Mindfulness Dunedin offers evidence‑based, nature‑based mindfulness practices designed to help people reduce stress, reconnect with themselves, and build steadiness in daily life. From outdoor meditation sessions in the Dunedin Botanic Garden to half‑day and week‑long retreats across Otago and beyond, these offerings provide accessible ways to slow down, breathe, and return to what matters.
Whether you’re new to mindfulness or looking to deepen your practice, this page outlines the full range of opportunities available in Dunedin and the surrounding region.
Why Mindfulness Matters
Many people today feel overwhelmed, distracted, or disconnected — spending long hours indoors, on screens, or caught in cycles of stress and rumination. Mindfulness offers a practical way to interrupt those patterns. Through simple, grounded practices, it helps:
reduce stress and anxiety
improve focus and emotional steadiness
support nervous‑system regulation
strengthen the mind–body connection
cultivate clarity and presence
Mindfulness Dunedin focuses on approaches that are secular, accessible, and rooted in contemporary research.
Nature‑Based Mindfulness in Dunedin
Practicing mindfulness outdoors amplifies its benefits. Natural environments support calm, regulate attention, and help the body settle more quickly than indoor settings. Dunedin’s landscapes — from the Botanic Garden to coastal tracks and island sanctuaries — offer ideal conditions for reconnecting with the natural world.
Nature‑based sessions include:
gentle functional movement
mindful walking
guided seated meditation
sensory awareness practices
opportunities for quiet reflection
These practices are suitable for beginners and experienced meditators alike.
Outdoor Meditation Sessions at the Dunedin Botanic Garden
Held among trees, birdsong, and open space, these one‑hour sessions offer a simple way to reset during the week. They are designed for people who:
spend too much time indoors or on screens
feel stressed, tense, or mentally overloaded
want a deeper connection with nature
need a low‑effort way to move, breathe, and settle
Each session includes gentle movement, mindful walking, and a guided meditation led by a qualified instructor. No experience or special gear required.
Mindfulness Retreats in Otago & New Zealand
Retreats offer a deeper immersion into practice. Mindfulness Dunedin hosts a range of retreat formats throughout the year:
Half‑Day Retreats
Short, focused sessions that combine movement, meditation, and quiet time in nature. Ideal for people wanting a reset without committing to a full weekend.
Weekend & Multi‑Day Retreats
Longer retreats held in locations such as Quarantine Island, Queenstown, and other natural settings. These retreats include:
guided meditation
mindful movement
periods of silence
nature‑based practice
nourishing food and supportive community
They offer space to step back from daily demands and reconnect with clarity, steadiness, and purpose.
Teaching Approach
All sessions and retreats are led by Eric Chagnon, a qualified mindfulness teacher trained through UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and Kovido Maddick, a certified Mindfulness Works teacher. Their approach is:
evidence‑based
secular and accessible
grounded in functional movement
informed by nervous‑system science
shaped by years of personal practice and teaching
The emphasis is on clarity, simplicity, and practices that support real‑world wellbeing.
Who These Offerings Are For
People join these sessions and retreats when they want to:
reduce stress and anxiety
feel more grounded and present
reconnect with nature
build healthier habits
step out of rumination and self‑criticism
find steadiness during life transitions
deepen an existing meditation practice
All offerings are beginner‑friendly and open to anyone.
Upcoming Sessions & Retreats
See what’s coming up:
This section updates automatically as new events are added.
Contact & Registration
For questions, registration, or to join the mailing list:
Email: echagnon@outlook.co.nz
Location: Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand