Friday June 9th – Friday June 16th 2017
For centuries, Western Mystical traditions have taught ways of working with key life concerns, these meditations provide healing and understanding for thriving in daily life.
Throughout time, spiritual traditions have recognised the value in humanising and personifying subjects. For instance, Greek civilisationhonoured Pan as a way of nourishing laughter, playfulness and feeling connected to nature; and Huntress Artemis for her love of the wild and protection of the divine feminine.
In this retreat, we will experience how Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Norse civilisations have supported their societies to meet their lives with grace and insight. Anyone with a love of classics, art history or even mythological-themed movies will find this subject matter fascinating to meditate on.
Introduction to the Western Mystery Tradition and the Archetype Lady Hawk
Day one: Themes explored: Explanation on how symbolism works. Mature femininity. Abundant wealth. Egyptian Goddess Isis. Greek Goddess Hebe. Norse Goddess Freyja’s golden tears. Winged/Bird symbology – soaring mind.
The Hanged Man
Day two: Descent into the mysteries, claiming of the wisdom depths, suspended mind, mind without movement, stillness of the mind, calming the mind. Odin. Allowing experiences of heavenly bliss and comfort. Neptune, the water element. Letting go. Surrender.
Death
Day three: To look death in the face can actually help us live fuller more enriched lives. Great peace comes from knowing our own mortality. To walk, to grow, to depart. To make friends with change. Using the tools we all have to deal with unfinished business. Thanatos.
Temperance / Art
Day four: Equilibrium. Equanimity is always present. Adaptation. Adjustment. Cooling. Balance. Goddess Huntress Diana/Artemis, Protectress. “The bringing forth of life”. Archangel Michael. Goddess Hygeia.
Pan and the Young Bacchus
Day five: The connection to life, fertility and nature. “Thy priests go forth at dawn and they wash their hearts with laughter”, “What keeps me from expressing this inner freedom I feel?”, “We can make no real effort to be free until we feel our limitations”.
The Tower / The Lightening Bolt
Day six: Growth. Stability through change.“Among weapons I am the thunderbolt”.
Pre-registration is required as space is limited.
Many people have tarot cards sitting in their book shelves, but very few know about the esoteric, spiritual tradition that the Tarot has originated from. It is a complete path of enlightenment, one that has tremendous support for unfolding. It is a teaching that is filled with empowerment, joy, culture, playfulness, and ways of dealing with challenge. Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche taught the Western Mysteries throughout his life, and was teaching it from his thirties.
For this meditation retreat Mira will draw from Namgyal Rinpoche’s teachings on the Tarot, along with Paul Foster Case, Carl Jung and many other teachers of this rich understanding of how to thrive in the wholeness of life.
This retreat will be in noble silence other than class times, and teacher/student interviews. This is to help with being able to calm our chatty minds, feeling the peace of the environment, and being able to deeply listen to our inner wisdom.
About Mira Riddiford:
Mira is a New Zealand based dharma, meditation and mindfulness teacher. With over 20 years of experience, she has been trained through retreat work, study and apprenticeship. Mira’s warm and engaging style breathes life into these classical teachings.
Contact Course Manager: Louise Mair at louisemair@hotmail.co.uk for more information
Cost for the retreat:
Member: $511
Non member: $553
If using Paypal please add 5% of the total cost and include with your payment to cover Paypal’s fees – many thanks.
To register please fill out our online registration form
*Please consider becoming a Wangapeka member – click here for details.
Plus Dana (donation) to Mira for her teachings.
(These figures include accommodation, food and a nominal contribution towards Mira’s travel costs. They don’t include any dana / donation to Mira for the teachings she will impart. In accordance with tradition, this is left up to each individual to gift according to their own means). Please bring cash to pay for the Dana.
Testimonials:
“I highly recommend the Western Mysteries series with Mira. Anyone genuinely searching for meaning in life will not be disappointed. This course is so rich with content, we couldn’t put our pens down! Thoroughly enjoyable and so much more than an intellectual exercise, Mira took us on a journey of exploration of the fabric of life. Mira’s wealth of practical experience in esoteric study allows these teachings to truly come alive.” – N. Stevens
“The Western Mysteries retreat was a highly supported environment for the exploration and meditation of the Tarot archetypes. Mira’s teaching was thought-provoking and gripping, that nurtured the various levels of meditators present. It was an incredible experience to explore the dharma from this colourful, creative and totally different perspective – with such a gifted, open-minded, modern, tuned-in teacher. I am only beginning to see the effects of the retreat, but am beyond grateful to have been there.” – N. Karneef
“Recently I attended a Western Mysteries retreat taught by Mira Riddiford.
I originally registered hoping for a rest and respite from a busy work life in community healthcare. I was not disappointed and received so much more.
Mira skilfully held space for the diverse retreatants to experience the teachings. These were vibrantly given in a respectful, humorous and supportive way.
Fascinating teachings drawing on ancient western wisdom also resonating with modern science.
Being a fledgling meditator, discovering meaningful ways to increase the times and ways to support myself and others was gold. Drawing on thousands of years of collective wisdom has been an unexpected and refreshing experience.
Returning to daily life and facing a particularly challenging situation. I found myself naturally drawing on the rich learning and experiences from retreat to feel further calm and support.” – S. Hollobon
Introduction to Western Mystery Meditation at the Nelson Buddhist Centre
8 June 2017, 7:00pm
Garden of Mindfulness Family Retreat
28 Dec 2017 – 4 Jan 2018
Mira gives personal meditation interviews through Skype