Journey Inward to Shed the False Self and Realize the True Self
5 – 13 November, Rotorua, New Zealand & Online
The world is getting increasingly unstable and humanity is faced with all sorts of crises and challenges.
What does it mean to you to live in such a world? How do you find your place and make your life meaningful? How do you see the road ahead more clearly?
We are at a time when we have no choice but to look at those questions seriously. In doing so, we get to know ourselves better and uplift our lives. We also gain clarity on how to help the world make change. This is a special internal journey for shedding the false self and realizing the True Self.
Yuan Tze, the main teacher of this retreat, will be communicating and exchanging directly with you on the heart, consciousness, and Shen (True Self) levels. There will be a special focus on two of the core fundamental patterns that are at the foundation of our false self, Fixed Expectations and Hiding and Avoiding. The retreat teachings and activities will be centered around these two patterns, and Yuan Tze will take us on a journey of understanding how these two patterns shape our lives and help us through the process of transforming them at the deepest level.
Many other Ren Xue teachers will also contribute to the program, which will include learning the Yuan Gong methods and healing activities. This is a great opportunity to work together with teachers and fellow practitioners. All of this will be taking place in a strong and pure Qifield with potent information of wisdom, whether you’re attending in person or connecting virtually.
No matter where you are on this path, this retreat will take your growth to the next level.
Join Yuan Tze and Melissa and the Ren Xue community for this first in-person retreat since 2019
We will be livestreaming the event to enable online participation. This will mean that whether you attend in-person or online you will have access to the recordings from the retreat in your Learn REN XUE Portal.
Join us in-person or online for this special journey.
In-Person Event Details
Click on any of the links below to jump to further details about the In-Person Retreat:
Should you have any further questions, please contact Chris on events@renxueinternational.org
Venue
Keswick Camp & Conference Centre
5 Cooper Ave
Holdens Bay
Rotorua
New Zealand
Transport to and within Rotorua
- Air New Zealand flies daily to Rotorua Airport (ROT)
- Bus from Auckland to Rotorua: 4.5 - 8 hours, www.intercity.co.nz
- Map: www.keswick.org.nz/group-camp/location
- Rotorua Airport to the venue: 2.6 km, 4 minute drive
- Rotorua city centre to the venue: 8.1 km, 12 minute drive
- Taxis can be found outside Rotorua Airport's arrivals gate, approximately NZ$14
- BayBus Route 10 runs between Rotorua Airport and city centre and stops at Cooper Avenue, NZ2.80 cash.SuperShuttle's private shuttle can be booked in advance for up to 11 people plus luggage for NZ$64
- Download our summary of transportation options here
Accommodation & Fees
The fees below are per person and include accommodation, food and all teachings and related teaching material from Yuan Tze and senior Ren Xue teachers, as well access to the Replay of the livetreamed portion of the retreat via your Learn REN XUE Portal.
NZ $1,500 Dorm room (sharing with 3-6 people in separate male and female dorms)
NZ $1,650 Twin room (per person) – sold out
NZ $1,750 Private room in shared space – sold out
NZ $1,900 Single room – sold out
NZ $1,200 Camping or caravan
Accommodation is basic with shared toilets and showers – More information and images of Keswick accommodation
NZ $1,100 Staying off-site: If you want more privacy and comfort, there are two resorts within a 3-minute walk of Keswick. You will need to organize your accommodation with them separately.
- Cedarwood Lakeside Resort www.cedarwood.co.nz
- Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort www.waioraresort.co.nz
Linen Service:
Linen and bedding are available for hire and cost NZ $22.75 per set for the duration. Each set includes 2 single sheets, 1 duvet, 1 pillow, 1 pillowcase and 1 towel. Towels will be changed every 3 days and sheets once during the stay.
Additional Night on November 4:
If you need to stay an additional night at Keswick before the retreat, please organize this with our Event Coordinator Chris Dunaway on events@renxueinternational.org, who will then organize with Keswick. The cost is $25 for lodging only, as no meals will be served that day.
Everyone will need to depart Kewsick on the last day of the retreat, November 13.
Arrival and Departure Information
Ren Xue Retreat 5 – 13 November
Saturday 5 November
2:00-5:00pm – Registration
4:30-5:30pm – Orientation for first time in-person attendees
5:45pm – Dining Hall
– Mihi Whakatau
– Venue Health & Safety induction
– Dinner
7:30pm – Welcome and Group Healing with Yuan Tze
Sunday 13 November
Ends at 11:30am with lunch
Retreat Daily Schedule
Morning
7:00-8:00 Session 1 (1’) – Yuan Gong Practice & Instruction
8:00-9:15 Break (1’15”)
9:15-12:00 Session 2 (2’45”) – Yuan Tze talk
12:00-1:30pm Break (1’30”)
Afternoon & Evening
1:30-3:45 Session 3 (2’15″) – varied
3:45-4:15 Break (30”)
4:15-5:45 Session 4 (1’30”) – Yuan Gong Practice & Instruction
5:45-7:00 Break (1’15”)
7:00-8:30 Session 5 (1’30”) – Yuan Tze talk & Yuan Gong Practice, Group Healing on Day 1, 5 and 8
Note: The five activity sessions are dedicated to learning Ren Xue, group healings, learning Yuan Gong and Yuan Gong practice. Tian Yuan, Di Yuan, Ren Yuan, Tong Yuan and Ling Yuan will all be taught.
Please note there have been some minor adjustments made to our session times and Yuan Gong methods being taught. Details here are correct and a detailed program will be supplied closer to the retreat.
Post Retreat
Anyone who is keen to tag on a trip down to Golden Bay in the South Island to visit the Ren Xue farm and see the site for the retreat center and community is welcome in Onekaka from the 17th of November onwards. The locals on the ground are happy to give farm tours, but nothing formal will be planned so you will need to book and find your own accommodation, transport etc.
It is recommended that travellers book accommodation and don’t rely on tents because the weather is still very changeable at that time, and that you make bookings soon as things start to get busy in the area in November. Here are some quick links to get you going:
Mohua I Site – for hotels, motels and local sightseeing
Contact Jackie Blunt with any questions jackie.blunt@aotearoaretreatcentre.org
For those thinking ahead, at this point another Summer Camp is planned for January 2023 as well.
Financial Assistance
Ten NZD$300 Financial Assistance subsidies are available to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.
The Financial Assistance Fund is a very limited fund donated by generous individual Ren Xue community members. It is intended to help those truly unable to attend the retreat without financial support. If you can access the necessary funds in the form of savings or if you can find other means of assistance through family or friends, we ask you to refrain from applying for financial assistance.
Subsidies can only be used towards the dorm room or camping accommodation options.
If you would like to request a financial subsidy of $300, please contact Chris on events@renxueinternational.org before you begin the Registration Process below. You will receive a reply within one week.
Ways To Pay
Direct Bank Transfer is our preferred option for receiving payment. If you are paying from a New Zealand bank account, no fees are payable for this option. If you are paying from outside of New Zealand, transfer fees with your bank will apply.
We recommend Wise.com for international transfers. They have the lowest fees and an efficient service in our experience.
We will email you our bank account details along with confirmation we have received your order. Please pay the full amount due within 3 days. Your registration will remain on hold until your payment is received.
Account name: REN XUE International Charitable Trust
Email: admin@renxueinternational.org
Address: 101 Cluny Road, Plimmerton, Porirua 5026, NEW ZEALAND
Bank: Kiwibank
Account No: 38-9020-0409613-00
BIC/SWIFT Code: KIWINZ22
Payment Reference: The order number on your order confirmation email. This is very important. We need this reference to know the purpose of the payment and that it is from you.
Credit Card is our preferred payment method if you are unable to pay by Direct Bank Transfer. This option will incur a surcharge of $45 to help cover payment gateway fees we are charged.
PayPal is also available and will incur a surcharge of $45 to help cover payment gateway fees we are charged.
Registration Process
Step 1:
Pay for your registration fee on the Learn REN XUE website here. You will need to select your accommodation type, whether you would like us to supply linen and your payment method in order to determine the fee. You will also need to agree to our Health & Safety, Informed Consent and Cancellation Policies below. You will be able to access the recordings of the retreat from your Learn REN XUE Portal after the retreat.
Step 2:
If you are paying by bank transfer, we will send you an email with payment instructions and your order will be placed on hold until we receive your payment.
When we receive your payment, we will send you an email with instructions to complete our registration form. This form has important details we require from you to finalize your registration. Once this is complete, you will receive confirmation of your registration.
Step 3:
Closer to the retreat you will receive further details about the retreat program, preparation for the event and registration on arrival at the venue.
Your registration is incomplete until we have received both your payment and your completed registration form.
Meals & Dietary Requirements
Three meals and afternoon tea with fruit will be provided daily. Please bring your own snacks if you need food between meals. The menu will consist of healthy food including fish or meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, a variety of legumes and grains and some dairy products every day. Eggs will be served every breakfast.
There is a basic selection of tea and coffee. If you prefer specific herbal teas, please bring your own tea bags.
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or dairy-free options will be available, but please let us know when you register if you require any of these options so the venue can plan accordingly.
New Zealand Entry Requirements
Linen & Bedding
Linen and bedding are available for hire and cost NZ $22.75 per set for the duration. Each set includes 2 single sheets, 1 duvet, 1 pillow, 1 pillowcase and 1 towel. Towels will be changed every 3 days and sheets once during the stay.
Laundry
Washing machines and dryers are available and free of charge: cold wash only; soap powder packet NZ 50 cents or bring your own.
Internet
Free Wi-Fi is available.
Weather
During November in Rotorua the average minimum night-time temperature is 9.3°C (48.74°F). The average maximum daytime temperature is around 18.7°C (65.66°F). The amount of rain in November is high with an average of 97mm (3.8in). The weather can be unpredictable this time of year.
What To Bring
- Towel, pillow slip, sheets plus duvet or sleeping bag (unless you are opting to pay the NZ $22.75 linen service fee).
- Personal toiletries, including earplugs in case they may be useful
- Layers of comfortable clothing, as the weather at this time of year can be unpredictable
- Blanket for keeping yourself warm during seated practice
- Cushion for floor seating or seated practice (chairs are also available)
- Slippers or socks for the main practice areas
- Tablet/laptop or notebook and pens
- Water bottle or thermos flask
- Torch/flashlight
- Hot water bottle to stay warm
- Slip on shoes or jandals/flip flops are recommended for the shower block
- List of any prescription medications that we would need to know about in the event of a medical emergency, placed in a sealed envelope with your name on the outside. It will be opened only in the case of an emergency and destroyed after the retreat.
- 5-7 Rapid Antigen Tests
Event Team
Chris Dunaway
In-Person Attendee Support
Events Coordinator
REN XUE International
Contact Chris
Simon Sangmeister
Online Event Support
Teacher Resource Coordinator
REN XUE International
Contact Simon
Trina King
Executive Director
REN XUE International
Contact Trina
Vanessa Lukes
Teacher Support
Teacher Program Manager
REN XUE International
Contact Vanessa
Jackie Blunt
Health & Safety Support
Practice Development Coordinator
REN XUE International
Contact Jackie
Mary Bordi
Tech Team Lead
Systems Administrator
REN XUE International
Contact Mary
Health and Safety Policy
2022 Health & Safety Policy: Rotorua, New Zealand
COVID
Your physical and mental health is important to us. REN XUE International is committed to offering a safe environment for our time together. We will therefore follow NZ government public health policy re Covid requirements and will endeavor to make the retreat environment as healthy as possible. Please read the Guidelines for Health and Safety information so that we can work well together for everyone’s benefit.
WELLBEING
You may notice that many of the suggestions for preparing for a Ren Xue Retreat encourage you to be in a “relaxed, calm and natural” state. Feeling this way is necessary for you to be able to integrate new insights and grow, and also for your safety.
If your mental state is unstable or highly changeable and it is not within your ability to return to a calm state, we would advise that this is not the time to attend a Ren Xue event. Please read our Looking After Your Mental Health information to make an assessment on whether now is the right time for you to join a retreat.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
2022 Retreat Refund Policy: Rotorua, New Zealand
If you need to cancel your retreat registration, please do so early. Late cancellations may make it difficult to give someone else the opportunity to attend. Once you have paid any portion of the retreat fee, administrative and possibly cancellation fees will apply, depending on the cancellation date.
If you cancel your reservation:
- before 5 October 2022 at midnight, we will refund all fees paid minus any applicable administrative charges.
- on 6 October 2022 or later, we will refund all fees paid minus $150 cancellation fee and applicable administrative charges.
Refunds will be paid within 30 days of receiving a cancellation notice.
PLEASE NOTE THAT:
- Anyone leaving the retreat early for anything other than a qualified emergency (medical emergency or a death in the family) will not receive any refund.
- If someone leaves early due to a qualified emergency (medical emergency or a death in the family), we will refund the days that are not attended proportionately minus the $150 cancellation fee and the applicable administrative charges.
As per our Health & Safety Policy, if you have to cancel because you test positive for COVID, a full refund will be given.
REN XUE International reserves the right at any time to require that a participant leave the retreat if it is determined that the participant’s behavior is either excessively disruptive or dangerous to self or others. In this case, all retreat fees are non-refundable.
Cancellation by REN XUE International
In the event that REN XUE International is required to cancel the retreat due to changes in NZ government COVID policy or other unforeseen reasons, we will notify you as soon as possible and will refund the full fee amount paid – minus any administrative fees incurred.