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Tergar Australia Annual Community Retreat


  • Rocklyn Yoga Ashram 393 Dean-Barkstead Rd Rocklyn VIC 3364 Australia (map)

This residential retreat is a unique opportunity for anyone wishing to practice in accordance with the teachings of Mingyur Rinpoche and under the guidance of experienced Tergar instructors Edwin Kelley and Myoshin Kelley, to come together and meditate, regardless of where you might be on the path.

The residential retreat will unfold at Rocklyn Ashram, a tranquil setting on the edge of the Wombat State Forest near Daylesford.  The peaceful natural environment is home to natural bush, incredible permaculture gardens, grassy knolls surrounding the lake.  The buildings have been lovingly created over years with mudbrick, timber and rammed earth. The practice spaces are truly inspiring and we are so excited to have been able to secure this venue for us.

If you have never meditated before, or just a beginner, you will be supported to engage in how to meditate, and to establish a regular daily practice.

If you are already a student of Mingyur Rinpoche, regardless of whether you are practicing the Joy of Living, or the Path of Liberation, you will receive skilled instruction and guidance on how to progress along the path. You will also be able to use the retreat time towards practice requirements for both Joy of Living and Path of Liberation.

This program will include video teachings from Mingyur Rinpoche as well as instruction and guided meditations from our mentors  Edwin Kelley and Myoshin Kelley who are founding members of Tergar International.

You will also have the opportunity for small group discussions and one-on-one guidance with Edwin and Myoshin.

This program is open to everyone, however if you are new to the Tergar community, a brief introduction and/or hello will be arranged before confirming your position. Similarly, for those who have never attended a residential retreat, we will also arrange a short call to help you prepare for the retreat experience.

Details and Cost

When : Check-In Friday 2 May from 2-5pm, Check-out Saturday 10th May, 25 at by 2 pm.

Where: Rocklyn Ashram, 393 Dean Barkstead Rd, Rocklyn.

Cost, in AUD - inclusive of all meals:

Ensuite - Room shared with one person: 2500.00 Base / 3000.00 Sponsor
Ensuite - Room shared with two people: 2250.00 Base / 2750.00 Sponsor
Shared Bathroom - Room shared with one person: 1900.00 Base / 2400 Sponsor
Shared Bathroom - Room shared with two people: 1800.00 Base / 2300 Sponsor
Camping: 1750.00 / 2000 Sponsor
Offsite / Day Visitors: 800 / 1000 Sponsor
Bedding Package if required: 30.00

Concession rates will be determined by the number of sponsor registrations we receive. If you require a concession rate please note this in your registration and someone will be in touch with more details.

Notes on rates and accomodation

Please note all accommodation is shared.  We are unlikely to be able to accommodate single use rooms to ensure there is space for all. There are a number of AirBnB and other rental accommodations close by that you are welcome to choose, and drive to the Ashram daily. Camping is also an option to have your own space!

All fees include on-site accommodation (save for day visitors) and three vegetarian meals per day, plus coffee, tea and drinks throughout the day. 

We are only offering a base and sponsor rate for this retreat. Sponsor rates will directly go towards a pot which will enable us to offer discounts for those requiring a concession. This will be on a first come first serve basis. Email us for more information at info@tergar.org.au

Accomodation is limited.  In order to register you will need to pay a $100 deposit which will be deducted from your final fees. 

Registrations Close April 28

Provisional Schedule

Will be posted here soon.

About our Instructors

Edwin Kelley

Edwin attended his first meditation retreat near Perth, Australia in 1975, then in 1992 went to Burma to undertake a six-month period of intensive meditation practice with meditation master Chanmyay Sayadaw. While practicing in Burma he ordained temporarily as a Buddhist monk.

In 1994 he was hired as Director of Operations by one of America’s best known meditation retreat centers, the Insight Meditation Society (IMS), in Barre, Massachusetts. Eighteen months later he was appointed Executive Director of IMS and served in that capacity until 2003 when he resigned to pursue further long-term intensive meditation practice.

Edwin first encountered Tibetan Buddhism in Dharamsala, India in 1993. Since 1997 he has received instruction in the practice of Dzogchen from Tsoknyi Rinpoche and further instruction in Dzogchen and Mahamudra from Mingyur Rinpoche.

In 2009, when Mingyur Rinpoche asked him to help establish Tergar International, a non-profit organization that oversees Rinpoche’s activities in the western hemisphere, Edwin moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since the inception of Tergar he has served as a Meditation Instructor, for a period as Executive Director, and more recently as Chief Financial Officer. He plans to relocate to Australia with his wife, Myoshin, in 2023.

He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia and a postgraduate diploma in Buddhist Studies from the University of Sunderland in the UK.

Myoshin Kelley

At a young age, Myoshin decided that school could not teach her what she wanted to know and decided that life would be her teacher. This led her to a lifelong journey of living in spiritual communities while exploring the inner terrain of being human.

Myoshin received dharma instruction from renowned Buddhist teachers Chanmyay Sayadaw, Sayadaw U Pandita, Sayadaw U Tejaniya, and Hogen Yamahata. She also developed a great love of retreats and at one point temporarily ordained as a nun in Myanmar.

Myoshin’s training as a meditation teacher began with Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in 1994. She was appointed the teacher in residence at the Forest Refuge, the long-term practice center at IMS, in 2003.

In 1998, Myoshin was introduced to Mingyur Rinpoche. Twelve years later she moved to Minneapolis to help Rinpoche and others with the formation of Tergar Meditation Community. For a decade she led the team to oversee the formation of Tergar meditation groups and the training of Tergar community leaders. As a Tergar instructor, Myoshin leads programs that experientially explore how the practice of meditation and the wisdom of an open heart support the path of awakening.

Nature has been a strong teacher and support for Myoshin throughout her life. She loves to do solitary retreats in nature as well as hike, bike, cross-country ski, and now swim in the ocean on the beautiful Sapphire Coast in Australia, where she lives with her husband Edwin.

About the Venue

Rocklyn Ashram is a tranquil setting on the edge of the Wombat State Forest near Daylesford.  The peaceful natural environment is home to natural bush, incredible permaculture gardens, grassy knolls surrounding the lake.  The buildings have been lovingly created over years with mudbrick, timber and rammed earth. The practice spaces are truly inspiring and we are so excited to have been able to secure this venue for us.

The grounds and local area offer an abundance of options for walking, meditation and inspiration. 

The property is about 90 minutes from Melbourne and Melbourne airport by car.

Accommodation

The accommodation is a mix of twin share and triple share, with some ensuites and shared bathrooms.  The accommodation is heated.

Sharing will be on a same gender basis.  If you have someone specific you wish to share with, please check in with them and advise at the time of booking. 

Please bring all of your own linen - towels, sheets, pillow/case, doona/blanket.  For those travelling interstate or overseas, Rocklyn can supply a linen pack for $30.

Meals

All meals will be provided by the Ashram and are included in the registration fee. Three wholesome vegetarian meals, together with healthy snacks. There is a refrigerator for those who need it.

Karma Yoga

Please note that Rocklyn Ashram  in maintaining a clean and fresh environment, expects everyone to join in a half hour work session after breakfast each day. 

About Tergar Australia

The Tergar Meditation Community supports individuals, practice groups, and meditation communities around the world in learning to live with awareness, compassion, and wisdom. Grounded in the Tibetan Buddhist lineage of our guiding teacher, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, our online and in-person programs are accessible to people of all cultures and faiths, and support a lifelong path toward the application of these principles in everyday life.

Tergar Australia was established in 2020 and meets regularly both online and in-person across Australia./

Other Information

Noble Silence:

Noble silence will begin after lunch on Saturday 3rd and continue until dinner on Friday 9th.

Meditation Cushions and Chairs

These are available. If you have something particular you wish to use, please feel free to bring it.

Experience Level & Pre-requisites.

Suitable for both beginning and experienced practitioners. There are no prerequisites, however If you  are new to Tergar, you must have at least taken Tergar’s Intro to Meditation online course which can be found here and be available for an interview before the retreat.

Cancellation Terms:

Full refunds will be available up to 60 days before the start of the event. 50% refunds up to 30 days. No refunds are available if cancelled within 30 days. If the event is cancelled for Covid or other aspects out of our control, full refunds will be available at any time.

Questions? Email: info@tergar.org.au

How to Register:

Step 1

Click the button below to submit your details and event preferences:


Step 2

Make a 100.00 deposit via EFT to secure your place to the following details:

Account Name Tergar Australia
BSB 013423
Account 335156162
Reference: Your Full Name

If you would like to make payment via another method, please email us at info@tergar.org.au


Step 3

Pay your final balance by bank transfer/EFT – Details will be emailed to you!

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25 February

Joy of Living Level One - Six week online course with Tergar Instructor Edwin Kelley