Dates are up for Spring retreats in Araluen : October 11-17 and October 20-26.
Camping together in the forest for a week by the river, movement sessions three times a day, practicing bush skills and crafts, sinking deep into the natural rhythms with no clocks, no phones, no internet.
Guest teachers this time are confirmed:
In week one (October 11-17) we have EVA ANGOPHORA from Wild Beings, fresh from featuring on ALONE Australia, season 3(?). Eva has come on retreat before as a participant and we’ve finally found the timing for her to come this time as a facilitator. Eva will be sharing ancestral skills, crafting and tool making with bone and hide, sinew, wood, and stone, and any other things she gets inspired by while at camp, possibly involving eels.
In week two (October 20-26) we have the mighty CRAIG MALLETT, original co-founder of these retreats from 15 years ago, venturing south once again from the depths of Queensland to share his deepening explorations of Daoist body and mind practices, breathing, internal exercise and natural movement.
I will be teaching ancestral movement, animal body practices, daoist bodywork and meditations, natural parkour, wrestling games, ecological awareness practices and so on, and our amazing core crew will be facilitating other bushcraft activities, primitive ceramics, weaving, wood carving, hide tanning and leatherworking, etc. Harry might even get the primitive bush forge going again if we’re lucky and the bushfire risk is low.
The numbers for each camp will be strictly capped again at 35 adults (including the core crew) and a handful of kiddos.
Prices (including catered dinners):
$1600 full price
$1400 for returnees coming back for the 2nd time,
$1200 for the 3rd time
$1000 for regulars who have come to 3 or more camps before
We will have a very few half-price ($800) spaces available on each camp for volunteers who have come on at least one retreat before.
Payment plans, and discounted places for those with special circumstances are available upon request
CANCELLATIONS: We do not give refunds for retreats and workshops. In case of cancellations up to one month before the event, we will hold payment as credit towards any future events with us for up to 12 months, minus 1/4 of the ticket price as an administration fee. For cancellations between one month and two weeks before the event, we will hold payment as credit minus 1/2 of the ticket price. Cancellations less than two weeks before the event will receive no credit, but the ticket can be transferred to another person if you can find someone to take the spot.
For more information or to enquire about a volunteer spot, please email me at simon.thakur@gmail.com
1ST-TIMERS PLEASE NOTE: This is a fairly minimal camping event in the Aussie bush. We are not “hard core” by any means, but participants need to be fairly comfortable camping in a swag or tent, provide their own gear, and be happy with camp cooking, bathing in a beautiful cold river, and basically just being in the bush for a week. If you have any doubts, please get in touch first at simon.thakur@gmail.com
PRICES:
$1600 for first timers, $200 off for each subsequent camp
$1400 for 2nd time returnees
$1200 for the 3rd time
$1000 for regulars