Reset with a retreat
From the intimidation of a Day of Silence to then attending multiple longer retreats, Alex describes what it's like to arrive anxious, go quiet, and find that the fear simply melts. One word keeps coming back to him: reset.
Mindfulness & Meditation Retreats: For every stage of the journey
Whether you're curious about your first day of silence, ready to deepen the skills from your MBSR course, or seeking extended immersion in traditional meditation practice, retreats offer something your daily practice can't: continuity, community, and the spaciousness to meet yourself differently.
From one-day refreshers to seven-day silent intensives, find the retreat that meets you where you are.
Choose your starting point
Not sure where to begin? Keep reading...
Why practice on retreat
The gift of retreat is time — extended, uninterrupted practice that reveals what can't emerge in 20-minute morning sessions. When you step away from daily demands and practice with continuity across hours or days, patterns become visible. Reactivity softens. The mind settles in ways that feel impossible at home.
This isn't about escaping life. It's about seeing it more clearly so you can engage it more powerfully.
Retreats offer:
- Sustained practice that builds momentum your daily meditation can't achieve
- Embodied learning through full days of meditation practice (alternating sitting, walking, eating, and movement),
- Community of practice that operates like a container where others' steadiness supports yours, and shared silence creates collective depth
- Inspiring talks and guidance to infuse your practice with direction and purpose
- Meetings with the teacher in real-time as challenges arise during practice
- Permission to pause the endless doing and simply be, without the usual obligations pulling at you
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Building confidence steadily
Starting with a silent weekend in the Southern Highlands, Betty gradually built up to five and seven-day retreats. She talks about the quiet courage it takes to be with yourself inside your own head - and the confidence that follows when you discover you actually can.
Finding your retreat pathway
The right retreat depends on where you are in your practice journey, not how 'good' you think you are at meditation. We offer three pathways:
Not sure which fits you?
I've just finished MBSR and enjoyed the silent day - am I ready for a longer retreat?
Yes. You’ve already had a taste of the silent day. The retreat will draw on these foundational practices and offer the gift of continuity that a residential retreat offers.
I've never meditated before - where do I start?
Complete an 8-week MBSR course first as this will build skills and you will have an experience of a day of silence as part of the course. Retreats assume basic meditation familiarity; they're not the place to learn foundational practices for the first time.
I'm worried I can't sit still that long / handle silence / do it right.
Perfect. That's exactly the anxiety everyone brings to their first retreat. You're not supposed to be "good at" retreats - you're supposed to be honest with whatever arises. This is the practice.
I want extended silence but I've only done day retreats.
If you enjoyed the full day, then you are probably ready for a longer retreat. You will be given all the support you need to meet what arises – which will be the patterns in your own mind. All good!
Can I talk to someone about which retreat suits me?
Absolutely. Email info@openground.com.au or call us. We're happy to discuss your practice background and help you choose appropriately.
What all our Retreats share
Regardless of length or format, every Openground retreat offers:
Evidence-based tradition: Rooted in 2,600 years of Buddhist meditation practice, adapted for contemporary secular contexts drawing on science and the mindfulness-based lens pioneered by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Experienced teachers: Every retreat teacher has years of personal practice, formal teacher training, extensive retreat experience and ongoing supervision. They teach from lived experience, not just curriculum knowledge.
Trauma-informed approach: Our teachers know how difficult life experiences can affect humans. To all aspects of the retreat they bring this understanding and you will feel it. Retreats are intensive, but they're held with care and attention to psychological safety.
Community of practice: You'll practice alongside others who also struggle, also doubt, also show up anyway. That shared container creates safety for the vulnerable work of looking honestly at yourself.