About us
One Mindful Breath is a secular dharma practice community in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. We run weekend retreats and weekly evening meditation sessions every Wednesday.
One Mindful Breath explores the role of meditation and mindfulness in embracing the difficulties of our modern lives, letting go of unhelpful reactivity, experiencing the calm and clarity of spaciousness, and cultivating creative engagement as a way of being in the world. Our practice is secular in orientation and framed by Buddhist ethical and philosophical values.
[Onemindfulbreath.org.nz](http://onemindfulbreath.org.nz). Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Whether you’ve never meditated or you tried but found it too hard, you’re welcome to come along!
‘Beginners’ Mind’ on the first Wednesday of the month offers a chance to experience a short meditation practice if you're new to meditation.
Come along if you:
• would like an introduction to a simple form of secular meditation practice.
• want to meet other meditators and practice with others.
• have never meditated, or tried it and found it too hard, or you already meditate and want a different experience.
• are interested in meditation, mindfulness, self-improvement or dharma practice
Weekend Retreats
Put aside a half day or a day for secular mindfulness practice every three or so months at the Home of Compassion in Island Bay. These days typically include a mix of short sitting and walking meditation sessions and brief talks, with time for discussion.
Wednesday Meetup
We come together on a Wednesday evening to meditate, followed by thoughtful discussion and a cup of tea, at the Friends’ Centre on Moncrieff St, Mt Victoria. Doors open at 7.15pm, the meditation starts around 7.30pm, and the evening ends around 8.45pm. For Wednesday evening sessions you can just turn up.
Upcoming events
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Turn Your Climate Concern into Confident Action for a Better World
Lyon Room, Home of Compassion, 2 Rhine Street, Island Bay, Wellington, NZFeeling powerless or frustrated about the climate crisis and other global challenges?
Want to feel better, connect with like-minded people, and find easy ways to make a positive difference through small actions in your daily life?
Then join this one-day interactive workshop based on the international programme Work That Reconnects, as described in the bestselling book Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Dr Chris Johnstone.
The registration fee is only $20. Hot drinks and snacks are provided.
Participants are asked to bring a simple vegetarian lunch dish to share buffet-style. The workshop is limited to 18 participants and suitable for any adult willing to explore the following topics.
Topics
We explore the following topics through short whole-group presentations and discussions in small groups of two to four people.- Finding Gratitude: We begin with identifying new sources of joy and strength in our lives, so we can build resilience against a widespread culture of individualism and competition.
- Transforming Despair: After morning tea we learn a psychological method for transforming powerlessness and frustration about the state of the world into confidence and hope.
- Understanding Our World: After lunch we discuss a broadened perspective on the planet's living systems to help us better understand the problems we face and find new ways forward.
- Going Forth With Hope: In the final session we identify our unique strengths and collaborative opportunities for helping ourselves and the world. From this we make personal plans for small uplifting actions that we want to take towards a better future.
See www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz/climate-action-info-hub for examples of personal and community actions in Wellington. This workshop is supported by the Wellington City Council as part of their Wellington Climate Festival.
Visit www.activehope.info for details of a similar workshop, including free book chapters and an online course.
Facilitators Bryan Royds and Dr Ellen Miller
Bryan Royds is a leadership trainer and coach with longstanding commitment to ecological and social justice. He is an adult educator and registered counsellor by profession and has been teaching empowerment skills to individuals and groups for many years.
Ellen Miller is a GP with extensive experience in supporting psychological well-being and eco-initiatives. She cares deeply about environmental justice and has seen first-hand how concern about climate change can be channeled to strengthen people and their communities.To register please go to https://events.humanitix.com/twtr
2 attendees
One Day Secular Meditation Retreat in Wellington
Innermost Gardens, 31 Lawson Place, Wellington, NZWe know from ancient wisdom and modern psychology that meditation brings many benefits for our mental and physical wellbeing. It can reduce worry and pain, and improve calmness, focus, sleep, relationships and life satisfaction. The more time we spend meditating, and the more skilled we become, the greater the benefits.
So take a restorative break from your daily life, meet other meditators, and strengthen your practice at this small-group Saturday retreat. Everyone is welcome, whatever their level of meditation experience or preferred style. The retreat is beginner-friendly, and our approach is secular (meaning non-religious) which makes room for diverse beliefs.The programme
We will begin with introductions, followed by a guided meditation that covers the core skills of both sitting and walking meditation. For the rest of the day, the meditation will be unguided apart from occasional bells to announce breaks, and to remind you to alternate between sitting and walking (if that's what you choose to do).
To help quieten the mind, many participants prefer not to talk again until the discussion circle at the end of the retreat. However some people like to chat with others during the breaks, and there is space allocated for this. The retreat leaders are always available for quiet conversations if you need support with your practice.The venue
The Innermost Gardens hall is nestled between the central city suburb of Mount Victoria and the green town belt. This provides a peaceful nature-rich setting for the retreat, surrounded by community gardens to enjoy during the breaks or walking meditation.
There will be hot drinks and snacks available throughout the day. For lunch the participants bring a plate of vegetarian food to share. The venue has a full kitchen including cutlery, plates, bowls, fridge, stove, and a microwave.The leaders
Bryan Royds is an adult educator and registered counsellor with a passion for wellbeing science and leadership development. He has been meditating and teaching meditation skills in groups for many years, including the well-researched methods of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).Sarah Jane Barnett is a writer and creative writing teacher at Massey University. She has been a Buddhist for ten years, practicing mostly Vipassana meditation. She also co-facilitates a meditation group for people who practice Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (an evidence-based modern psychotherapy and wellbeing method).
The registration fee is only $20, fully refundable until one day prior. The workshop is limited to 18 participants so register early to reserve your place.
To register, go to our Humantix page: https://events.humanitix.com/retreat-autumn-2026
2 attendees
Past events
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