Top
Top

Retreat At Home: a 2-night weekend online retreat

Click here to subscribe to Sharpham emails
Hear FIRST about our retreats & events


 

The Retreat at Home is really special - and very different from other online offerings...the retreat gave me a holding space to share compassion and vulnerability, while drawing strength from other people across the country (and the world!)

           - online retreatant

 


Our online retreats are the perfect way to

  • connect with a community of like-minded people
  • have your voice heard in a supporting and nurturing environment
  • deepen your practice at home

Person on yoga mat

We're offering the same care, values and community support that we're known for - via our Retreats at Home.

Our online retreats are firmly grounded in the principles of mindfulness, meditation, community and nature connection that we’ve been fostering for the last 40 years.


 

Only through our connectedness to others can we really know and enhance the self. And only through working on the self can we begin to enhance our connectedness to others
                                                                                             - Harriet Lerner



This weekend retreat offers

  • live teachings & guided practices, where you connect with a supportive retreat community and its skilled facilitators
  • group sharing, building connections and empathy
  • downloadable practices so you're not glued to a screen. And you can return to them again and again after the retreat finishes
  • Mindful movement routines and practices such as qi-gong and yoga
  • Talks, individual time and question-and-answer sessions with experienced meditation teachers
  • Teachings on how mindfulness and self-compassion can help steady us through uncertain and challenging times
  • the sense of being part of nature and the support of the Earth through daily nature connection practices

There will be a maximum of 12 people on this retreat with opportunities for smaller group sharing.


The retreat will take place online using the platform Zoom (see further information below to ensure you have the minimum tech requirements). Guidance will be sent at the point of booking for using Zoom as well as a guide to getting the best out of your home retreat. 

 

Is this retreat for me & how can I do this at home?


This retreat is for people who would like to connect with their practice in the supportive company of others.

To get the most out of this retreat you will need a room in your home where you will not be distracted by other people and which can serve as a confidential space.

To join you will need to be fully available for the duration of the retreat (this helps create a greater sense of group coherence with less distraction for your fellow retreatants). This is a small group retreat with the expectation that you will attend from the start to the end.

The weekend retreat will run from 5.30pm on Friday evening to 5.15pm on Sunday evening.



Technical requirements


We will be using the online application Zoom to connect with each other during this retreat. To use Zoom you will need a computer or a phone with a speaker and camera. Full instructions will be sent with your welcome email at the point of booking. However you can also download the zoom app here to familiarise yourself with the application and to make sure it meets your system requirements.

Schedule

This weekend retreat will run from 5.30pm on the first evening to 5.15pm on the final evening.

The programme below may change slightly - for the most up-to-date schedule, click here


Friday

Time Activity Location
5.30pm Welcome, introductions Zoom
6.10pm Sharing in small groups Zoom
6.40pm Break Offline
8.00pm Meditation Zoom
8.30pm End of day Zoom

 


Saturday

Time Activity Location
7.45am Movement practice Offline
8.00am Guided meditation Zoom
8.40am Morning break, breakfast Offline
9.45am Morning meeting Zoom

11.15am

Optional one-to-one check-ins Phone
11.30am Nature connection practice Offline
12.30pm Guided meditation Zoom
1.00pm Break for lunch Offline
3.00pm Practice of rest Offline
3.30pm Teaching and 15 minute sit Zoom
5.00pm Break for supper Offline
6.30pm Optional social time Zoom
7.00pm Break Offline
7.30pm Small group practice discussion Zoom
8.00pm Meditation Zoom
8.30pm End of day Zoom
     

Sunday

Time Activity Location
7.45am Movement practice Offline
8.00am Guided meditation Zoom
8.40am Morning break, breakfast Offline
9.45am Morning meeting Zoom

11.15am

Optional one-to-one check-ins Phone
11.30am Nature connection practice Offline
12.30pm Guided meditation Zoom
1.00pm Break for lunch Offline
3.00pm Practice of rest Offline
3.30pm Guided meditation Zoom
4.00pm Offering Zoom
5.00pm Closing circle Zoom
5.15pm End Zoom
     
 

 

I found the online 3-day retreat thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding. Though it took a few moments getting use to speaking and meditating online, it wasn’t long before I felt relaxed and confident thanks to the warmth of my fellow retreatants and the caring support of the coordinators.

 

The 3-day Barn Retreat at Home really helped me to reconnect with the inner silence through the group meditations and other practices and opened my heart thanks to the amazing sharings we had everyday! The sense of community and support of each other and the coordinators that is The Barn was surprisingly and beautifully transmitted online.

 

The Retreat at Home is really special - and very different from other online offerings. Drawing on some of the best parts of The Barn’s tried and tested routes to wellbeing, the retreat gave me a holding space to share compassion and vulnerability, while drawing strength from other people across the country (and the world!) It also put me back in touch with my past visits to The Barn and Sharpham, remembering what drew me there and past lessons learned. The whole experience was a truly insightful way of actively integrating time for healing and self-care into my home environment.

 

The experience of 'sitting' with the lovely crew at the Barn was delightful. So much thought has gone into finding a way to use technology, but not overuse it, with aspects of the day offline, using downloadable audio and video. Although I was often in my garden, or indoors, yet I was really connected to the others in the group, the coordinators and teachers. The social sessions which were delightful - such a big part of retreating at the Barn for me is Sangha (community), being with like-minded folk and sharing our experiences.
I’ll certainly be back for more, as the difficult times continue and maybe beyond. I still feel profoundly grateful that this option is available. Just disconnect your front doorbell and phone, and sink into your own unique home retreat...

 

I've been to the barn a couple of times face to face before but this is a different experience. It's a collaboration of many of the wonderful things the barn has; community, sharing, space to think with all of my home comforts. I found the virtual Barn retreat one of the most powerful personal experiences I have had. I believe this is due to the careful thought and consideration of the team who hold the space well, materials provided and the vulnerability that being in my own home affords me. I would highly recommend this experience with all the uncertainties in the world at present reflecting and sharing these in a mindful way has given me back some hope and has made the world feel a little less lonely.

We recognise this is a difficult time financially for many people.

These retreats are offered on a sliding scale to ensure as many people as possible can benefit. 

We suggest paying £100 - £150 for this retreat, depending on what you can afford. 

There is a minimum payment of £40. 
 

Retreats & Events

How to book easily and securely:

  • online on this page
  • by phoning 01803 732542

Ring us or email us on [email protected] if you've got any questions.

Please click here to see our booking and cancellations policy.


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.