As autumn approaches, we invite you to take a break and join us for an unstructured personal retreat. During your stay, you can enjoy qigong and meditation - to promote relaxation. Alternatively, you may choose to simply enjoy the tranquillity of the space, embracing the art of doing nothing. Imagine cozying up by a warm fire, savouring delicious vegetarian meals, and immersing yourself in silence. This time out offers a slower rhythm, allowing you to step back from the busyness of life and find peace within.

Albert Osel hosts a mid-winter retreat of inner refuge, connecting us to the ever-present Stillness within movement (body), the ever-present Silence behind the "narrative self" (speech), and the ever-present Spaciousness of awareness (mind).

Escape to the tranquil and nurturing environment of the BRC for a transformative and personal healing experience with Reiki Master, Bernard Chatikobo and explore the benefits of water, food, exercise and breath in talks infused with the live mbira music. This unique two-day healing retreat is tailored for individuals to take away seven daily breathing exercises, conscious basking in the ambience of forests as tools for self-healing and a one-on-one energy healing session for improved relaxation and well-being. Fill your 'spiritual cup' by creating 'spirit cards' to capture the mood and essence of each day. Chris Rooke will be offering qigong daily. Make every step count when you greet the sunrise  and find inner serenity to feel "I AM."

Join Bruce in exploring the roots of mindful awareness through Kundalini yoga. Immerse yourself in transformative practices that seamlessly blend into the beauty of nature, with outdoor sessions whenever possible. Engage in meditation, chanting and the gentle resonance of the gong and crystal bowls for healing relaxation. Delve into practices that nurture your mind, body and spirit, allowing you to embrace inner peace and vitality while finding harmony in nature. 

In this retreat, we will explore three fundamental areas of our human experience, the three treasures - a healthy body, a happy heart, and a clear and pleasant mind - to create an awareness of and implement techniques for harmony and balance in everyday life. This  relaxed retreat will  incorporate blended sessions of yoga and qigong. We will practise various breathwork and meditative techniques and explore our creativity with an introduction to Neurographic Drawing, a mindful, automatic style of drawing developed by Russian psychologist Pavel Piskarev. The premise is that we are able to rewire our neural pathways when practising this style of meditative drawing. It is a simple therapeutic technique which does not require any artistic experience. We will also take an in-depth look at water and its spiritual significance by looking at the studies of people like Masaru Emoto and Veda Austin. There  will be plenty of time to absorb the stillness of the beautiful surroundings of the BRC with meditative walks and sunset qigong. 

When we reflect on how best to support others, we sense a clear and growing need - not only for a beautiful, nourishing space to retreat to, but also for practices that guide us gently back into the fullness of being. In the tranquil embrace of nature, we will explore ways of loosening the grip of habitual busyness and reconnecting with what softens, soothes, and restores us.

This retreat offers a gentle blend of mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, and compassion-based practices - all grounded in present-moment awareness. We will spend time in stillness and in movement, with guided practices to support emotional regulation, embodied presence, and a deeper sense of ease. There will be spacious periods of silence, as well as time for sharing in our human experience. We will have time to immerse in the natural beauty of the surrounding forests and gardens. Whether you are feeling depleted, seeking clarity, or simply longing for deep rest, this retreat is an invitation to return to your own steady centre.

Nowhere Else To Be is a series of mid-week zazenkai held in Noble Silence at the BRC. Each zazenkai invites us to rest deeply in the present moment and attune to the simplicity and stillness of the unfolding moment. We will return to the basics of practice - stillness, silence, breath. With nowhere else to be and nothing else to do, we settle into what is.

This zazenkai is suitable for those with a regular meditation practice or prior retreat experience who feel ready to spend a day in silence, stillness, and simplicity. It offers a simple, structured, and spacious container in which to reconnect with presence, nature, and the still point within. The emphasis is on returning to what is already here — without distraction, without pressure, without needing to be anywhere else.

Come sit with us - there is nowhere else to be.

For the Zazenkai series, the next dates are:

September 16-18
November 25-27

This 3-day retreat will focus on the practice of drawing freehand mandalas, and was developed over years of teaching practice. The archetypal form of the mandala helps on a number of levels in education, starting with the innate sense of geometry and harmony we can develop in the young child and in higher grades the practice itself which calls forth concentration. It is a wonderful tool to either centre a child who is lost in the periphery, or widening the horizon of a child who is clinging to their centre. The results are always beautiful and meaningful.

As a practice for adults, the mandala reveals a "snapshot" of our inner cosmos and allows us to create order and centeredness in place of chaos. Clémence will present her study of the mandala through human experience (religion, psychology, astronomy) and we will then explore the polarities of centre and periphery, curved and straight lines, order and chaos, through movement and drawing. We will follow several methods of structuring a mandala to experience the different results they produce in our inner space. No previous drawing experience is needed. Basic equipment, some colour mediums and papers will be provided. It is advised, however, to bring your favourite art medium and suitable paper (watercolour, acrylics, pencils, ink, charcoal) should you be already practised in artwork.

At the heart of Italian culture is food. Food represents life: from the bounty that nature provides into the hands of the skilful cook to create a masterpiece, a skill that is passed down from generation to generation. The respect for and the appreciation of the natural source of ingredients in Italian cooking allows for the simplicity in the preparation and the unique taste of each dish prepared. Mother and son duo, Rosetta and Mario, have been passionate about Italian cooking their entire lives; a passion instilled in them from spending valuable time with Nonna Maria in her kitchen from young. In this retreat, we will share some more of Nonna Maria’s vegetarian Italian cooking: freshly made basil pesto (or roasted red pepper pesto) will be paired with light, pillowy potato gnocchi. Nonna’s vegetarian spaghetti carbonara will also be shared. Finally, we will end off with two traditional Italian desserts, a classic panna cotta and bigne alla crema (chocolate-topped profiteroles filled with Italian pastry cream), and the torta caprese (Italian hazelnut/almond gluten-free chocolate cake, a decadent tea-time classic).

Join Lisa for a deeply relaxing and nourishing weekend of mindfulness-based Clinical Somatic Movement. Exploring the communication between the brain, nervous system and muscular-fascial systems, we will learn about pandiculation, nature's way of releasing built-up tension from the body. Slow down and learn gentle practices to help release chronic muscle tension that underlie pain and stress in body and mind. Develop your inner awareness and bring comfort and ease to your body. Basic Mindfulness practices and meditations will be woven throughout the retreat. This weekend is suitable for everyone and will meet you where you are. All bodies welcome!