Sharpham State
Sharpham Trust
Sharpham House beginners retreats
Sharpham House beginners retreats
Sharpham House Rooms
Food at Sharpham House

Mindfulness for Beginners: 3-night Sharpham House Retreat

Summary

5 Reviews
3 nights - Monthly
Beginner
Single
Short Periods
Max. Spaces: 20

Overview

If you want to start (or re-start) a mindfulness practice, then our Mindfulness for Beginners retreat can help.

Our experienced & supportive leaders will introduce you gently to the practice of meditation and you’ll be cared for in Sharpham House, dining on delicious vegetarian & vegan food, with plenty of free time for rest and reflection.

You’ll be able to explore the benefits of the natural world in our setting within a designed Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - with our rewilding fields, wildflower meadows and the peaceful River Dart close by.

As a charity, we've offered mindfulness teachings for more than 40 years and we're known around the globe for our vision of a more mindful, compassionate and sustainable world.

If you're a mindfulness beginner, you've come to the right place.

This retreat is for you if you:

  • are new to mindfulness and meditation or you want to re-start a lapsed mindfulness practice
  • need rest, replenishment & renewal
  • will benefit from reflection and connecting to nature, far away from the busy-ness of your normal life & work
  • are aged 18 and above
What is Mindfulness?

What you'll experience on this retreat:

  • guided meditation and practices to support you in everyday life
  • periods of silence and quiet contemplation
  • a single-occupancy room and your own space in which to rejuvenate, with free time to deeply rest and reconnect with yourself
  • living in community with like-minded people, sharing experiences and the opportunity to bring mindfulness to some everyday household tasks
  • our tranquil Capability Brown-designed parkland and our Grade II*-listed gardens designed by Percy Cane
  • delicious, healthy, home-cooked vegetarian & vegan food that regularly receives rave reviews
  • full-board accommodation in a Grade I-listed Georgian house surrounded by history and art, with staff looking after you, within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the banks of the River Dart

 

 

calendula in percy cane garden

What you'll 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
View our FAQs

Schedule

If you're coming to stay with us on retreat, it is important to make a commitment to arrive in time for the first group meeting and to attend all the days.

This ensures you experience the retreat programme from start to finish and helps your group of participants to gel.


Silence

All our retreats include periods of silence as a way of deepening into mindful awareness.

If you are new to spending time in silence in the company of other people, it can feel awkward to begin with. But we encourage you to explore the silent periods with a spirit of openness and curiosity - people usually find it to be a positive experience. 

The retreats typically move into silence each evening from 9pm - 9.50am the following day

Typical retreat schedule

Day 1: Arrive between 3-5pm for welcoming talk and settling in

Mornings Afternoons
7.00am - wake up  12.30pm - guided sitting meditation
7.30am – mindful movement  1.00pm - lunch
8.00am - guided sitting meditation 2.30pm – Personal time
8.30am – breakfast and tasks 5.20pm - guided sitting meditation
9.50am – home groups 6.00pm – supper and tasks
10.30am - walk of the grounds or personal time 8.00pm - Meditation / Teaching
  9.00pm – House moves into silence until 9.50am the next day

Final day: There is a closing circle at 10.30am and depart at 12 noon. The retreat will move into silence each evening from 9pm – 9.50am, and till 2.30pm on day 3.

Reviews

Had a fantastic experience at Sharpham Retreat, I came home feeling relaxed, peaceful and calm. The community feeling was so lovely, I met a wonderful group of people that enriched my journey. The meditation activities were really good for a beginner like myself and I have taken home skills and techniques to use in my daily life. Really great memories, I would definitely recommend

Mindfulness for Beginners participant
January 2023

I had a extremely good experience on my 3-day beginners meditation retreat with you. Firstly, the tutors, Will and Lynette, were excellent. What was just as excellent were chefs Amanda and Rachel and the stunning food they offered. They must write a collective book of their recipes! It is everybody at Sharpham that I wish to thank for my stay.

Mindfulness for Beginners participant

it was my first ever retreat and I loved every single minute. I learnt so much and have never felt such peace...it’s a very special place and I’m looking forward to returning.

Mindfulness for Beginners participant
See all Reviews

Sharpham House in Spring

Sharpham House

Sharpham House is the perfect place to experience a mindfulness retreat: a Grade I-listed Georgian mansion at the centre of the stunning Sharpham Estate, where you're nurtured with delicious vegetarian and vegan food (much of it grown organically in our Walled Garden).

The House is set in beautiful gardens, surrounded by a parkland designed originally by Capability Brown, offering calming views over the River Dart, in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Get Directions View Venue

Leaders

Dene Donalds
Dene Donalds Read more +
Emma Thom
Emma Thom Read more +
Ethan Pollock
Ethan Pollock Read more +
Lindsay 2
Lindsay Alderton Read more +
Lynette Robinson
Lynette Robinson Read more +
Martyna Raczka at The Sharpham Trust meditation centre
Martyna Raczka Read more +
Ollie Frame
Ollie Frame Read more +
Patti
Patti Summerville Read more +
Ramiro Ortega
Ramiro Ortega Read more +
Rupert-Marques-2
Rupert Marques Read more +
Steve Banks
Steve Banks Read more +

Costs

Retreats taking place up to March

  • £395 Standard room, single occupancy, full-board
  • £455 Premium room, single occupancy, full-board
  • £555 Heritage room, single occupancy, full-board

Retreats taking place from April onwards

  • £425 Standard room, single occupancy, full-board
  • £475 Premium room, single occupancy, full-board
  • £555 Heritage room, single occupancy, full-board

(see also room types below)


There will be a maximum of 20 guests on this retreat.

All rooms are single occupancy, giving you your own space in which to relax.

If you have a medical condition that requires you to have an en-suite room, please contact the Programme Administrator on the number below as these rooms are limited and are bookable on a first-come first-serve basis.

Book easily and securely online or by phoning 01803 732542

Terms & Conditions

Please click here to see our booking and cancellations policy

Room Types

Click here for more information on our types of bedrooms and facilities.

Bursaries

Limited 50% bursaries offering reduced-price retreats are available for those experiencing financial hardship. Please contact the Programme Administrator 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

Available dates

2024 10 Nov

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Emma Thom & Steve Banks
2024 06 Dec

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Emma Thom & Ollie Frame
2025 15 Jan

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Ethan Pollock & Emma Thom
2025 24 Feb

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Patti Summerville & Lynette Robinson
2025 10 Mar

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Ramiro Ortega & Emma Thom
2025 11 Apr

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Martyna Raczka & Lynette Robinson
2025 11 May

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Emma Thom & Steve Banks
2025 14 Jun

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Patti Summerville & Lynette Robinson
2025 28 Jul

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Dene Donalds & Patti Summerville
2025 09 Sep

Sharpham House: Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat (3 nights)

With Lynette Robinson & Ethan Pollock