Heart of Life: Centre for Spiritual & Pastoral Formation

17/09/2026

16/09/2026

When was the last time you simply stopped?

Not to catch up.
Not to get organised.
Not to tick something off the list.
Just to be still, breathe and rest.

We’re inviting you to Come Away to a Quiet Place and Rest for the final retreat in what has been a beautiful and very well-received series at Heart of Life.

🌊 Landscape of the Seashore
📅 Saturday 17 October
🕙 10am–4pm
📍 Heart of Life, Croydon

This final retreat invites us to draw wisdom from the landscape of the seashore and its invitation to pause, listen and notice what is happening within and around us.

There will be space for silence, personal reflection, journaling and gentle group sharing — an opportunity to step away from the noise and demands of everyday life and simply make some room for yourself and for God.

Whether you’ve joined us for one of the previous retreats or this will be your first, you are warmly invited.

💙 Come away. Be still. Rest. Listen.

We’d love to welcome you for the final gathering of this special series.

👉 Find out more and book your place:
https://www.heartoflife.melbourne/events/come-away-to-a-quiet-place-and-rest-2/

09/09/2026

🌿A Day of Pause 🌿

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to simply pause?

Life can become so full that we move from one thing to the next without ever creating space to stop, breathe and notice what is happening within us.

On Friday 16 October, Heart of Life invites you to step away from the busyness of everyday life and join Kathleen Ward for a Day of Pause - a quiet day of rest, reflection and renewal.

This is a day to come as you are, slow down and open yourself to the gentle presence of God.

🌿 Begin with centering and gentle reflection
🕊️ Experience silent seated meditation
🍃 Take time for walking meditation or simply be in nature
✨ Rest in stillness and allow space for reflection
💛 Share gently with others as the day draws to a close

There is nothing you need to achieve. No expectations. Just an invitation to be present, breathe deeply and make space for renewal.

Perhaps your heart is asking for a little more room to simply be.

📅 Friday 16 October 2026
🕙 10.00am – 4.00pm
📍 Heart of Life, Croydon
💰 $90
🌿 Facilitator: Kathleen Ward

Morning and afternoon tea provided. BYO lunch.

✨ Come away for a day. Pause. Breathe. Listen. Be.
👉 Find out more and register:
https://www.heartoflife.melbourne/events/day-of-pause-with-kathleen-ward/

07/09/2026

🌿 International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies

Today is a reminder of something we can so easily take for granted — the simple gift of breathing.

Clean air.
Open skies.
Space to breathe.

And perhaps there is something else we need to remember too: the importance of creating space within ourselves to breathe.

In the busyness of everyday life, we can become so accustomed to rushing from one thing to the next that we forget to pause, notice, breathe and simply be.

What might happen if we created a little more breathing space in our lives?

A few moments of silence.
A walk in nature.
A quiet prayer.
Time to listen to what is stirring within.

Sometimes, making space to breathe is where we begin to notice the presence of God.

🌿 Today, perhaps take a moment to step outside, breathe deeply and simply notice.

What do you notice when you stop long enough to be present?

02/09/2026

🌿 A Day of Pause 🌿

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to simply stop?

Not to catch up.
Not to achieve anything.
Not to be needed by someone else.
Just to pause, breathe and be.

On Friday 16 October, Heart of Life invites you to step away from the busyness of everyday life and spend a quiet day reconnecting with yourself and the gentle presence of God.

Facilitated by Kathleen Ward, this peaceful day will include gentle music and reflection, silent seated meditation, walking meditation, time in nature and space simply to rest in stillness. There will also be an opportunity to gently reflect and share what has emerged from the day.

✨ Perhaps you’re feeling a little tired.
✨ Perhaps life has been particularly busy.
✨ Or perhaps you simply know that your heart is asking for some space.

Come as you are. There is nothing you need to prepare or achieve.

Just come away for a while, slow down and allow yourself to be renewed.

📅 Friday 16 October 2026
🕙 10.00am – 4.00pm
📍 Heart of Life, Croydon
💰 $90
🌿 Facilitator: Kathleen Ward

Morning and afternoon tea provided. Please bring your own lunch.

👉 Give yourself a day to pause:
https://www.heartoflife.melbourne/events/day-of-pause-with-kathleen-ward/

02/09/2026

🌙 Praying with Your Dreams

What if your dreams are inviting you to listen more deeply?

Dreams have fascinated us for centuries. They can stir questions, reveal hidden emotions, awaken memories and sometimes leave us wondering, “What was that all about?”

On Saturday 26 September, Heart of Life invites you to explore the spiritual and psychological wisdom that may be found within our dreams.

Facilitated by Lawrence Kai, an accredited Siloam spiritual director and life coach with experience working with dreams, this reflective day will explore dreams through both spiritual and psychological perspectives, creating space to wonder about what our dreams might be saying and how they might enrich our prayer and spiritual journey.

🌙 What might your dreams be revealing?
🌙 Could your dreams become a doorway to deeper prayer?
🌙 What might you discover by paying closer attention?

📅 Saturday 26 September 2026
🕙 10.00am – 3.00pm
📍 Heart of Life, Croydon

Come with an open mind, a curious heart and perhaps a few dreams you’ve been wondering about.

✨ Your dreams may be telling you more than you realise.

👉 Find out more and register: https://www.heartoflife.melbourne/events/praying-with-your-dreams-unpack-the-spiritual-and-psychological-wisdom-of-dreams/

01/09/2026

🌿 Give something back to yourself

The second half of the year has a way of arriving quickly…

Before you know it, calendars are filling, commitments are multiplying and the busyness of life seems to gather momentum.

So, before the year gets away from you, why not make some time for yourself?

At Heart of Life, our Reflection Days are an invitation to step out of the everyday rhythm and create intentional space to pause, breathe, reflect and reconnect.

Whether you’re longing for quiet, curious about your spiritual journey, looking for a deeper connection with God, or simply know that you need a day to stop and reset - there is something in our upcoming program for you.

🌿 Walk and reflect in the beauty of the Dandenongs
🙏 Return to the heart through contemplative practice
🌙 Explore the spiritual wisdom within your dreams
🧘 Take a quiet Day of Pause
🌊 Come away to a quiet place and rest
🎨 Nurture your creative soul
❤️ Explore self-compassion and inner peace

Our Reflection Events are experiential and spiritual in nature and are open to people from all walks of life. They offer a gentle opportunity for individual reflection, enrichment and meaningful connection.

You don’t have to wait until you’re exhausted to give yourself permission to pause.

Perhaps now is the right time to look at your calendar, choose a day and make a commitment to yourself.

✨ Give yourself a day.
Give yourself some space.
Give yourself permission to simply be.

Explore our upcoming Reflection Events and find the one that speaks to you:

👉 View https://www.heartoflife.melbourne/seminars-and-reflection-events/reflection-events/

📧 [email protected]
📞 (03) 9890 1101

Your calendar might be busy. Your heart may be asking for something different. Listen to it. ❤️

31/08/2026

A Reflection from the Director; Walking Together in Our Renewed Mission - https://mailchi.mp/heartoflife/lettheheartlisten2026-18004906

31/08/2026

🌿 What if you simply stopped… and listened?

We spend so much of our lives listening to everyone else.

Our family.
Our friends.
Our colleagues.
The demands of everyday life.

But when was the last time you really listened to your own heart?

Let the Heart Listen is an invitation to slow down, create some space and discover what might be stirring within you.

Across 12 weeks, we’ll explore contemplative listening, compassion, connection and our relationship with God - learning to listen more deeply to ourselves, to others and to the sacred presence in everyday life.

🌿 What is your heart trying to tell you?
🌿 Where might you be being called?
🌿 What could you discover if you made space simply to listen?

This is more than a course.
It’s an opportunity to pause, reflect, connect and be transformed.

📅 30 July – 29 October 2026 (12 Tuesdays, no classes during school holidays)
🕕 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
💰 $965 AUD

Places are limited, so if something in you is saying “perhaps this is for me”, we encourage you to explore it.

👉 Could this be the invitation your heart has been waiting for?

Discover Let the Heart Listen; https://www.heartoflife.melbourne/spiritual-formation/let-the-heart-listen-program/

📧 [email protected]
📞 (03) 9890 1101

27/08/2026

✨ The final retreat in our Landscape Series is coming… and it’s one you won’t want to miss!

After exploring the Landscape of the Desert and the wisdom of its wide-open spaces, we now turn towards the Seashore — a place of rhythm, movement, mystery and renewal.

Come Away to a Quiet Place and Rest is an invitation to step away from the busyness of everyday life and give yourself a day to simply be.

Through silence, personal reflection, journaling, creative expression and gentle group sharing, you’ll be invited to slow down and discover what the landscape might be saying to your spiritual journey.

🌊 Landscape of the Seashore
📅 Saturday 17 October 2026
🕙 10.00am–4.00pm
📍 Heart of Life, Croydon
💰 $90 | Morning & afternoon tea provided | BYO lunch

Facilitated by Apryl Huglin & Leslie Hanger.

This is the final offering in our much-loved Landscape retreat series — and one of the most anticipated reflection days of the year.

Places are limited, so don’t leave it until the last minute. If you’ve been thinking about coming, now is the time to register!

🌊 Come away.
🌊 Be still.
🌊 Listen.
🌊 Rest.

👉 Book your place today:
https://www.heartoflife.melbourne/events/come-away-to-a-quiet-place-and-rest-2/

📧 [email protected]
📞 (03) 9890 1101

Don’t miss the final Landscape retreat for 2026. We’d love to share this special day with you. ❤️