Tending the Fire: 3-night Silent Meditation Retreat with Kynan Tan
Creating space and care to come out of burnout. A 3-night silent meditation retreat in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW.
About this event
Dates: Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 September 2025, arrive between 3 and 6pm Thursday, depart 2pm Sunday.
Cost: $360 – $600 depending on the type of accommodation. This price includes three meals each day. Early bird pricing ends Monday 28 July.
Capacity is limited to a maximum of 16 participants. This retreat has been fully booked the last six times it has run.
Registrations close Monday 8 September.
Description
We live in the age of burnout. This is a time of complexity where there are many demands placed on the individual. This is especially true for anyone doing mission-driven work, or working towards systemic change. Often our demands exceed the capacity of the body and mind and we find ourselves depleted, without joy, or caught in unhelpful patterns.
Although silent meditation practice by itself isn’t enough to change the world, our world will also not change for the better without deep inner work.
In Buddhist practice, there is an emphasis on Wise Conduct described as balancing your needs with the needs of others. Only when we find this balance can we effectively move forward.
Silent retreat is an environment where we can temporarily put aside our typical activities and focus on cultivating a different way of being. Through creating space, we can learn to care for the self and to find different ways of responding to the unfolding situations in our lives. This is greatly aided by being surrounded by beautiful nature, spending time in silence, caring for the body, and eating nourishing food.
We will explore meditation practices that move us towards regulating the nervous system, stabilising attention and allowing the body and mind to calm, and then connecting with the Four Immeasurables of Equanimity, Love, Compassion, and Joy. The practice of meditation creates space to be able to let go, release, and gain insight that relieves suffering. You will return to the world refreshed in body and mind.
This is a student-centred retreat, meaning that you are able to find skilful and responsive ways to work with the teachings in your own unique experience, with the guidance of the teacher. Our facilitation team will do their best to meet you where you are and provide as much support as needed to deepen your practice. This retreat will be facilitated with sensitivity to trauma, acknowledging the impact of trauma and conditioning and how this affects the present. However, this retreat is not a space for trauma therapy. If you are currently experiencing the effects of either recent or severe trauma, you may wish to seek assistance from qualified mental health providers, and speak with the organisers if unsure. If you are in crisis, please reach out to an appropriate helpline.
Testimonials
“The retreat with Kynan was very effective and helped me with my meditation practice. The venue is beautiful and well-maintained and the schedule is easy to follow. Kynan has a student-centered approach which means he takes care to consider the needs and level of each individual participant as well as offer practices which suit the group as a whole. He is very knowledgable about both the theory and practice aspects of meditation and I learned a lot from his retreat.” — Nina
“I am deeply comforted by the consistent and thoughtful way Kynan facilitates a meditation space. He offers realistic expectations to participants, meets you were you’re at in your practice and pushes you when needed. Alongside all this he maintains a delightfully warm and calm demeanour – truly a great teacher.” — Lillian C
“This retreat was everything I’d hoped it would be and more! It was my first silent multi-day retreat, so I was a bit unsure what to expect. Kynan offered so much guidance, encouragement, and humor the whole weekend. I walked away feeling grounded and more connected to the world around me.” — Rachael C
“This was an extremely well-run and thought-out retreat, focusing on individual need, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Its emphasis on what works best for the individual, rather than adherence to any particular technique or tradition was a relief. I was particularly taken with the high-quality of instruction and talks provided by the Kynan, as well as the excellent and friendly services provided by the retreat manager and chef.” — Richard C
“This was my first retreat with Kynan. The reason to do it was to reignite my meditation practice and alleviate a period of stress. I liked the opportunity to practice with a small group, as well as the combination of seated and walking meditations. The sessions with Kynan to learn about Dhamma helped me to integrate my practice. I found Kynan to be highly engaging in his teaching and guidance, thanks to his approachability and lucid communication.” — Claudia Turró
Retreat Schedule
The schedule will mostly comprise alternating between seated and walking meditation. Each day there will be a dharma talk, guided meditation, stretching and gentle movement, opportunity for a one-on-one interview with the teacher, three meals, and time for exercise or walking outside. We will observe noble silence from Friday night until Monday lunch. All meals will be provided.
About the Teacher
Kynan Tan is a meditation teacher who takes a collaborative approach to helping students deepen their meditation practice. He came to meditation after struggles with burnout, anxiety, and depression and found the practice to be transformative. He believes that meditation has enormous potential for creating positive change and opening up new ways of relating to our experience.
Kynan draws upon a number of different modern and traditional techniques of contemplative and introspective practice. He is a longtime practitioner of the stages of śamatha-vipassanā (as presented in the book The Mind Illuminated), Rob Burbea’s insight meditation techniques, nondual awareness, and brahmavihārā practices (mettā, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity). Kynan brings his experience as an artist, musician, and programmer into his understanding and sharing of meditation in a way that is clear, practical, and creative.
Kynan has recorded guided meditations for SBS, and has taught classes at Carriageworks, City of Canada Bay Libraries, and Melbourne University Contemplative Studies Centre. He teaches the Pragmatic Dharma Club at the San Francisco Dharma Collective, regularly leads residential retreats, offers one-on-one instruction, and teaches online meditation courses. He is the co-creator of Sit Down and Practice. Kynan has sat a number of retreats, including a month-long solo retreat in 2021.
Venue and Cost
Vejjasala, located just outside the village of Wingello in the Southern Highlands of NSW, is a retreat centre run by the Association of Engaged Buddhists. The name, Vejjasala, means a place for healing. This beautiful retreat centre features recently renovated, comfortable accommodation, expanses of bushland, and lots of amazing wildlife. Full details about Vejjasala, accommodation options, directions, and information about what to bring can be found on the Vejjasala website.
The registration cost includes accommodation and food, with three nourishing vegan meals per day. Please indicate if you have any allergies or dietary requirements. We can accommodate gluten free diets, or if there are specific ingredients you need to avoid, however we may not be able to accommodate all requests. Please also note that we do not have dairy milk, you can bring your own vegetarian items if you wish.
We work to keep the price of the retreat as low as possible while allowing for us to pay for food and venue hire. The cost for this retreat varies depending on the type of accommodation and there is an early bird discount available. Please click on “Buy Tickets” to see the different options.
You can read more about the accommodation options. Shared rooms will generally be allocated to people of the same gender (please indicate on the form if you are booking a shared room and this is not suitable for you). There is also space available for participants who are able to camp or bring a caravan — if you are doing this note that you will need to bring all your own equipment, bedding, and warm layers and be prepared for potential cold and/or wet weather. The kutis are traditional free-standing single person dwellings away from the house that do not have power, heating, or bathroom/toilet facilities (there are plenty of shared bathrooms in the main house). Please be aware of this when booking as this may not suit everyone.
Scholarships are available via Open Dharma Foundation.
The retreat registration does not include payment for the teacher. This continues the ancient Buddhist tradition where the teachings are offered freely. Payment to the teacher is made by donation (dāna or generosity) after the retreat. Participants are invited to make a donation that feels sustainable and generous according to their situation. These retreats and teachings are possible because of the generosity of others in the past and any dāna given will help make the teachings available in the future.
You can access the venue by driving, carpooling, or taking public transport and then being picked up from the station (generally Moss Vale station as the Wingello station is infrequently used). Transport to and from the venue is the responsibility of the participant, however if you request assistance we will do what we can to put you in touch with other participants or organising a pickup from the train station.
Vejjasala is a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ people.
Fire Danger
Due to its rural location in the bush, Vejjasala Retreat Centre is “not to be occupied” on days with an “extreme” or “catastrophic” fire danger rating (per Wingecarribee Shire Council DA for the property). During the bushfire season, if the forecast before the retreat is for an “extreme” or “catastrophic” fire danger rating, the retreat will not be able to proceed. We will monitor the fire danger, and will advise all participants as soon as possible and provide a full refund. The on-site retreat manager will monitor the fire danger rating for the duration of the retreat.
Risks and Responsibility
This retreat will be conducted in silence (you can always talk to the teacher as required). This may not be a good environment for you if you are experiencing serious mental health issues, or if you have experienced recent or severe trauma. While meditation retreats are generally beneficial, intensive meditation practice can lead to distress or adverse effects. The teacher and volunteers will do their best to support you but they are not qualified to provide mental health support. Please consider your own situation and discuss with the organisers and teacher if you have any concerns. The teacher will arrange a call with each participant prior to the retreat to make sure they understand your situation and how they can best support your meditation practice.
It should be noted that participants attend these retreats entirely at their own discretion and should consider their own risks and responsibilities in regard to their own health needs and COVID. While reasonable efforts will be taken in regard to providing a safe environment, the organisers take no responsibility for individuals’ behaviour or health consequences arising from attending a retreat.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID please take a RAT or PCR test and notify the organisers at hello@kynanmeditation.net. If you test positive for COVID you will not be able to attend the retreat and we will arrange a refund. If you have a negative result you may still be able to attend, depending on the severity of your symptoms and in discussion with the organisers.
Refund Policy
PLEASE NOTE: Bookings may be cancelled 28 days prior to the event with a full refund (minus booking fees). Cancellations less than 28 days prior to the retreat will not receive a refund, unless another participant is able to take your place, in which case you will receive a full refund (minus booking fees). Cancellations less than 14 days prior to the retreat cannot be refunded.
Questions?
Here’s a short FAQ about going on retreat.
For more on noble silence you can read the Retreat Code of Conduct.
If you have any questions about the retreat, please email hello@kynanmeditation.net
This event is organised independently by Kynan Tan, with the Association of Engaged Buddhists as the venue partner.