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Refuge in the Buddha

Establishing & Celebrating Form

Beginner

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Refuge in the Dharma

Form to Emptiness - Silent Container

Intermediate

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Refuge in the Sangha

Awakened Community -  Non Duality

Advanced

In 2025... 
August 22-27
September 19-24
October 3-8

inquire at:
​ telefalu@gmail.com

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The "Jewels Retreats" resemble the 3 Jewels of Buddhism in strusture and understanding spiritual development via Buddhism toward Non-Duality.

1. TRANSPORTATION
The Retreat in most cases begins with our hosts meeting you at the airport or another previously discussed place of pick up. We will transfer you in a calm, cool and pleasant atmosphere in VIP style. Our 45 minute ride is aiming for the Volcano, and her cloud-kissed altitude of 2400 feet. Your nights will be guaranteed to be comfortably cool in the midst of the tropical island. While we ride, cool drinks and snacks will free your mind to enjoy the scenery.

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ALL INCLUSIVE

2. ACcOMODATION & hosts
Upon arrival, you will settle in one of the Eco Cabins and prepare for Orientation and Intention Setting Dharma Talk (or Satsang if that is a more familiar term). The container of this retreat is Quiet and preferably silence if not too difficult. The Cabins are all off-grid but very comfortable, clean and well equipped with comfortable beds and hot showers. There are basics for making tea, coffee and perhaps even scrambled eggs if one is having food emergency. The hosts are hip, down to Earth folks with a humble and mindful attitude.

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3. locations - PROGRAMS - practices
 

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First and foremost, our programs are highly customized to the small groups of 2-8 people. Every day, (when weather permits) we are going on a Journey, to immerse ourself into one or more of the Big Island's natural treasures. We will meditate in gently swaying hammocks on the coast by crushing waves, have Dharma Talks next to magnificent waterfalls or lava craters. Our teachers and materials to contemplate are carefully selected and procured for the specific group in question.​​
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We tremendously respect traditional Silent Retreats, but here we respectfully break with traditional practices and structures, and introduce comfort, playfullness and contemporary techniques. Instead of long and boring meditation, we fly giant bubbles or kites in silence, arrange natural  mandalas or balance rocks at the beach. In other words, calming the mind, meditating in silence can also be fun and playful.

Taking refuge in these Retreats is taking refuge in form, beauty, practice, interaction, building our personal retreat out of form is to interact with others, creating structure and working toward tangible progress. Before leaving the world of form and entering the formless Dharma retreat, we lastly celebrate form in its magnificent totality.

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4. FOOD

You guessed it — we’re not strict about food here. In line with the spirit of this retreat, your dietary choices are yours to define, always in harmony with the rest of the group. Whether you feel called to embrace a clean vegetarian plan, experiment with fasting, or simply enjoy a good homemade pizza (veggie or not), the table is open. Some might even opt for a traditional goulash, slow-cooked over an open fire in a cast-iron cauldron.

Whatever your preference, we’re here to collaborate with you and your group — to nourish the body without the rigid rules or guilt that some retreat programs impose. Our aim is to maximize the joy, presence, and nourishment of your experience — and minimize the pressure. Because here, even mealtime can be part of the practice: honest, flexible, and shared.

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End Game
 

Most events, workshops, and retreats tend to keep the wheel spinning — always leaving something just out of reach, another step, another level, another next time. But imagine an End Game Retreat — not another escape, not another loop, but the last stop where all seeking burns itself out. A space not for becoming more, but for undoing the constant becoming. Here, the invitation is radical: to come clean, drop the spiritual performances, and face reality exactly as it is, without filters. No more chasing enlightenment, no more fixing, no more trying to "get there." Just the raw simplicity of presence, of being fully human — flawed, beautiful, messy, alive. It’s not about reaching higher states; it’s about seeing that what you’ve been looking for was never missing. The end of retreats, the end of methods — just this moment, fully met, fully honest, nothing held back. Reality doesn’t need improvement. It asks only for your sincerity.

When you register for one of our retreats, or even just to talk about it, we ask you to fill out a questionaire for us to get an idea about how you would benefit from the various aspects of the retreat elements the most.


Silent Retreat

 

A silent retreat is a dedicated time of stepping away from the noise of daily life to cultivate inner stillness and clarity through silence. On the Big Island of Hawai‘i, this experience is deepened with regular Dharma talks—offering timeless wisdom and guidance—and visits to the island’s most magnificent natural sites. From meditating by crashing ocean cliffs to walking mindfully through lush rainforests or lava fields, each setting becomes a mirror for inner exploration. The silence is not empty, but rich—filled with presence, insight, and the raw beauty of both nature and self.

3-7 days of total silence, from pickup at airport to drop off at the airport. (arrival is preceded by online communication and preparation)

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Refuge in the Buddha 1st Jewel

 

The 1st Jewel of Buddha's gifts is best suited for those who have not yet gone beyond "form", and if somebody isn't clear about what this means, that would be a good indication to start here. To find answers, to find a good teacher, to establish orientation and create good grounding for oneself would be the 1st Jewel of Buddhism.

 

Findinng refuge in the Buddha is often the first step toward finding oneself. The Buddha form is the form of a teacher, a lineage, a teaching from an authority that we might imagine is heading our effort. We see others gather around somebody that exudes understanding and has a succesful way of communicating this to others.

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In this retreat, we cultivate a path in form, with rituals, practices & methods. This anchors the self into form, structure, gathering resonating priciples and realizations from corresponding teachers. Here we will begin cultivating our own inner retreat to set 

 

ntend to create our own inner retreat, so that our spiritual path does not rely on external help and can be further cultivated by the self from within.

 

Refuge in Dharma 2nd Jewel

 

The Second Jewel of the Buddha is Finding Refuge in the Dharma. This intermediate level is best utilized by those who have gone beyond form - that is - having realized inner wisdom, and not needing any guidance or teachings anymore, just the right Container for the practice. Facilitating a path into the Formless is a delicate dance. Providing just enough form and logistics to promote disassembling the Self and identification, but not enough for the Ego to hijack the Self.

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In this retreat you decide if you like any interaction with staff, Satsangs, Dharma Talks or materials to consume. Should you choose to be in complete silence, we will arrange everything to provide that container.

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Naturally, by Taking Refuge in the Dharma, one would already have discovered how the veil of separation between teacher and student is too thin to be applicable anymore. Further self development is rather an intuitive yet spontaneous dance that is not limited to space, situations and other external factors. We heavily lean on Meditative & Mindful Practices to establish and cultivate our own "Teaching Garden"

 

Refuge in the Sangha 3rd Jewel

 

The 3rd Jewel of the Buddha is about Taking Refuge in the Sangha, the community. If the ultimate spiritual realization can have a final destination, it would be the community of all Buddhas who have fully realized their ultimate existence. Not having to go anywhere anymore and not having to be anyone is the ultimate freedom one can have. Yet still in our human bodies, no matter how free from form, still find meaning in sharing existence and seemingly helping others.

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This is the Retreat, where anything goes. No rules, no expectations, just pure child-like innocence and play. We blow giant bubbles, swim in the Ocean, sit by the fire, eat, sing, and laugh. Since all is one, nothing is left, but play out the parts and costumes we have inherited to the best of our abilities. Taking refuge in the community, we take comfort in each other and have the opportunity to cross-train and share methods and our jewels gathered along the spiritual path. This is an advanced level retreat, recommended for those who have milage under their belt (spiritually speaking). This is an opportunity for teachers to relax, not having to be teachers, yet utilizing advanced methods, spiritual tempo and company that might seem like "drinking from a fireshose" to a beginner.

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Hammocking the Island

 

This 3–7 day all-inclusive silent retreat is a unique journey across the Big Island of Hawai‘i, where each day unfolds through both outer exploration and inner stillness. We visit the island’s most significant and awe-inspiring sites—volcanic craters, black sand beaches, ancient forests, waterfalls, and coastal cliffs—not just as tourists, but as mindful travelers. The route is often dictated by a simple, playful question: Can we hang our hammocks here and sit for a while? If yes, we pause to meditate, listen, and let the land speak. Daily Dharma talks provide gentle guidance, and nourishing meals ground the body while silence nourishes the soul. This is not a retreat from the world—it’s a return to it, one breath and one sacred place at a time.

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ME 2.0 Practical Awakening

 

This 3–7 day all-inclusive silent retreat on the Big Island is a raw, immersive journey of self-discovery—from A to Z. Think The Matrix meets Hawaiian wilderness, where every majestic location we visit becomes a portal: a black sand beach, a lava tube, a jungle trail, a cliffside perch for our hammocks. Guided by daily Dharma talks and meditations, we unplug not just from technology, but from old identities. Along the way, we draw inspiration from voices like Eckhart Tolle, ancient wisdom traditions, and—most importantly—each other. While silence is our foundation, there are sacred moments carved out for real, honest conversations—the kind that cut through surface talk and open doors. It’s a retreat for those ready to see through the illusion, not by escaping life, but by meeting it fully, in presence.

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Mid-Life Crisis

This retreat is designed for those navigating the raw, unfiltered terrain of a mid-life crisis—not as something to fix, but as a powerful doorway to truth. It's a time when the old roles, ambitions, and identities begin to crack, and deeper questions rise to the surface: Who am I now? What truly matters? Over several transformative days on the Big Island, we create space—through silence, Dharma talks, nature immersion, and honest reflection—to confront these questions head-on. Far from a breakdown, this is a breakthrough, where the crisis becomes a catalyst for clarity, courage, and conscious redirection. This retreat isn't about reinventing yourself—it's about finally meeting who you've always been.

 

Couple / Family / Relationship Therapy

 

Led by a Dharma Mediator, this retreat offers more than just scenic exploration—it’s a deep dive into the heart of your relationships, past and present. As we journey to powerful sites around the Big Island—waterfalls, sacred lava fields, hidden coastal spots—we engage in carefully guided exercises that help untangle old wounds, misunderstandings, and emotional patterns. Through silence, movement, honest dialogue, and reflective practices, guests are supported in identifying the root of their relational challenges. Daily Dharma talks provide clarity and context, while each activity is crafted to foster real healing and resolution. This isn’t about temporary relief—it’s about leaving with grounded, take-home tools to transform how you show up in your life and relationships for the long term.

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Death & Existantial Workshops

 

This retreat invites participants to courageously face the one truth we all share but often avoid: our own mortality. Set against the raw, untamed beauty of the Big Island, we explore death not as a morbid end, but as a profound teacher—one that, when truly understood, illuminates life with clarity and urgency. Through silent reflection, Dharma talks, and visits to nature’s most humbling sites—where lava flows, oceans crash, and time stands still—we begin to dismantle the phobias, misconceptions, and unspoken fears that cloud our relationship with death. Rather than approaching it with anger or helplessness, we learn to honor it as the ultimate gift: the reminder that every breath, every moment, is sacred and fleeting. This is a retreat for those ready to stop postponing life and start living fully—with eyes open and heart unarmored.

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Click on "Customize My Retreat" to see what options and choices you can select from to fully customize your experience, without having to commit to anything. You can experiment with different options and ask any questions.

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