LIVING FROM THE HEART
A MINDFUL COMMUNICATION RETREAT
8 - 14 September 2024
Join us to explore the skills and principles of Mindful Communication. Learn how to live with greater warmth, authenticity and integrity. How to stay in touch with your needs and values in turbulent and tricky times. How to increase confidence and compassion in your interactions with yourself and others.
The structure of the day will allow time for meditation, group learning, reflection, and enjoyment of the magical surroundings: 50 acres of ancient wood and moorland. There will be also opportunities to work on the building and land for those who want to support our wider vision for Alfoxton Park.
Led by Jayaraja and Jenny Owen, the retreat is suitable for anyone from complete beginner to experienced in NVC, or even an FBI hostage negotiator.
FACILITATION TEAM
JAYARAJA
Jayaraja has been teaching meditation and mindfulness for over 25 years. He has a diploma in Gestalt psychotherapy and trained in Nonviolent Communication with Marshall Rosenberg. He is the co-author of two books on play and community building and two books on communication for teenagers. He has trained in Restorative Circles and has studied neuroscience, developmental psychology and trauma. He has been a member of the Triratna Buddhist Order since 1993.
JENNY OWEN
Jenny is a qualified teacher of philosophy, and her years of experience inspiring teenagers with the beauty of ideas and possibility infuses her understanding of mindful communication. Her intelligence, humour and subtlety of mind are blended with a natural warmth and empathy which enables her to model the principles in her teaching. Jenny is the Mediation Coordinator and Educator at UCL hospitals, one of London's largest hospital trusts, and a mediator and conflict coach with over a decade of training in and practice of the skills of Mindful Communication.
Timings & TRAVEL
TIMINGS
Unless otherwise stated, please arrive between 3-5pm on the first day. Dinner is served at 6pm. Our retreats usually finish by midday on the last day.
The exact schedule will be provided either in your confirmation email or when you arrive.
TRAVEL
The nearest railway stations are Bridgwater and Taunton. We are about 1h 15min from Bristol by car.
The 15 bus leaves Bridgwater at 16:50 during college term dates and stops at the Plough Inn in Holford. We are a 15min walk from there.
Please get in touch for further advice with public transport, or for help arranging lifts / carpools.
Make sure to put "Coach House 2, Alfoxton Park" into Google Maps. Other variations will take you to Alfoxton House nearby which is not us. Otherwise use grid reference 51.165187, -3.220080.
The What3Words for our car park are ///soup.candy.huddling
Accommodation & Food
ACCOMMODATION
This is a camping retreat - bring a tent or live-in vehicle. Toilets, showers and a sauna are available. We have limited accommodation indoors for those with specific needs. Please let us know when you book if this is the case for you.
FOOD
Delicious vegan meals will be provided throughout the retreat.
accessibility & diets
We are committed to Alfoxton being a fully accessible venue and are working hard to achieve this. However, while the renovation work continues, visitors with specific mobility or accommodation needs may experience barriers to accessing all areas of the building and land.
If you have any questions or concerns, just get in touch, and please inform us of any significant dietary or accessibility requirements before submitting your booking request.
Costs
Alfoxton Park is a charity and works on the principle of Dana or a 'gift economy'. Read more about Dana here.
A deposit of £108 will secure your place. You will be invited to make a donation to Alfoxton when you attend.
If you are an Triratna Order member and need financial support to pay a retreat deposit, you can apply for a grant from the Abhayaratna Trust.
Technology, alcohol and drugs
All of our events are alcohol and drug free. During the meditation retreats we ask you to turn off your mobile phones and other devices and not contact people outside of the retreat. For all other events and workshops we ask you to be mindful of the use of devices and stay present, in order to make the most of your time here.
Any Questions?
Check our FAQ page or send us an e-mail at events@alfoxtonpark.org.uk