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The Sangha of Sisterhood: Barn Retreat for Women

Sanjay Soni

a year ago, on Google
The Barn is a very special place set in a beautiful location with amazing views. You can feel the calm harmonising energy of the barn and the wonderful team create a safe space to share and learn. I've stayed at the barn twice in the last couple of years and will definitely be returning. Highly recommended if you would like to connect with nature, community and yourself.

Jeanie Bags

6 months ago, on Google
The Barn retreat centre is a wonderful place to slow down and commune with nature. It is run by a wholesome bunch of people who knows how to nourish one's space and coordinators/leaders with deep understanding of true mindfulness.The Barn is also healing for anybody with the intention of slowing down, clearing and quieting busy mind. It a wonderful place to pause and admire the beauty within your own skin , body, and mind. A peaceful and mindful place to learn how to process weak or strong emotions and slowly letting go of some thoughts or things. When you slow down your mind becomes clear... The set up works beautifully with activities and space for everybody. The kind of food available from the huge vegetable garden are so organically delicious. It is also cleansing and for me---healing. A great place for walking meditations over looking the meadows and the River Dart. Great appreciation comes out of me when I think of The Barn and the participants I met last week and bonded with. My heart is happy.

Clara Wood

2 weeks ago, on Google
The setting is stunning, the Barn people so genuine and supportive, and visiting teachers with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Informal and relaxed. A great balance for me of mindfulness practice and time in nature, with teaching tailored to the group and plenty of free time. The Barn also has a well-stocked library to dive into. If you like an informal retreat where - in the work periods - you will be helping to do some of the housekeeping and gardening tasks which help keep this place running, you'll enjoy it.

Heather Stark

3 months ago, on Google
Truly a special place. The location and surroundings are both outstandingly beautiful. The daily routine of the retreat is a gentle combination of movement, gardening, good meals, easy chores, opportunities for a variety of group meditation practices, and time for personal practice. All this would have been more than delightful enough. However, in addition, the coordinators create the conditions for all in a retreat group to "hold space" for and with each other. This was surprising to me, and very impressive. Keep going. What you're doing is great!

Jenny Chamarette

5 months ago, on Google
This is a truly magical place - a space to live in community, connected to nature while practising mindfulness. The simplicity, kindness and generosity of the Barn is present in everything the team - and the land! - do. I have been on several retreats here and plan to return for many more.

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Experience the Sangha of Sisterhood in this version of our popular 6-night retreat, providing an ideal space to begin, maintain or kick-start a mindfulness practice.

A meditation retreat for women at The Barn at The Sharpham Trust

The Barn offers a respectful space for meditation practice, reflection and a respectful sense of community where women (as self-identified) can experience a sense of sisterhood - supported in their own practice within a circle of women.

Like all retreats at The Barn, this women's version is based on the three pillars of

  • meditation
  • community
  • connection to the land

The retreats help to develop a mindful approach to our lives, work and relationships and are for up to 11 people.

You’ll experience three 40-minute meditation sessions each day, outdoor walking meditation, mindful work in the organic gardens and woods and inquiry led by the retreat leaders and visiting teachers.

Read on for more details on this retreat and click the Schedules and Venue & Directions tabs above for further information.

 

Sample meditation


Retreat leader Lindsay Alderton guides this metta meditation for the development and deepening of kind regard, helping you cultivate attitudes of friendliness to ourselves and to the world.

 

Staying in community


This retreat is for you if you:

  • are prepared to live and work in community, preparing meals together and working in the gardens
  • Want to experience a retreat in the Buddhist tradition
  • are aged 18 and above

Retreat for women at The Barn at The Sharpham Trust

There will be a maximum of 11 participants on this retreat.

Retreat for women at The Barn at The Sharpham Trust

There are periods of silence on each of our retreats.

 

Daily meditations


There are approximately three 40-minute meditation sittings each day, and it's important that you commit to them to deepen your practice and connect to the community here.

 

 

Working on the land


It is important that you are willing to participate in working on the land as part of your mindfulness practice (we can easily find suitable tasks for people with health difficulties) and that you can commit to all the scheduled activities during the week.

meditation retreats for women at The Barn

What you’ll experience on this retreat


During this retreat you’ll:

  • be living in community with other women, sharing experiences and tasks, including the making of meals and taking care of The Barn
  • experience guided meditations and periods of silence and quiet contemplation
  • have a single-occupancy room and your own space in which to rejuvenate, with free time to deeply rest and reconnect with yourself
  • have access to 24-hour hot teas, coffee & infusions in the kitchen
  • be able to explore the beautiful Sharpham Estate, set within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty close to nature, amid breath-taking scenery on the banks of the River Dart

View from The Barn meditation retreat centre at Sharpham

Mindfulness in nature at Sharpham


When you experience Sharpham's inspiring and nourishing environment, we hope you'll connect spiritually with the natural world, so you’ll:

  • become aware of how we are all part of nature - not artificially separate from it
  • pay attention to and appreciate the natural world surrounding us
  • explore nature through your senses and your natural creativity
  • Tread more lightly on our finite planet, developing a respect and reverence for all living things

Click here to read our ethos and principles

Nimbus - the cat at The barn at The Sharpham Trust retreat centre

What you need to know


If you decide to stay with us, we’ll send you a list of what you need to bring for this retreat in your Welcome Letter that we send out after you've booked.

You can also find out more about staying with us on our Frequently Asked Questions page, including

  • accessibility information
  • why we encourage you to come on your own and not with partners or friends
  • what the difference is between our retreats

Vegetarian and vegan food at The Barn meditation retreat centre

Food & your dietary needs


We have a fully stocked organic and vegetarian kitchen. The main meal is at lunch time.

We can accommodate gluten-free and/or vegan dietary needs. However, our kitchen is not gluten, dairy nor nut-free. We do not provide gluten-free bread, but you are welcome to bring your own.

Due to the nature of the kitchens at the Barn with food being prepared by participants and no dedicated chef, we are not able to accommodate guests who have anaphylaxis. If you have anaphylaxis we recommend you book on to one of our other retreat venues - Sharpham HouseThe Coach House or our Woodland Retreats.

Please make sure you include dietary restrictions and any food allergies on your Booking Form. We may need to communicate further with you about specifics. The booking form is sent as a link once you have booked and paid for a retreat.

Our water is provided from our own spring, UV treated and filtered.


Your physical and mental health


This retreat is suitable for you if you have some meditation experience, or you are seeking to renew or reconnect with your practice.

Although meditation and mindfulness can be helpful in managing stress, depression and anxiety our retreats might not be suitable if you are experiencing major depression or other clinically diagnosed psychiatric illness such as bipolar disorder, psychosis or current self-harming. Click here for more information and for our booking process

If you have a medical condition that requires you to have a room close to a toilet, please contact The Barn team on the number below and we'll try to help.

 

The weekly schedule provides opportunities for both individual reflection and group meditation.

It is important that you are willing to participate in working on the land as part of your mindfulness practice (we can easily find suitable tasks for people with health difficulties) and that you can commit to all the scheduled activities during the week. This includes three 30-40 minute meditation sittings each day.

Note that we hold silence from 9pm to 9am each day, and all day Wednesday.


Sunday

Afternoon
2.00pm to 4.00pm – Your arrival
4.30pm – Welcome talk, introductions and tour
5.30pm –  Guided meditation
6.30pm – Evening meal. Then settling in
8.30pm – The Barn goes into silence until 9.00am the next day
 


Monday to Friday:

Mornings Afternoons
6.20am – wake up 1.00pm – lunch
6.50am – meditation 2.00pm – personal time
7.30am –  household tasks Optional afternoon activities include yoga, reading, walking...
8.00am – breakfast 5.00pm – Teaching by visiting teachers 
9.00am – silence ends, house meeting (except Wednesday) 6.00pm – Light supper prepared individually or in groups
10.30am – mindful gardening 7.00pm – Meditation (guided Tuesday & Friday)
12.20pm – meditation (guided on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday)  9.00pm – Barn moves into silence until 9.00am the next day

Saturday:  As above until 8.00am - silence ends at breakfast.

Then clear rooms and depart between 9.00am and 10.00am

I’m leaving the women’s retreat having found such a deep sense of peace, acceptance and safety, and having felt such compassion in this wonderful community. The Barn is such a beautiful special place to connect to nature, to oneself, and to the wider planet. I’m leaving calmer, kinder and more compassionate and connected and I can’t wait to come back!

 

My experience at the Women’s Barn retreat has been transformative. I feel refreshed and better able to go back to my busy London life.

 

Food for the soul. A place of calm and connection, to others and nature.

 

This is such a special place of resting, healing and exploring.

 

My trip to the women’s retreat marked a turning point in my life -  it opened up new possibilities, it awakened my inner being.  The week was open, relaxed and free of everyday pressure. A time to just be. We laughed, we cried and we shared ourselves. We connected, not just with each other, but with ourselves.

 

This retreat takes place at The Barn, with superb views over the River Dart.

Please note that The Barn Retreat is in a different location to Sharpham House. Make sure to follow the directions to The Barn Retreat, rather than Sharpham House.


Click here for our How to Find Us page on this website.

Click here to view and download directions and a map to The Barn

Click here view and download walking/cycling directions to The Barn

view of The Barn at The Sharpham Trust

If you have a medical condition that requires you to have a room close to a toilet, please contact The Barn team on the number below and we'll try to help.


Phones and laptops
We ask all participants to turn off mobile phones and electronic devices for the whole of your retreat. This helps you and everyone else to disengage from daily life and live fully in the simplicity and quietude of a Buddhist retreat.


We are 3 miles from Totnes – famous for its Transition Town movement

We are in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty


Sustainability


We take sustainability seriously.Meditation retreats at The Barn at The Sharpham Trust, Devon, England

Heating and hot water in The Barn is run from our log furnace and solar thermal panels. We supply as much food as possible from our organic gardens; the rest comes from Riverford Organic Farms and Essential Trading Cooperative. We also have two large photovoltaic solar panel arrays on the Estate and use biodegradable cleaning products wherever possible.

£350 - Supported Rate

The Sharpham Trust is committed to ensuring that retreats at The Barn are accessible to all - regardless of income. The Supported Rate is for those unable to pay the Standard or Benefactor Rate.

£425 – Standard Rate

Paying the Standard Rate means you will be contributing towards our running costs, supporting the work of The Barn and helping retreatants of lower incomes to access our retreats.

£495 – Benefactor Rate

If you are able to pay the Benefactor Rate, that means that you'll be supporting others who cannot afford to benefit from a Barn retreat on The Sharpham Estate. Your choice to pay this rate will help us with the running costs of The Barn, enabling us to continue our charitable work connecting people to nature and fostering mindfulness and wellbeing, as well as caring for the land, wildlife and wider estate.


Room types

Rooms at The Barn at The Sharpham Trust

All rooms are comfortable single rooms, with a shared bathroom.

Hot drinks are available 24 hours for you to get for yourself in the kitchen.


Bursaries

Limited bursaries are available for those experiencing financial hardship. Contact the Barn team on the number or email below at least 4 weeks in advance if you wish to apply.

Our bursary fund relies on donations. If you’d like to help another to go on retreat here through our bursary scheme, you can give online quickly and easily by clicking here

 

Retreats & Events

How to book easily and securely:

  • online on this page
  • by phoning 01803 732542

If you've got any questions about this retreat, call The Barn team on 01803 732661 or email [email protected]

We’re not always in the office, so be prepared to leave a message saying when we could call you back.


Do check our Calendar to see and book for our events - or join our mailing list by clicking here to be kept in touch about Sharpham Trust news, retreats & events.