The Freedom of Being

The Freedom of Being is a silent insight meditation retreat at Sangsurya in Byron Bay, New South Wales, led by Will James and Subhana Barzaghi. It runs for about a week and is open to beginners and experienced practitioners alike. The teaching sits within the Insight (Vipassana) tradition, with an emphasis on seeing clearly the reactions and distortions that arise in daily life, and on the freedom and clarity available in each moment.

What to Expect

The program combines sitting, standing, walking and guided meditation with meditation instruction, inquiry sessions, evening Dharma talks and daily mindfulness work periods. The retreat is held in silence, apart from meetings with the teachers and essential communication.

Meetings with the teachers are a central part of the week. They take place in small groups, and there is also the chance for individual interviews with the teachers.

Retreats in this series follow a steady daily rhythm. A sample day begins with a wake-up bell at 5:45, optional yoga or exercise at 6:00, and sitting meditation at 6:45, followed by breakfast and a period of mindfulness work. The morning continues with instructions, sitting and walking meditation. After lunch and rest comes Dharma inquiry, more alternating sitting and walking, and the evening meal. The day closes with sitting, a Dharma talk, and an evening program that may include guided meditation, poetry and music, ending around 9:00.

About Will James

Will James is the resident teacher of Tallowwood Sangha, an insight meditation community 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, when he attended his first insight meditation retreat with Christopher Titmuss. He studied with Christopher through the 1980s and also with Subhana Barzaghi in the Zen and Insight traditions. In 2005 Christopher and Subhana invited him to take up the responsibility of teaching in the Insight tradition, and that year he joined the sangha's founder, Sexton Bourke, as co-teacher. He regularly 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 Subhana Barzaghi

Subhana Barzaghi is a teacher in both the Zen and Insight traditions, and one of Will James's own teachers. She has taught alongside him at Sangsurya on earlier Tallowwood retreats, so the pairing brings a long-standing working relationship to the week.

Before You Go

No prior experience is needed. Beginners are welcome, and so are long-time meditators. Because the retreat is silent, it helps to arrive ready for a week of quiet, with limited conversation outside the teacher meetings.

The teachers give their time freely and receive no payment. They are supported by donations (dana), and a donation box is placed inside the meditation hall. If financial circumstances make attending difficult, the organizers have a subsidy policy and invite you to get in touch with them. This retreat tends to fill quickly, so it is worth planning ahead.