Te Moata

20/05/2025

🌿 Winter Community Meditation at Te Moata

Thursdays from 22 May – 14 August 2025
5:45pm arrival for 6:00pm start | No registration needed

While our retreats take a winter pause, we warmly invite you to join us for a weekly community meditation — held every Thursday evening at Te Moata.

Come sit by the fire, chant, and meditate together in the peaceful embrace of the land. There will be time for quiet reflection, gentle connection, and a cup of tea afterwards if you wish to stay.

✨ All are welcome
🧘‍♀️ Group meditation (30–35 min)
💬 Sharing circle
🔥 Firelight, chants & stillness
🥣 Koha appreciated for firewood and tea

Feel free to arrive earlier to walk the land, the Labyrinth, or visit the Secret Garden — just let us know.

We look forward to seeing you.

04/04/2024

March at Te Moata.

Facilitated by Pip and Pat, the tight-knit group who culminated their year of sharings and teaching in 'The Art of Stumbling Home ' started the month smoothly.
Special thanks to Sharda and Roger for a great 11 days of 'Loving Awareness' silent mediation retreat, with intimate inquiry in the mediation room, insightful Dharma talks, sound journeys in the carpet room and sunshine throughout all of the 11 days! Guanyin went on a journey to the rimu circle where she was lit up and chanting throughout the bush as part of a pretty unique ceremony in the dusk.
Along with retreats we have had a friendly crew of local builders on the land, but you will have to visit see the new additions to Te Moata...
Over 80 wilding pines skillfully felled in awkward locations throughout the bush.
The Glockerman water pump is up to its old tricks, playing up again, beating with arrhythmia, demanding new parts... more days in the stream...
Special thanks again for Sharda to come and share her teachings we hope to see her again next year by popular demand..... fingers crossed.

Thanks to the service teams who are the oil that keeps these retreats running smoothly.
Special mention to Charlotte our long-term woofer since January, your help and attitude have been a pleasure .... we are looking for service team members to help with Nyanaviro's retreat starting on May 4th. if inspired please fill out the volunteer sheet on the website.
'till then may all beings be at ease, may all beings be free

29/02/2024

UPCOMING RETREATS IN APRIL

TOGETHER AND ALONE, FINDING FREEDOM INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY 12-21ST APRIL

A rare opportunity to explore a range of different approaches to finding freedom both from the insight and zen traditions.
Auckland insight guiding teacher Jill Shepard and insight dialogue teacher Nicola Redfern from the USA
Have a look below for some of their own words about what they offer during this 9-day meditation retreat:

Get Tickets on Humanitix - Together and Alone: Finding freedom individually and collectively - a nine-day meditation retreat April 2024 hosted by Auckland Insight Meditation. Te Moata Retreat Centre, 180 Paul Rd, Tairua 3591, New Zealand. Friday 12th April 2024. Find event information.

28/02/2024

UPCOMING RETREATS IN APRIL!!!!!
5 DAY PERMACULTURE ESSENTIALS COURSE 2/02/24 TO 7/02/24

Permaculture has been a way of life for Trish for more than 35 years. With her late husband Joe Polaischer, she established Rainbow Valley Farm on the hill above Matakana, transforming 50 acres of rundown, pest-ridden farmland into one of the world’s leading permaculture centres. People travelled from around the globe to learn from Trish and Joe. Later, the couple helped establish the Matakana Village Farmers’ Market, where they sold organic produce from the farm.

‘People think permaculture is all about gardening, but it’s so much more than that,’ says Trish. ‘It’s a design system for living our lives in a way that leaves the planet better than we found it. It’s about living within ecological planetary limits so that we preserve resources for future generations.’

This will be Trish's Last retreat at Te Moata before she moves away from teaching!
come and get curious, soak in a bit of the experience only time can teach...
the link below is an interview with National Radio for more info on permaculture.

Permaculture is the true definition of living off the land - it's more than just growing vegetables, but creating entire self-sufficient ecosystems.

24/02/2024

Retreat season is well underway, leaving little time for Facebook posts but, today has enough time and space to enjoy the view and give an update...

Stephen kicked us off with a full retreat, teachings, sits, swims, walks, and a vibe of ease throughout the land.

Over to Rhada, where Hatha, Nidria, mediation and teaching alongside swims, walks. All in the container of silence. So sweet!!

starting to get a little high at the beginning of February with women's gathering, oh how the spirit rises, dancing, singing, poetry, connection, and the Rimu circle alive with ritual......

Lastly, we welcomed a new retreat for Te Moata. Te Ara TeaTea Trust are based in Christchurch so the south met the north in the wānanga. Knowledge sharing, RomiRomi and Rongoā. Laughter was heard throughout the valleys; we look forward to seeing them again.
We are very blessed to have such a diverse range of retreats, service members old and new and a stream that cools us, a bush to explore and play and lastly two managers who work ceaselessly behind the scenes to bring these retreats and more together. We all appreciate you.
We are looking for service members for wisdom school, so if you feel like some Te Moata action, go on to our website and apply. 29/02- 4/3

12/02/2024

30/11/2023

That’s a wrap!!
What a way to finish, with the vibrant energy of the Labyrinth retreat!
goddess prancing on the land, questing, singing, dancing, and laughter. Te Moata finished on high!!!
Thank you to the fabulous service team, once again rocking it out of the ball park!!
A special mention to the new addition recently created the native tree nursery, many hands made light work.
So as the Pohutukawa blossoms, Te Moata is on holiday.
Have a great December!!
See you in January for Stephens retreat, so if you feel the pull for sunshine, silence, great teachings and nature!!
spaces still left.
That’s a wrap!!

14/11/2023

Friends of Te Moata.
Jesse and Dave sharing stories
dance, yoga, hiking, poetry.
flowing into a working bee. In 2 days loads of mahi was spent on the land,
Painting the shared dorms, firewood, fixing and cleaning guttering, gardens and a native tree nursery built!!
the energy, motivation, food and teamwork were amazing!!, with loads ticked of the list, even on the dream list!!
Thank you so much to everyone who came and helped out!!! your all legends!
bring on the next one!

01/11/2023

Live with Gil Fronsdal and Jill Shepherd
Support Your Practice and Support Te Moata Retreat Centre

Join a 90 min live online meditation session and Q&A with Gil Fronsdal, hosted by Jill Shepherd.

Renowned US dharma teacher Gil Fronsdal recently taught a one-week retreat at Te Moata in February this year. He appreciated what the Centre offers so much that he has volunteered to lead a live online meditation session, short talk and Q&A to benefit the Sustain Te Moata Appeal.

This unique event provides an opportunity to deepen your meditation practice with Gil's guidance, while also supporting Te Moata and strengthening connections with our Aotearoa and global communities.
NZ time: 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturday 18 November 2023
This event is freely offered, but please make sure to register for a ticket in order to receive the Zoom link.

Get Tickets on Humanitix - Support Te Moata Retreat Centre: a live online meditation and Q&A with Gil Fronsdal hosted by Jill Shepherd Insight Meditation. Online. Friday 17th November 2023. Find event information.

01/10/2023

SEPTEMBER RECAP......

September starts with Nyanaviro’s Mindfulness Meditation retreat. A pleasure to be involved, sharing sits, walks, meals, and talks. We Laughed and nodded when he said “Life is glamorous, we are life”.

Spring felt in full swing in the break for a little time to observe the kumerhou flowering all over the place, a clematis that woke up with fragrant white blossom, and a more careful look down at native orchids along the tracks that are thriving this year.

Josh and the boys turned up and swiftly installed complete new solar systems in the Earth hut, woofer cottage, and main center. Even on a cloudy day, the batteries sit at 90%. Septic, oven, fridges and Paul are very happy campers…

On to Bhavana and Pat bringing ACC-funded, self-love retreat. Gusting wind and random hail squalls with warm fires for these women on their journey.

Hello October!!!

30/08/2023

As we have a retreat running in the beautiful sunshine.
The trust recently sent out a newsletter to the community.
Please have a read and share.

Much love from the ground!
any questions email.
[email protected]

29/08/2023

14-DAY INSIGHT MEDITATION RETREAT

We are 10 days into the 2-week immersion plunging the depths of the heart with Jill Shepherd, Willa Thaniya Reid, and Elizabeth Day!!!

So far, we are nourished with sunshine, fires, excellent teachings, a container filled with loving awareness, and space to feel and breathe held within silence and nature.
It is a slipstream of ease at Te Moata!!!!

Many thanks to our service team, who are rocking the kitchen, Hadrian for cooking 14 different soups and much more!! To the Managers, to the assistants!! To the teachers for the teachings and presence and to the sunshine for all its energy!!