What is a retreat and what is a Mindfulness for Beginners retreat?

4th February, 2026

Retreat leader Steve Banks introduces the idea of coming on a retreat at Sharpham, and explains more about our signature 3-night Mindfulness for Beginners retreats.

Steve trained as a mindfulness teacher with Mindfulness UK and is a qualified psychosynthesis counsellor. He is passionate about passing on the gifts of mindfulness, meditation, and deepening our connection with nature.

The Sharpham Trust has been teaching mindfulness and offering mindfulness and meditation retreats for more than 40 years. 

Read a transcript of this video, organised into sections, below.

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What are mindfulness retreats at Sharpham like?

"Hello, my name's Steve Banks and I'm one of the secular mindfulness retreat leaders at Sharpham.

So that's retreats where mindfulness and meditation practice is combined with time spent on the land, the beautiful Sharpham estate, deepening our connection with nature.

And I think for me the heart of the retreat experience at Sharpham is the meditation practice.