Awareness, Inquiry and Freedom

Awareness, Inquiry and Freedom is a seven-day silent insight meditation retreat at Sangsurya in Byron Bay, New South Wales, led by Will James and Radha Nicholson. It is open to beginners and experienced practitioners alike, and suits anyone who wants a sustained period of Vipassana practice with close teacher guidance in the Insight tradition.

What to Expect

Insight meditation allows us to see clearly the reactions and distortions that arise in daily life, and to notice the freedom and clarity available in each moment. The retreat is held in silence, apart from meetings with the teachers and essential communication.

The program weaves together sitting, standing, walking and guided meditation, meditation instruction, inquiry sessions, evening Dharma talks and daily mindfulness work periods. Meetings with the teachers are an essential part of the week. They take place in small groups, and there is also the opportunity for individual interviews.

The organizer's sample schedule for a full retreat day begins with a wake-up bell at 5:45, optional yoga or exercise at 6:00, and sitting meditation at 6:45. Breakfast, a mindfulness work period and daily instructions follow, then alternating sitting and walking periods through the morning. After lunch and rest there is Dharma inquiry at 2:00, more sitting and walking, and the evening meal at 5:00. The evening includes sitting, a Dharma talk at 7:15 and a closing program of guided meditation, poetry or music, with rest at 9:00. Actual timings may vary from this sample.

About Will James

Will James is the resident teacher of Tallowwood Sangha, an insight meditation community based in Bellingen on the east coast of Australia. He leads its weekly sits, retreats, days of mindfulness, a mindfulness training course and a Dharma study program. His path began in the late 1970s at an Insight Meditation Retreat with Christopher Titmuss, and he went on to study with Christopher through the 1980s, and with Subhana Barzaghi in the Zen and Insight traditions. In 2005 they invited him to take up teaching in the Insight tradition, and he joined the sangha's founder, Sexton Bourke, as co-teacher that year. He also leads retreats in Australia and Bali, has taught at Dharma Gatherings in Australia and India, and is a Senior Mentor for the Insight Meditation Institute.

About Radha Nicholson

Radha Nicholson teaches retreats regularly across Australia and is a founding teacher of Bay Insight in Byron Bay. She teaches the liberation of the heart through inquiry and insight, with a focus on freeing the mind through realising the non-dual nature of reality.

The Setting

The retreat takes place at Sangsurya in Byron Bay, on the north coast of New South Wales. The meditation hall holds a Dana box, and the program includes shared mindfulness work periods around the centre.

Before You Go

No previous retreat experience is needed. The teachers give their time freely and receive no payment, so they are supported by donations (dana) from those attending. Anyone facing financial difficulty is welcome to contact the organizers about their subsidy policy.