Black Mountain Meditation Retreat
Olchon Valley, near Hay-on-Wye, UK
August 9th - 14th, 2023
Walking the Path of Opening.
Join us on the Welsh border this summer for five days of meditation, talks and workshops, nature connection and sharing food in beautiful surroundings.
Meditation is a powerful way to make friends with ourselves - to open up and to soften our hearts. By applying this simple but ancient technique, we can gain insight into the nature of our beings, and explore the poignancy of our everyday experience. 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 environment, and to create together - for a short time - a rural community rooted in warmth and wakefulness.
Age: The retreat is open to all ages (18 and above). We are currently developing a separate Family Camp, so we can accommodate children and young people too.
Practice: We warmly welcome people at all stages of discovering meditation – brand new beginners who are just starting out, as well as long-term practitioners seeking some company on the cushion.
“Stepping out of the busyness is perhaps the most beautiful offering we can make to our spirit.” - Tara Brach
What to expect
Over the course of the retreat we will be guided in Buddhist meditation practice, engage with dharma talks and workshops, share wonderful food, enjoy campfires and spend lots of time in nature. There will be periods of silence, as well as time to share and socialise.
To get the most out of the retreat, participants should be looking forward to 3 - 4 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, though this isn’t essential.
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. There are hot showers and composting toilets, which are cleaned daily. We ask participants to bring their own tents for sleeping, and if this is not possible or comfortable there are a limited number of spots in dormitory style yurts (which sleep 3-4 people each). Please let us know your preference with the drop-down menu when booking.
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.
“The key to warriorship and the ultimate definition of bravery is not being afraid of who you are.” - Chogyam Trungpa
Costs
£290 | Normal Price
This includes five nights camping and all your delicious, vegan meals throughout the retreat. Plus five days of dharma talks, activities, detailed meditation instruction, and campfires in the evening, all set amongst this beautiful landscape.
£220 | Low Income
This is for people who are currently unemployed, in full time education, or earning a low income. There are eight concession spaces, available on a first-come-first-served basis. If lack of money is an issue, please email us as we may be able to connect you with donated funds or a local funding body which you can apply to.
£360 | Pay It Forward
Paying a little extra helps enable other people to attend who might not otherwise be able to. Your donation will be given to help those on a low income join the retreat. And we cannot state enough how much this generosity is appreciated!
We’ve kept these prices as low as possible. Everyone at Black Mountain Meditation is working in a voluntary capacity. These costs cover the practical costs of running the retreat.
