertainty, and the everyday challenges of relating to those around us.

These dialogues can offer profound insights that arise uniquely within the interpersonal space.

We know from participants who attended both previous retreats that each retreat feels different. We arrive with different life experiences, different questions, and a different group of people. The silent practice deepens over time, while the interpersonal practice unfolds freshly through each encounter.

Rather than repeating a previous experience, returning can offer an opportunity to meet the practices – and yourself – anew.

Why Attend?

• Deepen your mindfulness practice in a supportive retreat environment.
• Strengthen your capacity to listen deeply to yourself and others.
• Reduce automatic reactivity and cultivate greater freedom to respond with awareness, compassion, and choice.
• Explore mindfulness in relationship with loved ones, colleagues, and the wider world.
• Develop the potential of mindfulness practice to support wellbeing and counter burnout.
• Practise with two highly experienced and caring mindfulness teachers.
• Take time out from the demands of everyday life to slow down, reconnect, and replenish your inner resources.

Life is demanding. Take these two days to step back from the pressure, deepen your practice, and cultivate the inner resources to meet your life and relationships with greater presence and choice.

I loved the “Urban interpersonal meditation retreat”. Nadav and Sue held the retreat with so much spaciousness, compassion and room for responding in whatever way was needed by participants. I thought the depth of thought and care they had clearly given to weaving the Insight Dialogue guidelines into the foundations of mindfulness practice on day one as preparation for the actual Insight Dialogue practice was exceptional. This was carried on into the second day. The themes and invitations for each of the Dialogues were also carefully ‘graded’ in terms of gently entering into each practice. Just beautiful. I highly recommend their work for anyone curious about mindfulness and/or Insight Dialogue practice. 

Anonymous

Testimonials:

This was my first weekend retreat, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The facilitator really helped us and directed us throughout the retreat. I wish more of my family & loved one’s do this, and everyone who struggles to be Kind & Loving do such a retreat as it might help them understand the world better.

With Love & Kindness. Consultant Psychiatrist

What a truly wonderful retreat, just what I needed. I’ve learnt so much to take into my everyday life. The simple things that are often forgotten. You are a truly gifted teacher, and I feel blessed to have met you.

S.T.

I had the pleasure of attending the Urban Interpersonal Meditation Retreat on  21-22 September 2024, facilitated by Nadav and Sue. This was two full days, and then home in the evenings.

The location for this retreat was the Mary McKillop Centre above Mission Bay – a spectacular location with an amazing view over the harbour and straight over to Rangitoto Island.

This retreat was well-organised and well-paced, with good breaks. There were periods of ordered Mindfulness practises  and then periods of time to undertake the Insight Dialogue practice. This was well explained and then we were supported to undertake this in pairs.

There was great communication prior to the retreat – so you were aware of what to bring and what the expectations of the weekend were.

This was a very restorative weekend which I could highly recommend.

I will defiantly be booking myself in for the next one

 

Anonymous