Christmas Meditation Retreat at The Barn
Experience the peace of the Barn Retreat over Christmas. Join others to spend 6 nights of simplicity centred on meditation in the Buddhist tradition.
We will follow the usual Barn weekly structure. This includes periods of silence from 9pm to 9am daily and all day on Christmas Day, outdoor work, walks and community living in a friendly environment.
Please note:
If you're looking for a party atmosphere, this retreat is not for you. This is about meditation and peace.
Like our weekly retreats, The Barn Christmas Retreat is based on the three pillars of
- meditation
- community
- and connection to the land.
Our retreats help to develop a mindful approach to our lives, work and relationships and are for up to 10 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 Buddhist teachers.
Read on for more details on this retreat and click the Schedules and Venue & Directions tabs above for further information.
Staying in community
This retreat is for you if you:
- are prepared to experience Christmas Day in silence
- are prepared to live and work in community, working in the gardens
- Want to experience a retreat in the Buddhist tradition
- are aged 18 and above
There will be a maximum of 10 participants on this retreat.
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.
What you’ll experience on this retreat
During this retreat you’ll:
- be living in community with like-minded people, sharing experiences and tasks
- 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
What's the difference between retreats at The Barn and in Sharpham House?
Costs are kept lower at The Barn because gardening, cooking and household tasks are shared in community by volunteer coordinators and retreatants.
Retreats at Sharpham House are fully catered and staff. Also, Sharpham House is a large Grade 1-listed building with far higher overheads.
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
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
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 House, The 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.
Just taking life back to basics has shown me that I can live a healthier life.
The Barn is not a silent retreat. However, we are in silence from 9.00pm to 9.00am daily, and all day on Christmas Day.
Thursday
Arrive between 2.00pm and 4.00pm
5pm - Introductory meeting and Barn tour
5.45pm - Guided meditation, followed by supper
9.00pm - Barn moves into silence
Friday to Tuesday
| Mornings | Afternoons |
|---|---|
| 6.20am – Wake up | 1.00pm – Lunch |
| 6.50am – Meditation | 2.00pm – Free time for personal practice: walks, reading, relaxing, etc |
| 7.30am – Morning tasks | 5.00pm On one evening – Buddhist teachings |
| 8.00am – Breakfast | 6.00pm – Light evening meal prepared individually or in groups. |
|
9.00am – Silence ends with Barn meeting. (Except Sunday - silence continues all day) |
7.00pm – Meditation |
| 10.00am – Work on the land /mindfulness practice | 7.00pm – Tuesday - group sharing |
| 12.20pm – Sitting or walking meditation, guided Fri, Sat, Mon and Tue. | 9.00pm – House moves into silence until 9.00am the next day (except Sunday) |
Wednesday
As Friday to Tuesday until:
8.00am - Silence ends at breakfast.
Depart between 10.00am and 10.00am
The location is so special, Views are amazing and great to be immersed in nature. Great balance of activity and quiet contemplation. A community feel but plenty of places to find space. Such a special place and time – thank you
Very well thought out and well run by genuinely caring people. Fantastic location and setting for meditation and awareness practice.
Just taking life back to basics has shown me that I can live a healthier life.
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
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.
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.
The Sharpham Trust is committed to ensuring that retreats at The Barn are accessible to all - regardless of income.
All rooms are comfortable single rooms, with a shared bathroom. All meals, bedding and towels are included. Rooms are randomly allocated, unless you have medical needs relating to your room allocation. If you have such a need, let us know on your booking form which will be sent to you once you have booked.
| Rate | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard rate | £495 |
| 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. | |
| Benefactor Rate | £575 |
| 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. | |
| Supported Rate | £425 |
| The Supported Rate is for those unable to pay the Standard or Benefactor Rate |
Accommodation & facilities
All rates include all meals, bedding and towels. All rooms are comfortable single rooms, with a shared bathroom.
All rooms are randomly allocated, unless you have medical needs relating to your room allocation. If you have such a need, let us know on your booking form before the retreat begins.
Hot drinks are available 24 hours in the kitchen.
The Barn is on the Sharpham Estate, set in a stunning hillside location overlooking the River Dart within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
All rooms are single occupancy.
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.
