Meditation and Mindfulness Weekends Retreat Breaks

MSR programmes
Mindfulness Stress Relief (MSR) can be studied as an eight week non-residential programme or as intensive weekend programmes, in stages. The benefit of gradual weekly development is obvious. However not everyone can find an eight week programme near to where they live, neither can they travel so far for weekly classes. So we are offering weekend intensive courses for those who feel able to learn the programme intensively and who are able to develop their own practice in their own time, with support available when necessary.

The MSR course enables participants to learn ho to focus their minds and the body so that they become aware of their true self, and as a result are no longer at the mercy of unnecessary thoughts or concerns. Based on Yoga and Meditation techniques, the course is designed to allow everyone to develop at their own pace and from their own level of personal awareness and development. The emphasis is on development in a non competitive and non judgmental atmosphere. No previous experience of Yoga or meditation is required, just a desire to live a more content and tranquil approach to daily life while maintaining the things we really choose to do.

Therapeutic weekends

These weekends are for people who do not want such an intensive meditation experience but who do have some difficulties in their life they would like to address. From our Biographies you can see we are both experienced and qualified in many approaches to helping people and although meditation underpins all of our therapeutic approaches, individual sessions with NLP or counseling can also allow people to find practical solutions for their lives.

 

Dates:

We offer MBSR and therapeutic weekends breaks throughout May, June July and August 2007 and occasional weekends thereafter. Some longer stays are available on request. Please contact us for more details of availability.

Accommodation;

Our large Georgian country home has bedrooms offering both double and single accommodation. Some en suite facilities are available although we hope to extend this to all rooms as soon as possible. Unlike many retreat centres we do encourage couples to stay together and to follow the guidelines for silence and celibacy as they might want to when they practice at home.

Food:

All our food is home cooked and vegetarian; much is also home grown in our organic gardens. We do cater for special diets but please make sure you let us know your requirements in advance of your arrival

Location:

Our house is a rambling old Georgian country house in the Bowcombe Valley on the Isle of Wight. This overlooks an area of outstanding natural beauty and special scientific interest, with views across the valley and up to the front of the castle itself. We have spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and awe inspiring views of the sun backlighting the castle. In addition, for those who like good walking country, (mindful of course) we are at the foot of the Tennyson trail across the Island to Freshwater, with lovely walks across the downs in all directions.

Access:

We are easily reachable by train from all over the country. Ferries run frequent services across the Solent for both cars and foot passengers. We collect From all ferry points for people wishing to take public transport.

Therapies:

Meditation, mindfulness (see below), hypnotherapy, NLP, chakra healing and balancing, couples counseling and family therapy.

Biographies:

Sylvia Clare has a personal meditation practice of over 15 years and has been teaching meditation groups for 12 years. As a psychology honours graduate, she is also a qualified hypnotherapist of some 12 years, with previous qualifications in family and couples therapy. She originally lectured in psychology and often works with families, couples, individuals and groups. She uses conventional counselling and NLP techniques alongside my hypnotherapy work, as well as a very holistic meditation based practise for enabling clients to develop personally empowering self management skills.

Sylvia is also researching the possibility of developing a meditation based intervention for working with families and young people who have an ADHD diagnosis at Southampton University.

She has written/ co-written (with David) 5 internationally published books about emotional and spiritual intelligence and contributes articles on emotional literacy to relevant journals and magazines.

David Hughes has a personal meditation and yoga practice of over 35 years and has been teaching meditation groups for 9 years. His background is in managerial employment but he has also undertaken a great deal of counselling skills training in a voluntary capacity. His teaching style encourages the most uncertain individuals to give meditation a chance and his long personal experiences adds a depth to his support for individuals at all stages of development.

David is also a wonderful musician and songwriter and has co authored two internationally published books with Sylvia.

Sylvia and David have both completed the 8 day professional development training led by Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli for the MBSR ( Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) programme developed by Jon Kabat-Zin in 1978 at Massachusetts Hospital upon which they closely base their MSR programme.

Clatterford House
Clatterford Shute
Carisbrooke
IOW
PO30 1PD