We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (brainyquote.com/quotes/pierre_teilhard_de_chardi_160888)
If you agree with or want to explore this idea, this retreat series is for you!
Whatever term you might use: Divine Mystery, Creator, Big, Mother, Father or Dancing God, this is for anyone wanting to deepen that connection.
A series of retreat days
9:45am - 3pm.
Saturdays:
7 March 2026,
13 June 2026,
5 September 2026
On this page you can find the dates, what to expect, who these retreats are for, more about Max and Bronwyn running the the retreat days and cost. If you want to know more you can read our general retreat information, send us a contact form or give us a ring, (0490 663 228 or 0439 500 909) we're happy to talk to you.
Making Space for ....
The Great I Am....
The Divine Mystery....
God.....
Be Nurtured by Nature: A Space for Spiritual Wellness
True wellness is holistic, and at Fosterton Retreat, we believe nourishing the soul is just as vital as caring for the body. Set across 100 acres of breathtaking natural beauty, we invite you to a place designed for deep, personal, and communal connection with the Creator.
Drawing from our backgrounds as artists, pastors, and spiritual directors, we’ve gathered a "spiritual tool bag" of practices that have sustained us through life's many seasons. Here, you can explore ancient Christian traditions like Lectio Divina and Labyrinth prayer, alongside creative expressions using colour and fabric—inspired by the Celtic proverb: "If you want to know the Creator, create."
Whether these methods are lifelong habits or brand-new ideas to you, we invite you to step into the stillness,
breathe in the views, and
encounter the Great ‘I Am’ in a fresh way.
2026 dates
March 7
June 13
September 5
Come to one or all, each retreat day can stand alone.
Book & pay for all 3 to get a discount.
Maybe like us- you've found yourself learning a lot through the past few years:
trusting, adjusting to sudden changes, living with 'what is' rather than worrying that things were not as expected.
You might be wanting more spiritual depth & guidance in this 'new normal', more Trust, more Surrender, developing your routines with The Creator.
We understand: Bronwyn finished her 7 year PhD project, Max is adjusting to this new schedule.
Both of us know the importance of using different processes to listen to the 'still small voice', so through contemplation we can move into healthy action.
How do you know if these retreat days are for you?
(Keep in mind: joining one doesn’t commit you to the whole series.)
You might be ready to:
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Prioritize your soul: Carve out dedicated space throughout the year to focus on your relationship with the Divine Mystery.
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Find the "slow": Quiet the noise to better listen to the "Great I Am."
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Create harmony: Use prayer to bring the different pieces of your life into balance.
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Restore and clarify: Rebuild your energy and find a clear path through changing times.
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Deepen your roots: Expand on your existing prayer habits or discover entirely new ones.
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Play creatively: Engage with the Creator in fresh, tactile ways—no "artistic talent" necessary.
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Practice discernment: Take advantage of a facilitated space to listen for direction and clarity.
Maybe this is not for you if:
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You do not believe there is a Divine Being interested in us,
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You're more interested in 'how to' instead of 'being',
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You want a complete history of prayer methods through history, in any tradition (you'd need more than 4 days),
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You have read about Max & Bronwyn's passions background (found below),and training and are not interested.
Hear what one participant said.
"You don't teach, it's more like.... exercises for facilitated discernment" Al.
A regular at our Space for God retreats.
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It IS time for:
Enjoying,
Slowing down,
Practicing,
Nurturing the depths of your soul,
Spending precious time with The Great I Am,
Being inspired,
Sharing with other people who also desire deep spiritual connection.
This is not:
About building another institution,
Designed to shape anyone into copies of us,
Content-heavy, you'll have enough input to be encouraged and guide you in your practice.
Hear what one participant said.
"It was a wonderful reminder that with the Divine’s love and presence ‘I can’ do and create all sorts of amazing things, which is truly liberating." Jen
What can I expect?
Take a look at what is planned....
Day 1- 7th March
Listening to God through Nature
There will be time to:
Be quiet in a noisy world (contemplation/mindfulness),
Listen to God through nature,
Creatively responded to what you hear,
Share (as much or as little as you feel safe) with others committed to their spiritual journey,
Apply what you heard to your life.
Day 2- 13th June
Growing an attitude of gratitude
There will be time to:
Focus on things you're grateful for
Find creative ways to capture your gratitude,
Share (as much or as little as you feel safe) with others committed to their spiritual journey,
Be quiet in a noisy world (contemplation/mindfulness),
Take home what you've discovered to practice.
Day 2- 5th September
Clearing your path to God
There will be time to:
Identify ways you are drawn to God,
Practice yours & understand others,
Go deeper with The Creator,
Share (as much or as little as you feel safe) with others committed to their spiritual journey,
Reflecting in a busy world (contemplation/mindfulness),
Apply what you heard to your life.
By the end of each Day you will have:
Met some liked-minded people,
Practiced some ancient and creative prayer methods,
Journalled your insights,
Deepened connections with others and the creator,
Create a take-away to inspire you
at home.
"The retreat was truly nourishing and I look forward to joining you again." JR
Previous feedback
"I'm still working through the reflection and have managed to connect with my breath prayer each day which has been nourishing." Jen
To help you plan....
Questions:
What are the hours I need to show up?
Arrive around 9.45, so we can start together at 10.00, and we will be finished by 3pm.
Anyone who wants to stay over or walk the labyrinths on the property are welcome to.
Tell me again what is included so I am clear?
Encouragement,
Beautiful surrounds,
Guided prayer exercises (plus a handout),
Morning Tea,
Follow up.
What do I need to bring?
-a journal (we recommend unlined pages),
-pens and/or pencils,
-hat,
-sensible shoes (shoes not the book)
-lunch to suit your needs- microwave and fridge available.
What are your protocols since covid-19?
Please be aware covid-19 is still around
If you are unwell please stay at home- contact us
We encourage mask wearing for those who are vulnerable
Cleaning is covid-aware.
"I would have to say there has been plenty of chaos and unpredictability along with a good dash of tiredness since the retreat, however I feel that the retreat is the only reason I have managed to retain any sense of balance in it all." J.R
I did, however, really enjoy the times for reflection, and being
pushed a bit to get in touch with my creative side. My perfectionist always resists a bit, but
I really enjoyed the outcomes of those times. K.S.
On a personal note:
Over the years we have found a lot of help from practices used for centuries, within various Christian traditions- e.g. using imagination in prayer - lectio divina as we sit 'in' the scriptures, walking a labyrinth prayerfully, as well as more recent creative practices using pencils, colour and fabric as creative ways to connect with God. We're greatly influenced by the Celtic proverb "If you want to know the creator- create". Our by-line is 'Be nurtured in nature', and being set within beautiful natural surrounds & views on these 100 acres is not just a beautiful place to be, it's a part of where and how we meet with God. So, with our experience and training in Contemplative spiritual direction, as artists, pastors, in running groups and retreats, we're digging into our spiritual tool bag to provide these activities and processes that have fuelled our own spiritual life for the past few decades, especially through the last crazy year. We want to share them with you, giving you the chance to meet with God through these exercises, to incorporate them into your spiritual routines, finding new and old ways to go deeper.
Get to know us -
It's fair to know a bit more about us before trusting us to guide you in any way.
We would if the positions were reversed.
Hi I'm Bronwyn,
As you can imagine over the years I have done a number of things: nursing; parenting; set up and ran a local community centre 'For Anyone who needs a little something', working as a community pastor; involved in our local schools through parent organisations, plus taught Special Religious Education in public schools; running a church-based girls group part of an international organisation Girls' Brigade.
There have been different leadership and participation roles inside and outside of established churches on a local, national and international level. We even did a short medieval building course in France once!
Although I've enjoyed a lot of my experiences (imagine if someone said everything was all good?), one of the things I particularly enjoyed was working with a team offering 'Values for Life' in NSW. This involved working with young people from Primary to High school, juvenile detention centres, reflection days and youth camps. We used current cultural references and experiences to help young people work through their values for life including: relationships, community, faith, future, heroes.
Seemingly on a different tack I went to university as a mature-aged student studying Natural History Illustration; designed and led the painting of community murals (yes, including people who have never painted before) and completed a PhD which focused on the love of local ad regional environments by people of the area (endemophilia is the fancy term). I hope to get to do more community artworks in the future, as a way of enhancing places but also environment
These days I am a practising artist, am a spiritual director and bring together a lot of my loves by running Fosterton Retreat with Max (long term friend, husband, partner). We have done the hard yards as well as fun bits in our own lives).
Underneath and through all this is my belief that there is a loving Creator interested in us. This feeds my spiritual practices, impacting how I invest in communities and people's lives for the long term. I have had life experience of: being a widow at a young age; having a second marriage- an extra bonus; caring for a family of 4 children, 2 sons have Cystic Fibrosis-which impacts us all, not just them; and much more.
Hi I'm Max.
I grew up in Sydney, and after several years in rural areas moved to Newcastle when I married Bronny taking on an instant family. A youthworker by trade, I have had various employments, including farm labourer, mortuary attendant, spiritual director , pastor ( I believe in an 'interventionist God') , counsellor and Choice Theory Reality Therapist, where I get the opportunity to help parents and children create change in their worlds-how fun is that?
As a labyrinth enthusiast, I have made hundreds in wood, on grass and beaches, using them in prayer as well as a reflective and therapeutic tool in counselling.
I love creating, and especially playing with wood, watching sawdust fly. I have been the President of Hunter Arts Network- an art collective of over a 100 local artists for the past 10 years, here I am often seen dressed as a pirate. Like everyone-always looking for treasure, these retreat days are part of that search.
Fosterton Retreat is our 30 year dream coming to fruition. We have dreamt of running retreats like these and were thrilled when reading 'Sensible Shoes' - it seemed to have been written about our dream! (How exciting, Sharon Garlough Brown has endorsed us using this connection with her book.) We're delighted to share our heartbeat, our skills and experience to help others go deeper on their spiritual journey.
Still not sure this is for you? Contact us and have a discussion- there'll be no hard sell. We want to serve you, so it's important you feel sure this is the right fit for you.
CONTACT US NOW
or at fostertonretreat@outlook.com or phone: 0439 500 909 (B) 0490 663 228 (M)