Back to Public Courses

Coming Home to Yourself

With Stephen Archer and Karl Baker

  • 10 February - 16 February, 2027
  • Maitripa Centre
Book Now (opens in a new tab)

Bookings are made through Mindfulness Works Australia

Aerial view of forested hills around Maitripa Centre, with the retreat buildings beside a clearing

A 7-day silent meditation retreat in Healesville, Australia.

Maitripa provides a peaceful, beautiful and supportive setting surrounded by 53 acres of forest for deep rest, rejuvenation, letting go and letting be. The retreat includes 6 nights’ accommodation at Maitripa (all private single rooms) and all meals (fresh vegetarian, catered on site).

Experience unconditional love – just as you are

Every one of us is born complete, whole and worthy of love. In this meditation retreat, we let go of the need to fix, to cure and to sort out. All too often, we treat ourselves, others, the world and our life as a problem. We feel not good enough and incomplete. Something to be fixed, to get right, to cure.

On this retreat, through meditation – simply being present – we discover that we were never a problem in the first place. We affirm and are reminded of our inherent OKness. We get to experience ourselves as complete, whole and worthy of love.

This retreat is suitable for people who are new to the practice as well as those with previous experience of mindfulness or meditation. Daily sessions include instruction in the practice of mindfulness, sitting and walking mindfulness meditations and an enquiry period. Throughout the retreat you will have the opportunity to meet one on one with the retreat teachers, Stephen and/or Karl.

Stephen Archer

About Stephen Archer

Stephen Archer is a mindfulness educator, presenter, principal of Mindfulness Training and lead trainer and supervisor for Mindfulness Works for Organisations, the largest network of Mindfulness Facilitators in Australia and New Zealand. He is passionate about helping people to learn mindfulness and discover its benefit. Stephen is an engaging speaker and trainer providing practical and original perspectives on practicing mindfulness in the digital age.

He has been involved with mindfulness for over 35 years and began practicing while he was finishing a degree in Eastern studies in the UK. At the age of 23 Stephen was formally trained in mindfulness as an ordained Buddhist monk in the Thai forest tradition. His training included working closely with different teachers and completing a number of long solitary retreats to strengthen his practice. Thirteen years later he emerged from the monk-hood with the intention to offer his skills and learnings to the general public.

During the last 20 years Stephen has run workplace mindfulness trainings for organisations including Westpac, Kiwibank and Air New Zealand, delivered courses in healthcare and prisons, and assisted the Mental Health Foundation of NZ to develop their approach to mindfulness. He has worked at the Leadership Development Centre in Wellington running year-long mindful leadership programmes, and is also a trustee of Te Moata where he has led over forty public 7 day residential mindfulness intensives since 1996.

Coming Home to Yourself

10 February - 16 February, 2027 · Wednesday - Tuesday · 6 nights

Book Now (opens in a new tab)

Bookings are made through Mindfulness Works Australia

Other upcoming courses

  • A carved wooden lotus on a stand in front of a Tibetan thangka painting at Te Moata

    5 January - 12 January, 2027Tuesday - Tuesday · 7 nights

    Summer Mindfulness Retreat

    With Stephen Archer

    Begin 2027 with space to breathe, rest and realign.

    Te Moata Retreat Centre

  • The meditation hall at Sangsurya, with floor seats in a circle on a red rug under a high timber ceiling

    28 May - 2 June, 2027Friday - Wednesday · 5 nights

    The Essence of Self-Love

    With Stephen Archer and Karl Baker

    A silent meditation retreat at Sangsurya, Byron Bay.

    Sangsurya Retreat Centre