Is this retreat for me?

Meditation is a powerful way to make friends with yourself. Through applying these simple but ancient techniques we can gain insight into the nature of our beings and also soften to the raw and rugged quality of our everyday lives. By sitting in a group with others we are able to support and inspire each other in this challenging practice. 

This retreat is for people looking for an opportunity to connect more deeply with themselves, each other and their surroundings, and to build together for a short time a rural community. Over the course of the retreat we will be guided in meditation practices, listen to dharma talks, undertake workshops, cook together, spend time in nature, and camp out round a fire.

Age: The retreat is open to all ages (18 and above). In the coming years, we hope to accommodate children and young people too.

Practice: We warmly welcome people at all stages of discovering meditation – beginners who are just getting into it as well as long-term practitioners wanting some company on the cushion.

What to expect

To get the most out of the retreat, participants should be looking forward to three to four hours of meditation a day. Sessions will always be broken up with walking and body-work, and we will not be sat down continuously for more than 30 minutes. Meditation cushions and chairs will be provided, and we will be able to help you find a sitting position that works for your body. We are more than happy for participants to bring their own cushions if they have them.

Site and accomodation

An important aspect of this retreat is being outdoors, which can help us to connect with our senses, and heighten our awareness. Participants should be ready to embrace the elements in this beautiful location! Glorious sunshine and heavenly downpours - it can all happen in Wales at this time of the year.

There will be large communal tents for meditation, eating and socialising, and we will be using the open fields whenever the weather allows. We ask participants to bring their own tents for sleeping, and if this is not possible or comfortable there are a few spots in dormitory style yurts (which sleep 3-4 people each). Please let us know your preference in your booking email.

The retreat will be held on rough, countryside terrain, and we are aware that this may pose issues for those in wheelchairs or who have reduced mobility. Please reach out to us if you are in this situation, and we can provide more information and photos in order to assess together whether you would be able to access the site.

Location

It is said that the five ridges of the Black Mountains are like the five fingers of a giant whose hand has been pressed onto the earth. At the eastern edge, between the thumb and forefinger is the Olchon Valley; secluded and magical, there is only one road in and one road out. It is a place where sky and earth meet very powerfully, this makes it a perfect place for meditation as it is somewhere where the open space of our mind mixes easily with the ground of our body.

Olchon Valley Campsite is a small, family run business who have kindly let us rent the whole site for the duration of this retreat.