Sharpham House and a rainbow

Life Changes - a 5-night retreat in Sharpham House

Summary

6 Reviews
5 nights - Annually
Any meditation experience
Single
Short periods of silence
Max. Spaces: 20

Overview

Life is a constant process of change and flux that we all experience.

Some changes are planned and anticipated, others come from unexpected events that we have little control over.

This retreat is for anyone going through a life-change or transition who would benefit from reflection and perspective, in the supportive company of a retreat.
 



“It is not impermanence that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not”
 - Thích Nhất Hạnh, monk, peace-activist, mindfulness pioneer

Someone sits beneath the yew tree at Sharpham
Marigold Norbye

Mindfulness & nature at Sharpham can help you

Life changes and transitions can cover a range of human experiences: starting a new course of study, changing career, leaving home for the first time, becoming a parent or moving into mid-life or eldership.

Whatever your experience or level of meditation or mindfulness practice, you are welcome on this retreat.

Life changes and transitions can be unsettling and challenging, often evoking feelings of fear, uncertainty and doubt. But they can offer new opportunities for healing, growth, understanding and learning too.

Mindfulness and time spent in nature offers us powerful tools for resilience - helping us gain perspective, become steadier and more accepting of the changes we are experiencing.

This retreat is for you if you:

  • are going through change or transition in your life and would like some time away for reflection, rest and renewal
  • want to increase your personal resilience and self-care in a safe and supportive setting
  • are aged 18 or above

What you’ll experience:

  • learning how to deepen into mindfulness and nature connection practice at your own pace
  • teachings, opportunities for personal reflection, group discussions and compassion-based practices
  • Guided walks, morning movement sessions and nature connection
  • Periods of silence each day with one Silent Day in the middle of the week
  • A space that’s gently-held by dedicated, experienced retreat leaders and caring house staff
  • The chance to explore our tranquil Capability Brownian parkland and our Grade 2*-listed gardens designed by Percy Cane
  • a single-occupancy room and your own space in which to rejuvenate, with daily free time to deeply rest and reconnect with yourself, far from the busy-ness of daily life. Explore our rooms here
  • Delicious, healthy, home-cooked vegetarian food that regularly receives rave reviews and have access to 24-hour hot teas, coffee & infusions in our Toasting Room
  • being cared for full-board in a Grade I-listed Georgian House surrounded by history and art, in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty close to nature, amid breath-taking scenery on the banks of the River Dart
The misty River Dart at Sharpham
Marigold Norbye

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

Sharpham House is the most idyllic and tranquil places for a mindfulness retreat. It offered us the perfect conditions to facilitate a deeper connection with ourselves, with the beautiful nature and the rich wild life surrounding the area. Being under the skilful, generous and mindful guidance of our kind, open-hearted coordinators Nina and Will has created the perfect space to bring to light deep powerful insights. I am truly grateful for this life-changing experience.

Cristina Vulcan
June 2023

Wonderful haven of nature, beautiful views, lovely food, great teachers. I stayed for 5 nights for the summer retreat and left restored, invigorated and inspired. I have already recommended this to friends of mine and I will continue to do so. If you're feeling run down, overwhelmed, anxious/depressed or just in need of some 'me' time, then I highly recommend spending as long as you can at Sharpham House Trust.

Rebecca Watson
September 2023

THE most magical and amazing place for a retreat. I cannot recommend Sharpham highly enough, I'm telling all my friends! The food is divine, the location is breathtaking and the facilitators are highly skilled. I'm creating space in my diary for the next one very soon!

Louise Neicho
September 2022
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

Jess Stein
Jess Stein Read more +
Will Evans
Will Evans Read more +

Costs

  • £595 - Standard room, single occupancy, full-board 
  • £655 Premium room, single occupancy, full-board 
  • £755 - Heritage room, single occupancy, full-board 

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

2025 18 Feb

Sharpham House: Life Changes (5 nights)

With Will Evans & Jess Stein