Hellens Manor Day Retreat

Sunday November 14th 2021

I am delighted to have secured a date in the late autumn
for a wonderful day retreat in the beautiful surroundings of Hellens Manor in the village of Much Marcle.

This one day silent meditation retreat is just what you need to relax and reflect before winter really takes hold and the business of Christmas preparations begins.

Hellens is a premier venue and you will have exclusive access to the grounds with its formal and informal gardens, ponds, sculptures and park land: a delight at every turn.

Our sitting meditations will take place in the Great Barn and you will have a chance to visit Hallwood, a twenty minute walk from Hellens. This is an ancient woodland, mentioned in the Doomsday Book and now designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Please note that most of the day will be held in noble silence. If you come with friends you can decide between you if you'd like to talk over the lunch break.
After the introductions and the first meditation, silence descends and this helps to give focus and mindfulness to our day.

'I was a bit anxious about silence but it felt perfectly natural and added to the calm feel of the day. To be honest it was such a relief not to have to talk!' SH

Hellens Manor

Entrance to a secret garden

The Great Barn

'Silence is essential for deep transformation. It allows the practice of conscious breathing to become deep and effective. Like still water that reflects things as they are, the calming silence helps us to see things more clearly, and therefore, to be in deeper contact with ourselves and those around us.'

Your tutors

Your two tutors for the day are myself, Kathryn Buxton, and Juita Akhtar.
I have been running retreats for a number of years now and am delighted to welcome Juita to share this wonderful day with me.

Juita is the founder of Moment by Moment meditation and runs regular classes at the Yahra Yoga Studio. She is an accredited Mindfulness Now teacher and a trained Natural Mindfulness Guide.

Typical structure of meditation day (subject to change)

09.00-09.20 Arrival and registration
09.20- 10.00 Tour of house and gardens.
Introduction to the day.
Silence descends
10.00-10.30 Sitting Meditation
10.30-11.00 Walking Meditation

11.00-11.20 Tea break

11.30-12.00    Sitting Meditation
12.00-12.30 Walking Meditation
12.30-01.00 Sitting Meditation

01.00-02.30    Lunch and free time

02.30-03.00 Sitting Meditation
03.00-03.30 Walking Meditation
03.30-04.00 Sitting Meditation

04.00-04.30 Afternoon tea .
Silence lifts and final reflections

NB - these times will alter if the retreat is in late autumn so that people can leave before it get's dark.

What you need to bring

Hellens famous apple orchards lining the driveway

Unfortunately, unlike our other day retreats, we will not be asking you to bring food to share at lunchtime. It's such a delight to have a range of wonderful dishes to choose from , but we don't feel it's appropriate in the current climate. Therefore we would ask you to bring the following:

Your own packed lunch
Any cushions or blankets for your comfort

(we cannot provide any I'm afraid)

Your own mug and tea spoon
Sturdy shoes/welly boots for the walking meditations and

layers of clothing

A waterproof coat

We will provide teas, coffee, dairy and non dairy milk and wrapped biscuits for you to enjoy.

Investment for the day and how to pay

£67 for one person

Special offer:
£120 for two people booking together

Bookings now being taken
Please pay via pay pal or send a cheque to Kathryn Buxton c/o The Isbourne, 3 Wolseley Terrace, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1TH

BAC's payments are possible. Please

contact me for further details

Please note due to the continued presence of Covid 19 this retreat is currently limited to 15 people.