The Wayfarer's Homestay/Retreat 2.31

Whether you want just a quiet place to stay while passing through or on holiday in New Zealand or whether you want a more structured retreat with set times of meditation please feel free to inquire about The Wayfarer’s Homestay/Retreat

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We are located in the rural area of Horowhenua,in the lower North Island of New Zealand, on a three acre very picturesque setting looking up to the Tararua Ranges behind us and farmland in front. The property has an extensive planting of native trees as well as fruit trees as well as a large paddock crossed by a small stream. We are planting organic gardens. We are about 10 minutes drive from the township of Levin.

We can provide two rooms in the large main house,one capable of sleeping two people and the other capable of sleeping one person. There is another outside room capable of sleeping one or two people.

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A wayfarer is a traveller, someone on the way. It could be someone on a business trip, a holiday, travelling in another country or particularly in the past a pilgrim. Sometimes the journey is one in the mind or soul of a person. Sometimes, no matter what the journey one is on, one needs a place to shelter, to take some rest, to unwind, to get oneself together. We hope that The Wayfarer’s retreat can serve as such a place.

As well as English, Mandarin is spoken (at an elementary level by Graham) as well as four other Chinese dialects by Mee Ying

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Life itself can be considered as a journey, something that we are thrown into but that we have the possibility of making our own to some extent. We see this idea of a journey in various writers both religious and secular. Both Bunyan in Pilgrims Progress and the poet Angelus Silesius in his Cherubic Wanderer speak of a journey of some kind. We see in Judaism, Christianity and Taoism the idea of traveling or the practice of the ‘the way’ being given some importance. The Samoan author Albert Wendt wrote a book ‘Sons for the Return Home’ which is about a young man,s journeying and finding some sense of being at home. R.D.Laing the well-known psychoanalyst/ psychiatrist saw madness as a journey through ones inner world. Bruce Chadwick the travel writer wrote a book called ‘What am I doing here’ a question many of us ask at some point of time in our lives, especially when we become somewhat lost or confused. A retreat is one place where one can stand back from the journey and look at it in a different way in order to see whether one is on the right path and to be able to find a different sense of 'being’ or of being at home while one is on one’s journey.

The Wayfarer’s Retreat offers a place where one might want to just linger and relax in a comfortable and beautiful setting.It may be that one needs a place to get away from others and time to get ‘one’s head together. It might also be the case that one might like more structure and help with meditation either individually or in a small group setting (up to four people).

We invite those staying to join with us in the practice of Qi Gong/Tai Chi/Yoga which we do on a daily basis as well as mindfulness meditation. Meditation involves sitting, body scan and movement practice. Instruction can be given on all these practices.Some people only want to join in one session a day although it's possible to have up to four or five sessions.Graham is available for more formal therapeutic/spiritual direction or life coaching sessions if wanted.

A small house meeting to celebrate the Sabbath (and its relationship to the whole environment) usually takes place on Sundays and people staying at the house are welcome to join in if they wish.

Graham also offers at times for those living close by a two hour a week, eight week mindfulness course, which has proven to be very helpful for those with chronic pain, depression anxiety/stress or just for general well being.

The motivation for the Wayfarer’s retreat comes from both a Western Catholic Christian spirituality and from an Eastern particularly Chinese form of spirituality. However, the place itself is for people of all religions or none. Essentially we can all be seen as being on a journey that often overlaps other people’s journey. The main form of meditation used at the Wayfarer is mindfulness as formulated by Jon Kabat Zinn for anybody, no matter what their background, to help with general well being. Some people with problems of depression or anxiety have been particularly helped by staying at the Warfare's.

We are very aware of the environmental crisis that we are living through and see our place as somewhere where we and others may be able to find a better relation ship with the different life forms around us-human , animal, bird and plant life and with the earth. We are trying to live as much as possible in a sustainable way - learning all the time and also reverencing creation. There are few rules at the house but one is respecting oneself, other people, the animal and bird life, the plant life and the earth itself as well as the dwelling. Perhaps we can see ourselves here as all learning again to dwell in the total community of which we are a part.
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Those at the House

Graham Bull (Psychoanalyst, Anthropologist, Priest )

Graham was born and grew up in New Zealand. He has spent much of his working life in the UK. He has travelled extensively-Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Europe, America and SE Asia. He has lived in Singapore. He has studied philosophy and theology at Catholic seminaries (Holy Name Seminary-Christchurch) and university. He studied religious studies under Lloyd Geering, meditation under a leading Buddhist teacher Buddha Dhasa Bikku, medical anthropology under Prof Roland Littlewood (professor of psychiatry and anthropology), existential and phenomenological psychoanalysis/psychotherapy at the Philadelphian Association attending seminars by R.D. Laing. He trained as a psychoanalyst at the Centre for Freudian Analysis and Research in London. He has a BA and MA in Anthropology from Victoria University, an MA in theology from the Queens Foundation (Birm), a post graduate Diploma in Mindfulness Meditation from Bangor University(Wales) and a PhD in anthropology from University College London. He has worked in the caring professions for most of his working life, as a social worker, a counsellor and manager of a Counselling centre and for the last nine years as a psychotherapist in a psychiatric hospital specializing in eating disorders, anxiety, depression and those having psychotic experiences. Graham is a priest in the United Ecumenical Christian Church. His interests are Chinese, culture, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Interfaith Dialogue, the Christian mystics, Christian Economic systems. psychoanalysis, alternatives to the present mental health system, meditation, Qi Gong/Tai Chi, organic gardening and dogs.

Mee Bull

Mee was born in Malaysia.Her background is social work and education. Her interests are Chinese history and literature, travelling, cooking (especially Asian cooking), gardening, home making. While Meeying is open to various religious traditions and comes from a Chinese Taoist/Buddhist background she has no explicit commitment to any one religious tradition.

Tianlung

The chief spirit guardian of the place is Tianlung (Chinese for Skywolf or Heavenly Wolf). He was a twelve year old black Labrador who has himself travelled widely. At four years of age he went blind which didn't faze him. He was extremely friendly and very positive about the world, other people, other dogs and lately cats. He was headstrong, had a good sense of his own dignity and got his own way by being very nice to others and changing their mood to being more positive.

Sasha
Our new member of the family is Sasha a mixed farmdog who came from Animal Rescue Society. Very friendly although slightly timid.Fast. Retrieves anything.Keeps one on ones feet.

We have also six chickens, two mature sheep Middlemost in the Field and Ram Ram . We have two beehives. We attempt to work in partnership with these animals.

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Tariff and what is provided

Single $70.00 plus Double $100.00 plus per night

Breakfast is provided- cereal, bread, tea and coffee

A light lunch is available for those staying during the day

Dinner is available on certain days at extra cost. While we are not totally vegetarian there are times when non meat/fish meals are provided and we can cater for vegetarians.

The place is child and and pet friendly. Dogs need to be undercontrol and quiet. They can sleep in the car or on the veranda.Children need to be supervised.

Two rooms are located in the main house. There is a large outside room (bathroom facilities in the main house).There is a large shared lounge with television (when no one is on retreat). There is a library and in time there will be a room suitable as a chapel and meditation room.

The people in the house share bathroom facilities.

Visitors are expected to look after their own rooms- making bed, tidying etc.

Outdoor shoes are not worn in the house –perhaps bring your indoor shoes or slippers.


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Levin, Horowhenua 5571

Located off the main road between Levin and Palmerston North. It is ten minutes by car to Levin town. The Horowhenua area of is very scenic and has small towns, theatres, walks, rivers and beaches within easy reach by car.

Wellington City is two hours away

Palmerston North City is three quarters of an hour away