Mindful Spontaneity: Relaxing into Spacious Presence, residential retreat

Combining Buddhist Insight approaches to meditation with contemporary methods of psychological integration and creative expression.

For people with an established daily meditation practice of at least a year. It fulfils CPD requirements for mindfulness teachers.

Living in the modern West, we easily succumb to patterns of distraction and striving that don’t lead to true fulfilment, but to depletion of our own and the earth’s resources. Even meditation practice can unwittingly be incorporated into an agenda of self-centred achievement, where we try to override any uncomfortable experiences that seemingly stand in the way of our aims. But this approach only leads to tension and suffering.

On this retreat we will approach things in a radically different way, emphasising effortlessness, kindly acceptance, connection and playfulness. When we dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to both discipline and freedom of such practice, we may be surprised by the depth, authentic presence, freedom and peacefulness manifesting spontaneously. At the heart of our meditation practice will be ‘just sitting’, and gentle guidance will help to unfold the richness of this Mahamudra-inspired approach.

Conscious embodiment and grounding in sensory experience are essential elements of this query, helping to soften the dominance of the thinking mind.  We will rekindle an intimate connection with the flow of our physical energy, through a range of gentle movement practices, with elements of Yoga, Feldenkrais Method, Fascia work and Authentic Movement, as well as Mindful Walking Meditation. Some room will be given to improvisatory explorations in movement and in writing, that can loosen our fixed sense of ourselves in playful and profoundly affecting ways.

Anything that arises in our experience is welcome and we approach it with kindness and curiosity, using elements of the IFS (Internal Family Systems) approach to psychological integration and wellbeing.

There will be extended periods of silence on this retreat and a work rota, helping the smooth running of things. We will have a cook and the food is going to be mostly vegan.