About Holy Isle
Holy Island is a stunning granite outcrop in Lamlash Bay off the isle of Arran in West Scotland. It's been a holy site since the times of Celtic Christianity when St. Molaise lived in a cave here. In the last few decades, it's been a place of Buddhist-inspired contemplation under the auspices of Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche. But the World Centre for Peace and Health where this course takes place is open to all faiths or none. It's a uniquely nurturing place for practice and draws people from all over the world.
You can watch an aerial tour of the island here.
What to expect from a Mindsprings Retreat
About the teacher
Alistair is a broadcaster, psychotherapist and meditation teacher.
He's worked for the BBC for more than 20 years and works as a UKCP-accredited therapist in East Sussex. Since 2004, he's run Mindsprings, his therapeutic meditation organisation which teaches body-based and Buddhist solutions to many of our everyday problems.
Mindsprings offers popular meditation-based courses on many subjects:
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helping people with anxiety, dissociation, stress.
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working with mental health in the LGBTQ community.
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exploring the growing field of embodiment and somatic practices.
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teaching Buddhist practices for mental health and well-being
Alistair teaches in England, Wales, Scotland, Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, Iceland and the Netherlands.
Team and schedule
Food, Accommodation and Pricing
One of the greatest joys of Holy Isle is the fantastic food harvested directly from the biodynamic and organic gardens that surround the centre. The resident kitchen team will be providing delicious vegetarian food throughout. There will be breakfast, lunch and supper and tea and snacks available throughout the day. Vegan and wheat-free diets are also catered for.
The cost of the retreat is £310 per person and then you will need to book your accommodation through the Holy Island office separately. They have single rooms, a couple of double rooms and male and female dorms. The dorms (and the doubles) have sea views! You will have to book the retreat AND then your room separately!
Please note that Holy Island is not taking accommodation bookings until the beginning of 2023.
Getting to Holy Isle
Reaching Holy Island is part of the experience of going on retreat there. It is a pilgrimage.
Details can be found on the Holy Island site here. But in essence, you need to get to Lamlash pier by lunchtime on the arrival day. Ideally, you might want to come to Arran a day early to give yourself some time. Zangpo, the Island's director, has asked that guests don't try to get over to Holy Isle before the start date though.
The little ferry from Lamlash to the Island is very weather sensitive so it's a good idea to speak to the Island closer to the retreat. Also you will need to book your ticket with Grant at this site.
Please don't book homeward travel too early on the last day. Leave yourself time in case there are delays getting off because of weather. Giving yourself some breathing space makes the whole experience less stressful.
A little bit of planning and double-checking never goes amiss!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Ma connexion ne fonctionne plus. Pouvez-vous aider ?Ce nouveau site nécessite une inscription unique. Si vous avez un combo e-mail/mot de passe de l'école Mindsprings (cours d'être, d'anxiété, etc.), je vous suggère d'utiliser le même. Mais vous n'aurez besoin de vous inscrire qu'une seule fois pour accéder au site (utilisez ces mêmes détails si vous le souhaitez) et vous pourrez ensuite accéder à tout avec cette connexion la prochaine fois que vous visiter!
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Où sont passés mes cours en ligne ?Tous les cours d'autoformation en ligne sont toujours sur l'école Mindsprings. Vous pouvez y accéder sous Cours > Autoformation dans la barre de navigation. J'essaie de trouver un moyen de synchroniser l'école avec le nouveau site - mais tout est sain et sauf pour votre lecture.
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Quand recommencent les cours en ligne en direct ?J'ai pris un congé sabbatique de l'enseignement en ligne jusqu'à ce que Daniel et moi emménagions dans notre nouvelle maison cet été. Je prévois donc de commencer des cours organisés et éventuellement une session hebdomadaire régulière en septembre.
