Natural World,
Natural Mind.
7-14 October 2023
Naturalise your mind on Holy Isle this Autumn...
For the last 10 years or more, I have been gathering groups of more experienced meditators to Holy Isle to explore compassion and loving kindness. While October 2023 is still a compassion retreats of sorts, this year I wanted to do something different.
Inspired by my year-long immersion in deep ecology and discovery of meditation out in the open air, I wanted this Mindsprings Autumn retreat to be a more radical retreat - in the sense of getting to the root of things.
The wonderful biologist and indigenous writer, Robin Wall-Kimmerer asked a group of her undergraduate students if they loved the Earth. Naturally, almost all spoke about their passion for plants, rivers, mountains and ecology. But when she ask if they felt like the Earth loved them back, they all fell silent.
Why is it that we don’t feel the love of the planet all around us? Why do we often feel lonely and isolated in a landscape that is full of trees, grasses, insects, animals, birds and weather? Is it habit of mind? Does meditating inside silent halls make that habit more intense?
Spending time outside in the glorious gardens, beaches and wild spaces of Holy Isle gives us the perfect space to explore different ways to receive this love. And I have discovered that a freer, more extended form of “meditation” helps that happen.
“Sitting out” practice is a free-form meditation where you pick a spot in the natural world and stay there for an hour or two (or three!) without trying to control your mind but allowing it to be “wilded” by the natural world.
Within the friendly, warm and curious Mindsprings group we can then sift through our findings and explore deeper and deeper ways of connecting to the natural mind and the natural world. But particularly allowing it to soften our nervous systems and sensitise us to the richness of the surround world.
This retreat is open to everyone who has a passion for the natural world but also some experience of sitting with their minds. It’s probably not suitable for complete beginners. Do contact me if you are not sure if it’s for you.
What is 'sitting out' practice?
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!
