Learn why Nia is a lifestyle practice that strengthens your ability to sustain body-centred awareness and vitalises your nervous system. Feel how every cell in your body can vibrate in joy and how you are connected to everything that surrounds you. It is more than a cardio dance fitness class.

Enjoy the revitalising and rejuvenating effects of both hatha and restorative yoga sessions over this retreat. Yoga offers us a nurturing space where we can heal and balance our physical, mental and emotional selves more effectively, as well as develop strength, stability and flexibility.  Both hatha and restorative yoga offer overall support and healing to the nervous, lymphatic, hormonal, cardio thoracic, digestive and immune systems which brings you back into harmony with your body’s natural rhythms. Through asana (posture), and pranayama (breathing), we learn to become more mindful in our lives. You will also  learn the art of preparing a dosha-balancing meal that will take you from the cool days of winter into spring.  Be your own healer by learning how to incorporate the therapeutic properties of food, herbs and spices into your daily routine  to detoxify your body and enjoy optimal health.

Looking at your image in a clear stream, you answer the question by your very presence.

In this workshop we will explore the connection between writing and meditation. We write and meditate on the many changes and transformations we experience as we journey along the river of our lives. We consider how creativity steadies the boat and how writing helps us dip the oars into dark water so we may navigate the river safely. Writing opens us to the moment. It’s as close as pulse and breath. Come and magnify your sense of aliveness and presence in this safe space.

Some record only what has happened to them; but others record how they happened to the universe - Henry David Thoreau

The word ‘journal’ comes from Old French, ‘day’. So it is our daily encounter with ourselves through the mirror, lens and window of words and silence. ‘Journal’ echoes the word ‘journey’ as we travel through inner and outer landscapes.  In this retreat we write with the ear, eye and heart. This journal journey opens you to your creativity and imagination as you express your truths, reflect on your life and behold the window of the world with new eyes.

Open to newcomers and seasoned meditators alike, this retreat gives participants a taste of the practice of Mindfulness: developing moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. This powerful practice enables one to relate with equanimity to whatever is unfolding and makes it possible to work more creatively with the stresses and demands of daily living. Based on the work of Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn, this retreat combines traditional eastern wisdom with modern science and psychology and aims to generate a greater sense of present-mindedness, less reactivity, more relaxation, body awareness and self-compassion through mindful exercises, yoga, group discussion and reflection. This unique format enables one to integrate this practice into one’s daily life.

What comes first? Karma or Drama? Our previous karma - going back many lifetimes - usually thrusts us into the dramas we experience in all our relationships. Yet, it is the drama of ups and downs that usually creates more karma! So both are important to examine. All we know is that difficult relationships cause us pain and suffering, but is there a way to deal with relationships more creatively? The answer is to learn to view difficult relationships in a completely different way. During this retreat we will study the Buddhist approach to relationships from which we will learn that we are the creators of all our drama and that we need to take responsibility for change no matter how difficult. We will see relationships as a mirror reflecting our repetitive imprints both positively and negatively. This 3-day workshop will include meditation, chi kung and periods of quiet and rest.

Most of us spend a third of our life asleep. Taking the average life span into account, this is equivalent to about twenty-five to thirty years. Even though the mental state is more subtle when the body is asleep, it doesn't mean that we can't have an alert, meditative, observing mind. In fact, certain practices prove to be even more effective during this state, as we are less distracted by the five physical senses. In order to access dreams and to turn them towards the Buddhist path, we first have to realise that we are in fact dreaming. Tibetan Dream Yoga is the original form of Lucid Dreaming documented for 1,000 years. Also known as Milam - the yoga of the dream state - it is a collection of advanced tantric techniques. Just like our Western understanding of lucid dreams, the initial aim is to awaken the consciousness in the dream, state. In the Tibetan tradition, dream yoga is also used to practise Bodhicitta (the seed of enlightenment) and to develop wisdom.

 Research on emotional intelligence (EI or EQ) suggests that a person’s ability to perceive, identify and manage their emotions is essential to making good decisions, taking optimal action to solve problems and coping with change. According to Daniel Goleman, emotionally intelligent people are aware of their own emotions (self-awareness) and they effectively manage their emotions (self-management). In addition, they are aware of the emotions of others (social awareness) and are adept at managing the emotions of others (relationship management). Each one of us can acquire and improve our EI - an essential part of our personal development. Self-awareness - EI competence - cultivates our empathy, and nurtures our compassion and caring. Furthermore, the subject of mindfulness has received huge interest from practitioners and researchers alike, with a growing body of research linking mindfulness to cognitive, physiological, and psychological benefits. Interestingly, current research shows a positive relationship between mindfulness and the development of emotional intelligence competencies. This interactive retreat supports participants in their personal development journey through gaining insights into emotional intelligence and mindfulness, and behaviour that positively impacts their well-being and relationships.

Cultivating the practice of Mindful Body-Embodied Mind in daily activity, we will take each step, each activity with conscious awareness and impeccable attention. Through a combination of Body Sense Alexander Technique and mindful movement - gentle tai chi-chi kung and conscious walking - we will restore a state of ease in body and mind. The practise of Alexander Technique in an environment of attentive-relaxation offers a means to enhance and maintain our co-ordination, composure and effortless mobility. Come and walk the path to health and well-being. There will be periods of stillness and time for reflection.

In this two-day retreat, we continue the practice of Mindful Body-Embodied Mind. Managing our lives in such fast-paced, challenging times, we need such life-skills: attentiveness and focus; poise and balance in body and kindness and compassion in our emotional and spiritual lives. Spend 2 days in the tranquil environment of the BRC to ground yourself in this technique. There will be periods of stillness and time for reflection.