MOVING INTO STILLNESS
Find stillness in the mind through movement in the body
29th March - 1st April
Keeping both the body and mind still in meditation can be a challenge at the best of times, and can hold us back from going deeper. How we set ourselves up for meditation can be the difference between an easeful sit and a lot of hard work.
Creating the conditions for depth means bridging the gap between activity and stillness. Mindful movement can be a vehicle to transport us from chaos to calm. There is a lot that we can teach our mind by the way we move. If we find pauses and moments of stillness within our movements, the mind learns this pattern, allowing it to find stillness in harmony with the body.
We will combine movement practices such as Yoga, Qi Gong and intuitive / conscious dance with mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation in a friendly, social atmosphere, surrounded by a beautiful landscape just budding into spring. We will be looking at grounding and stabilising movements, as well as stillness within movement. This will help bring our energy to a more appropriate point for meditation, in order to deepen our practice. With Dharma talks, daily meditation sessions, and the chance to take part in Buddhist ritual, we will have the opportunity to experience this effect as we practice.
Yoga mats will be available, but please bring your own if possible.
When a Bikkhu is walking, they know: 'I am walking.' When standing, they know: 'I am standing.' When sitting, they know: 'I am sitting.' And when lying down, they know: 'I am lying down.' And so they meditate observing [...] the body.
- The Satipatthana sutta
Accessibility
Some prior experience with mindful movement practices will help, but isn't necessary. If you have recurrent pain or other health conditions please consult your doctor or physiotherapist before signing up for this retreat.
If you're unsure or have any queries related to mobility or accessibility, just get in touch!
FACILITATION TEAM
HARRIET YALE
Harriet is a physiotherapist with a background in teaching movement practices, and a deep love for exploring self-connection and expression through movement.
With her expert knowledge of the body and how it moves, Harriet draws on techniques from a variety of traditions including Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and Qi Gong as she weaves together beautiful sequences and guides you through intuitive practices to empower your creativity and curiosity.
Timings & TRAVEL
TIMINGS
Please arrive between 3-5pm on the first day. Dinner will be served at 6pm. The retreat will finish by 4pm 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 £50 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 & 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