Day retreats:

These events offered as community support for ongoing development and deepening of mindfulness practice. As such they are not ideal for beginners, though in some cases beginners could be welcomed.

I extend a warm welcome both to ex-students of mine; and to others who have trained elsewhere – in either contemporary secular mindfulness, or via the Buddhist sangha, or via mindfulness informed alternative therapies: yoga, tai-chi, bodywork etc. We can all benefit from a respectful sharing of perspectives.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Intended as a day for deepening personal practice, support, networking and facilitated group inter-vision; the balance between these intentions  will depend upon the group composition and the stated individual needs and preferences of participants. As well as serving as a refresher for mindfulness practices typically used in an 8 week (or 2weekend) course we’ll work with new practices such as: ‘loving kindness’ and ‘compassion’.

                   I’m delighted to be offering a series of three retreats per year in conjunction with ‘Otley Hall’ – an inspiring venue that already has a tradition of offering quiet days and retreats.

Retreats will happen towards the end of each school term, to co-incide with the ‘termly’ MBSR/MBCT courses.

One feature of their beautiful gardens, is a walking meditation labyrinth – based on an ancient design.

The Otley hall Retreat centre lies just 8 miles away from Ipswich town centre.If you are coming from further afield by train we can make efforts to arrange taxi lift share from the station. Drivers will have no problem parking in the extensive grounds of Otley Hall: here’s a link with contact details and a map

Residential Retreats in Nature:

The ‘Mindfulness-in-Nature’ retreats offer opportunities to consolidate, deepen and extend our mindfulness practices – and to re-connect with the land, both as meditators and in active engagement during woodland management work periods.

The long weekend in spring, and the autumn seven day silent, led retreats with mindfulness teachers: Martin Wilks and Robert Black and Gareth Burr – of the Independent Mindfulness teachers Guild, IMTG, bring a new opportunity for CPD to mindfulness practitioners and teachers that combines an affordable accessibility with the inspirational experience of being – temporarily – a woodland creature.