You Have Arrived
Dharma Gaia is a Community of Mindful Living, an experiment in living fully in Presence.
It is an invitation to come back to oneself, to touch true stability &
authenticity as life unfolds, moment by moment.
Dharma Gaia is a calling to inner strength, clear seeing , wisdom & compassion.
2026 Internship applications are open now
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The Retreat Of Presence:
Personal /Formal
Whether you seek the structure of a Formal Retreat or the quiet rhythm of a self-directed Personal Retreat, Dharma Gaia provides a sacred space for restoration.
Rooted in the Plum Village tradition, our retreats offer a blend of mindful meditation, organic vegetarian meals, and immersion in nature.
Choose a guided group experience to deepen your practice or a private stay to balance solitude with community, all designed to foster clarity, joy, and inner peace.
Experience living in Presence
You can join us in four different ways
Personal Retreat
To take time out from a personally demanding or overstimulated life, or for rest and restoration held in beauty and the community of Presence, a personal retreat at Dharma Gaia provides a profound opportunity to deepen mindfulness and self-awareness. Participants can engage in self-directed meditation and reflective practices, tailoring their schedule to balance solitude with optional community activities amidst serene beaches and forests. The experience is enriched by simple, nutritious vegetarian meals, supported by a modest financial contribution to the centre’s organic food pledge, fostering inner growth and environmental harmony.
Internships and Residential Programmes
Living as we do and receiving support and guidance to live more grounded, light, focused, and at ease, learning to release the body, mind, and heart from clutter and distraction, and to live simply and purposefully, a retreat at Dharma Gaia Garden Centre offers a transformative opportunity to cultivate profound personal growth through practices such as sitting and walking meditation, yoga, and Dharma talks, rooted in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Participants engage in a supportive community, fostering deep inner clarity and peace. Through these immersive practices, retreatants undergo a transformative journey, gaining tools and insights to sustain a mindful, purposeful life long after the retreat concludes.
Formal Retreat
Participating in a retreat at Dharma Gaia offers a profound opportunity to deepen mindfulness and inner peace through structured practices, including sitting and walking meditation, yoga, and Dharma talks. Retreatants engage in a supportive community rooted in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, with options ranging from day-long to three-month Winter Retreats fostering clarity and joy. The experience is enriched by simple, organic vegetarian meals, supported by a sliding-scale financial contribution and Dana offerings, promoting a harmonious connection with nature and others.
Volunteer
Volunteering at Dharma Gaia offers a transformative experience centered on mindfulness, where participants engage in 4-5 hours of working meditation five days a week, fostering skills in living deliberately and authentically within a supportive community. The programme includes a weekly "Lazy Day" for personal exploration or group outings, set against the serene Coromandel Peninsula, surrounded by beaches and forests. Participants contribute to the centre’s organic food pledge through a modest financial donation, enjoying simple, nutritious vegetarian meals while cultivating peace and environmental harmony.
Welcome to Dharma Gaia … a manifestation in physical form of the practice of Presence
“The greatest gift you can offer to anyone is your True Presence.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh
DONATE/DANA
The Practice of Dana, Generosity
Dharma Gaia enjoys the simplicity of practising within the ancient Buddhist context of giving and receiving freely. The traditional term is Dana which means generosity. The practice of generosity manifests in a heart of freedom and we know that the door of generosity swings both ways. We are not separate from those we support, we are not separate from those who contribute to our life of service.
When we recognise and understand interbeing, we see that we are not able to live without the support of others. The practice of giving helps us to cultivate insight into interbeing, humility and gratitude.