100h Meditation Teacher Training.
May 13 - August 22 2026.
Blue Mountains + Online.
“The true practice of meditation is to sit as if you were drinking water when you are thirsty.”
- Shunryu Suzuki
A heart-centred, experiential training unfolding over 12 weeks, for those drawn to depth, clarity, and sincere practice.
Why this training?
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Experiential first.
A five-day silent retreat forms the foundation of the training.
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Depth without Dogma.
The curriculum draws from multiple contemplative approaches while emphasising discernment, sensitivity, and direct experience over rigid frameworks.
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Teaching from embodiment.
Rather than memorising scripts or techniques, participants are supported to teach from presence and lived experience, allowing each teacher’s voice to emerge naturally.
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A lifelong journey.
This training is designed to support a lifelong relationship with meditation (and with oneself). It is not simply a qualification to tick of the list.
”Set fire to the Self within by the practice of meditation. Be drunk with the wine of divine love. Thus shall you reach perfection.”
- Shveta Shvatara Upanishad
This 100-Hour Meditation Teacher Training draws from a range of contemplative traditions that place direct experience and love of the practice at the centre.
These include awareness-based and non-dual teachings rooted in Advaita Vedanta (non-duality), Atma-Vichara (self-inquiry) classical Buddhist meditation practices, heart-centred approaches such as prayer and compassion practices, and both classical and tantric yoga perspectives on breath, mantra, and subtle energy.
These traditions are not taught as belief systems or philosophies to adopt, but as authentic, time-tested practices to explore for yourself.
For some, this training will primarily deepen personal practice. For others, it will also support the capacity to share meditation with others. In both cases, the emphasis is on direct experience rather than theory or performance.
You’ll learn how to guide meditation without memorising scripts, by understanding the inner process you’re inviting others into. You will be equipped to teach in a way that feels natural and rooted in your own experience.
How we will learn.
This training comprises 100 hours in total, including a five-day in-person silent retreat, weekly live online sessions, weekend workshops online, guided self-practice, and supervised teaching practicums.
In-Person Silent Retreat
Wednesday 13 – Tuesday 19 May
A five-day immersive silent retreat forming the experiential foundation of the training through sustained meditation practice, guided inquiry, and silence.
Weekly Live Online Sessions (Tea Chats)
Thursdays | 6:30 - 8:00pm (AEDT) between 21 May - 13 August (12 x 1.5 hour sessions)
These shorter, consistent sessions support integration, introduce key practices and themes, and provide space for reflection, questions, practice teaching, and group dialogue.
Weekend Workshops (Cacao Mornings)
Saturdays | 10:00am–12:00pm (AEDT) selected dates between 30 May - 22 August:
30 May, 13 June, 27 June, 11 July, 25 July, 15 August, 22 August.
Two hour workshops with experts in the field, allowing for deeper exploration of core themes, combining extended practice, teaching input, inquiry, and experiential learning.
Self-Practice
You will commit to minimum 30 minutes meditation each day, with an accountability buddy to synchronise your meditation with, or at the very least, to report to each day. Recorded guided practices will be provided each week.
Teaching Practicum
Ongoing throughout the training, informal, progressive opportunities to guide meditation and receive feedback.
Feedback on the teachers.
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"One of the most unexpectedly life-changing experiences I’ve ever had. I left feeling genuinely lighter, more spacious, seen, and grounded. The facilitators were nothing short of phenomenal; a rare combination of authenticity, presence, warmth and leadership. Every detail felt thoughtfully curated without being rigid. They were the captains of a deeply human, transformative adventure."
Melanie Mapleson, Retreat Participant June 2025.
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"I had been busy at work for years and with life. I felt drained and it was starting to impact my thinking. My sister proposed this 3-day silent retreat to me and I am so thankful. The experience was so supportive, with amazing facilitators and a beautiful group of humans all coming together to focus on ourselves and go a little deeper. "
Bridie O’Sullivan, Retreat Participant June 2025.
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"I was a little daunted by the guidelines before the retreat but being in silence with strangers turned out to be the comfort and support that I needed. Rose and Alistair were simply amazing teachers and facilitators. They have a gift of holding space for others that is quite rare. I finally was able to find my groove with their techniques and guidance that I have been able to hold onto back in day-to-day life."
Sarah Taylor, Retreat Participant July 2024, May 2025, August 2025.
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"I have attended a number of Silent Retreats facilitated by Rose. These retreats have honestly changed my life for the better, and also the lives of those around me."
Jane Brewer, Regular Silent Retreat Participant.
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"This has been a transformational experience. Rose teaches with wisdom, humility, compassion and humour, making meditation, yoga and breathwork accessible. I’ve come away with a new perspective on how I interact in the world."
Nadine Liddy, Retreat Participant, August 2022.
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"This three-day silent retreat was a world-class experience. The birdsong, the lovingly prepared food, and Rose’s gentle guidance made it a journey of profound nourishment and self-discovery."
Bek Honeyman, Retreat Participant, AprIl 2024.
The Approach.
This is a heart-centred, experiential training.
Rather than collecting techniques or rote learning facts, we explore meditation as a living practice, inseparable from daily life.
A range of meditation approaches are explored, including:
Mindfulness-based meditation
Breath-based practices
Heart-centred and compassion practices
Mantra
Self-inquiry
Subtle energy practices (prana / shakti)
Many meditation and yoga trainings place a strong emphasis on theory, history, technical detail, and an ever-expanding range of techniques. While rich in information, this can feel dense and difficult to integrate, with less space for practices to settle into lived experience.
This training takes a different approach. We prioritise coherence, depth, and continuity, while recognising that meditation unfolds in a non-linear way. Learning happens through direct experience and shared inquiry. We stay with a smaller number of practices long enough for depth and clarity to emerge, allowing understanding to develop organically.
Philosophy is woven in where it supports insight, and everything is oriented toward application in daily life.
The result is a training that feels joyful and juicy, offering practices that continue to live and breathe well beyond the formal structure of the course.
Who this is for.
This training may be well suited to:
Dedicated meditation practitioners
Yoga teachers and retreat facilitators
Therapists, counsellors, and health professionals
Anyone feeling a sincere call to deepen their relationship with meditation
Note: this course is best suited to those with existing meditation experience, whether through a daily meditation practice, and/or attendance at a previous silent meditation retreat. Please write to us at hello@rosecousens.com if you’re unsure about your suitability for the course.
The Facilitators.
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ROSE COUSENS
Rose spent four of the last eight years at Hridaya Yoga in Mexico, immersing herself in intensive yoga training, community living, and over 250 days of silent retreat. Returning to Australia during COVID, she began offering meditation retreats and yoga classes in Far North Queensland and now in the Blue Mountains, blending classical Yoga and Buddhist Psychology. She has continued her studies under her brilliant teachers in Mexico, India, Thailand and Bali.
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ALISTAIR JOHNSTON
Alistair started his spiritual journey in 2014 at a Buddhist monastery in the North of Thailand. In the years since he has practised meditation with various teachers, learned several styles of yoga, and sat many retreats. In 2018 he went to Mexico for a yoga course, and met Rose as he arrived at the front gate.
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Yoga Alliance Certified Course
Investment.
The 100-Hour Meditation Teacher Training is offered as a single, integrated program. The investment reflects the depth of the training and includes both the in-person silent retreat and the full online component.
Total training investment: $2,200 – $2,900 AUD
The final amount depends on your accommodation choice during the retreat.
100-Hour Training Program: $1,500
5-Day Silent Meditation Retreat (meals & accommodation): $700–$1,400
What’s Included
Your training fee covers the complete 100-hour program, including:
Yoga Alliance Continuing Education certification
Five-day in-person silent meditation retreat
All meals during the retreat
Six nights accommodation
Weekly live online sessions and half-day immersions
Guided self-practice, teaching practicums, and feedback
Teaching from Rose, Alistair, and guest teachers
There are no additional fees for the retreat component. Everything listed above is included in the training investment.
Accommodation (Retreat Component)
Accommodation options, subject to availability:
Twin share
Triple share
Private room (single bed)
Private room (double bed)
All rooms have ensuite bathrooms.
Accommodation ranges from $700 (shared) to $1,400 (private) and is included in the total training cost. Rooms are allocated on a first-come basis once your place is confirmed.
Scholarships & Accessibility
We are committed to making these teachings accessible.
If the training feels right for you but the price is a barrier, a small number of partial scholarships are available. These are offered to support people who feel a genuine call to the training and are ready to engage sincerely, but for whom the full fee would make participation difficult.
If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, you’re welcome to indicate this in your application and share a little about your circumstances. All requests are treated confidentially and reviewed with care.
We ask that those who are able to pay the full fee do so, as this helps support the sustainability of the program and allows scholarship places to be offered. Write to us directly at hello@rosecousens.com if you have any questions about this.
FAQs
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No. While this training does prepare those who feel called to teach, it is equally suitable for committed practitioners who want to deepen and clarify their own practice. Many people may join primarily for personal practice and integration, and allow questions about teaching to unfold naturally.
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This training is best suited to those with an existing meditation practice or prior retreat experience. You don’t need to be an “advanced” meditator, but you should feel comfortable sitting regularly and be open to self-inquiry and silence.
If you’re unsure whether this training is the right fit, you’re very welcome to get in touch.
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All live online sessions and half-day immersions will be recorded and made available to participants. While live attendance is encouraged wherever possible, the training is designed to be accessible for people with work, family, or time zone constraints.
Some teaching practicums may require live participation, which will be clearly communicated in advance.
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In addition to live sessions, you can expect to spend time on:
Personal meditation practice
Reflective journaling or inquiry
Occasional peer practice or teaching preparation
On average, participants spend a few hours per week engaging with the training outside of scheduled sessions.
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Yes. Participants who complete the training requirements will receive a 100-Hour Meditation Teacher Training Certificate.
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The training fee includes:
The full 100-hour training
The five-day in-person silent meditation retreat
All meals during the retreat
Six nights accommodation during the retreat
Weekly online sessions and half-day immersions
Teaching practicums and feedback
There are no additional fees for the retreat component.
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Yes. During the retreat, you can choose from:
Twin share
Triple share
Private room (single bed)
Private room (double bed)
All rooms have ensuite bathrooms. Accommodation is allocated on a first-come basis.
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Yes. Payment plans are available to support accessibility. Details are provided during the application or booking process.
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Meditation teacher training exists in a space that doesn’t always sit neatly within formal education or licensing frameworks. While there are a small number of recognised pathways, many struggle to fully reflect the depth, experiential nature, and relational aspects of contemplative practice.
This training is offered as Yoga Alliance Continuing Education (YACEP), allowing registered yoga teachers to count the hours toward their ongoing professional development requirements. At the same time, the structure and content of the training are guided first and foremost by what we believe genuinely supports deep practice, discernment, and integrity in teaching.
Rather than prioritising standardisation or purely academic outcomes, the emphasis here is on embodied understanding, lived experience, and the capacity to guide meditation in a way that is responsive to real people and real situations.
Participants who complete the program will receive a 100-Hour Meditation Teacher Training Certificate issued by The School for Soulful Living, recognising completion of a substantial, practice-led training rooted in ethical responsibility and integration into daily life.
Many participants find that the clarity, confidence, and depth cultivated through this training naturally enrich both their personal practice and their teaching, whether or not they choose to engage further with formal accreditation pathways.
Ready?
“You talk to yourself too much. You’re not unique in that; every one of us does. We maintain our world with our inner dialogue. A man or woman of knowledge is aware that the world will change completely as soon as they stop talking to themselves.”
– Carlos Castaneda