The 6-day mindfulness retreat I attended at The Coach House on the Sharpham Estate in Devon, England, was an oasis of peacefulness, meditation, rural beauty, and - far more than I had expected - connection with a group of strangers (including two wonderful coordinators) who quickly became mindful companions. An unforgettable experience in gorgeous surroundings. 🧘♀️🌳🌼
Have just returned from the mindfulness for beginners retreat at Sharpham House and what a magical, transformative experience it was! The house and the grounds are truly breath-taking, the natural beauty of the place is a big aspect of what you take away with you; a deeper connection with nature. The facilitators Steven and Lynette were both holding, humorous and skilled mindfulness leaders. Wonderful to learn from and be around. I felt taken care of on this retreat in many ways which I realised was something I deeply needed. The food is delicious and nourishing and the walled garden of veggies was one of my favourite places to spend time. The retreat strikes a good balance between discipline/structured practice with extended periods of silence and time to yourself. In my downtime I enjoyed chatting with others on the retreat, spending time alone reading, swimming in the pool or colouring, just sitting in the gardens. I left the retreat rested, calm and inspired. For anyone feeling a little frazzled by life and in need of slowing down for a reset, this is a good retreat for you. I will be back!
THE most magical and amazing place for a retreat. I cannot recommend Sharpham highly enough, I'm telling all my friends! The food is divine, the location is breathtaking and the facilitators are highly skilled. I'm creating space in my diary for the next one very soon!
I had a truly wonderful experience at Sharpham on the 5 day silent retreat. It was a deep delve into stillness and meditation, which was life affirming and nourishing. Sharpham looked after us in every detail, from the kind supportive knowledgeable retreat leaders to the truly delicious food and calm and beautiful atmosphere of the house. And of course the surroundings themselves take centre stage, beautiful gardens, stunning countryside and breath-taking views. Thank you to every one of you who made my stay so special.
A wonderfully run property, very very beautiful, with various venues for meditation, to suit all tastes (and pockets?). I've been on two different retreats and although I really loved my time there, I don't feel the need to rush back but I may feel differently in a couple of years' time. It's all about "the group" you share your time with while there and it felt very middle class and not at all representative of "real life" here in the UK. This probably would not worry most people and I would very much recommend Sharpham to anyone looking for a retreat giving them meditation, peace and beauty.