3 days
Min. 300 USA-dollár
Hawaii - Big island
3 Day Informal Dharma Retreats
"I created the retreat I always wished had existed during my own decades of seeking."
I was never much interested in practicing the form, but in talking and being directly with those who seem to be teaching it. I read too many publications and spent too little time with the source directly. I just wanted to have direct access to the teachers or getting as close to sources as possible.. in order to be able to decide if any of it is for real. Therefore...
This is a small, all-inclusive gathering of 4 to 8 friends on the Big Island of Hawaii, intended for those, drawn to Buddhist and Non-Dual inquiry, whether through long experience or a sincere and growing interest.
It is not a resort retreat, and it is not a spiritual performance.
It is an intimate Dharma container: a quiet, carefully held environment that seeks to reduce noise, ego, distraction, and unnecessary formality, so that something more honest and essential can come forward. And we share equally all of that.
The three buildings on the 6 acre property are simply where we dwell, rest, and sleep. Oh yes, and build fires every night. But the deeper journey unfolds mostly beyond them.
Much of each day takes place out on the island itself, in some of the Big Island’s most breathtaking places, chosen for their natural power, beauty, and relative solitude. We stay away, as much as possible, from crowds, noise, and commercial exploitation. The island is not merely scenery for the retreat. It is an essential part of the retreat.
In Buddhist language, this offering leans most deeply into the Second Jewel: refuge in the Dharma. It is especially suited for intermediate and advanced seekers who feel ready to loosen their attachment to fixed roles, identities, teachings, or teachers, and enter a more direct and shared field of inquiry.
Here, the line between teacher and seeker softens. We learn through formal Dharma talks, through conversation, through silence, through movement, through the natural world, and through the simple challenge of being present without so much self-concern. Sometimes the deepest insight arrives not when someone is explaining the truth, but when nobody is trying so hard to appear wise.
There is a thoughtful but flexible daily rhythm that allows the group to move together while leaving room for spontaneity, honesty, and genuine discovery. Every participant, including the host, matters equally in shaping the atmosphere and depth of the experience.
The retreat includes three separate structures with four accommodation options, designed for comfort, privacy, and intimacy rather than maximum occupancy.
Pricing begins at $300 per person for 3 days in double occupancy. Guests who prefer to stay privately in a double cabin may do so for $600 for 3 days. This allows each person to choose between shared simplicity and private space. For couples, it is especially good value, as they can enjoy a private cabin together at the double-occupancy rate.
Included are lodging, food, transportation, daily programs, island journeys, personalized Dharma talks, and a deeply private small-group setting.
At The Gap Retreats, we also work with the real and practical questions each person brings. Not as problems to be fixed, but as living entry points. A struggle, transition, or recurring pattern can become the ground for deeper clarity, and for a path that continues after the retreat ends.
"The path between who you are and who you should be is revealed by clear vision. Obscured was never the path, but who you assumed yourself to be."
Testimonials
What our real, international guests are saying (writing) about us.. dates, names, their own language and specific personal experiences... during their stay...
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May 2026
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Who We Are
Andrew (the guy mostly behind this) is a self proclaimed Dharma teacher. He's been on this Journey since he was born, but consciously since he was 26-27 years old. His realiztion began on an idle Tuesday afternoon in the SF Valley of Los Angeles, standing in the kitchen and realizing in deep disbelief...."OMG...Nobody f@%king knows!". He there and then realized how the whole world (all people thru history) for the most part and still do not understand reality, who we really are and what we are doing here. Andrew's journey was a conscious one ever since, trying to get to the bottom of it all. He was not careful what he wished for, as he got so deep that it basically broke his conventional mind. This is in a positive sense allowed for a totally different exploration, a much bigger fish to fry... Non-Duality. The real nature of all things. This is where things are breaking down.
If there only was somehow to facilitate these realizations in everyday, practical life... Andrew found no such support, so he moved into the rainforest on a tropical island and took some time off to create the environment that could facilitate his and everybody else's explorations without having to deal much with the commercial, political and overall duality of the world. Andrew was busy for more than 15 years. He (with Agi the wife) built (and maintains) several buildings, their infrastructure, a short term rental and tour company, and in general has gathered more than enough tangible and intellectual property to facilitate informal and private Dharma retreats for those who are on a similar path or resonate with these efforts. This (if you calculate everything) is not for profit. We are not trying to make money here. We start with sustainability first. All expenses paid without over-pricing or allowing anyone to make extra money beyond their expenses in materials or work hours. If we achieve that, we are good. We are even ready for loosing a small amount if we can keep this principle and our participants satisfied.
For any questions please email Andrew privately: telefalu@gmail.com
