The Barn Retreat for young people
Sanjay Soni
Jeanie Bags
Clara Wood
Heather Stark
Jenny Chamarette
This 6-night Barn retreat is for people aged 18 to 30 only.
This retreat is a unique opportunity for young people to come together and practice mindfulness in community.
The week is centred on three pillars: meditation, community and connecting to the land. Through this week we will have the opportunity to reflect on our lives as young people in the world, bringing our mindfulness into our everyday lives, into our relationships and into our hopes for the future.
Practising together we can discover new sources of peace and well-being and enjoy the beautiful nature of the Sharpham Estate.
Read on for more details on this retreat and click the Leaders, Schedules and Venue & Directions tabs above for further information.
Experience Dharma teachings at The Barn
This retreat is for you if you:
- are a young person wanting to explore the Dharma
- are prepared to live and work in community, preparing meals together and working in the gardens
- are aged 18 to 30
There will be a maximum of 11 participants on this retreat.
There are periods of silence on each of our retreats.
Our programme of retreats at The Barn can be viewed and booked here
Daily meditations
There are approximately three 40-minute meditation sittings each day, and it is 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:
- experience guided meditations and periods of silence and quiet contemplation
- be living in community with like-minded young people, sharing experiences and tasks, including the making of meals and taking care of the house
- 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
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
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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 allergen-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.
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 in which to share and learn.
Note that we hold silence from 8.30pm to 9.00am 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 – Light evening meal. Then settling in |
| 8.30pm – The Barn goes into silence until 9.00am the next day |
Monday to Friday:
This is a typical schedule.
| Mornings | Afternoons |
|---|---|
| 6.20am – Wake up | 12.20pm – Meditation (some guided) |
| 6.50am – Movement and meditation | 1.00pm – Lunch |
| 7.30am – Household tasks | 2.00pm – Personal time |
| 8.00am – Breakfast | 4.30pm – Teaching |
| 9.00am – Morning sharing and meeting | 6.00pm – Light supper prepared individually or in groups |
| 10.00am – Gardening | 7.50pm – Meditation (some guided) |
| 8.30pm – Barn moves into silence until 9.00am the next day | |
Saturday:
As above until 8.00am. Silence ends at breakfast. After that, there is time to clear your room and depart between 9.00am and 11.00am.
This retreat takes place at The Barn with superb views over the River Dart.
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.
We are 3 miles from Totnes – famous for its Transition Town movement
We are in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
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.
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.
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Places on The Barn Retreat for young people are offered at a reduced rate because we recognise that the majority of young people have less access to financial means than average. We want to be accessible to as many people as is feasible, and to encourage more young people to be able to come on retreat at the Barn.
Supported Rate £190
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.
Standard Rate £300
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 £490
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
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.
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.
