Mindfulness Retreats

A Mindfulness retreat is a span of a set number of days of dedicated practice.  Our retreats provide guided practices with an experienced tutor and a structure.  Some are suitable for beginners with no experience and others are best suited to those who already have a regular mindfulness or meditation practice.

Some of the retreats might have a theme, such as being in nature, compassion or learning something to include in our practice.  Others form a structured course such as the Mindfulness to Buddhism retreat and the Wisdom retreat.  There are also 5 day retreats for the Mindfulness Teacher Training.  Our members weekend retreats are free to members. No previous experience is needed for this retreat and if you wish, you can make this a 5 day retreat for £125. Every year we run a Mindfulness for Life Retreat which is suitable for those who are familiar with our courses and have an established mindfulness meditation practice. Every other year we run a conference at Samye Ling, Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.  This is run in a retreat like setting with mindfulness teachings and workshops.

Most of our retreats include periods of silence which are required for Mindfulness Teachers as part of their registration with the British Association of Mindfulness Based Approaches (BAMBA).

Our Members weekend retreats are free to members.  We hold two of these per year. Members are able to extend the retreat for 3 more days for £125 which enables them to satisfy their retreat requirements for their registration with the British Association of Mindfulness Based Approaches (BAMBA).  We usually arrange it so that 50% of waking hours is in silence during a retreat, but it is up to participants if they want to do more or less than this. For Mindfulness teachers doing a retreat for their BAMBA listing more than 50% of waking hours should be in silence.

Our Mindfulness Retreats generally cost around £350 for 6 days.

Spiritual retreats are often held at a peaceful centre where participants can literally retreat from everyday life and immerse themselves in their practice.

It is also possible to create a nurturing retreat setting at home. Maybe putting aside a room with some comforts such as blankets and cushions and agreeing with family that you will be setting time aside to focus on your practice and rest.

Some participants go to a hotel or hire a self-contained cottage to participate in the online Mindfulness retreats.

If you are heading to a venue to do your Mindfulness retreat, you will need to plan accommodation and travel and you might want to take some comforts from home such as blanket or cushion so that you are comfortable throughout your retreat.

If you are going to do an online retreat at home, you might want to create a space or room in your house for the duration of the retreat. If you live with others, you might want to let them know that you might not be very communicative during the retreat and let them know what you are doing so you can maintain a sense of peace.

You most certainly can do a silent retreat at home so long as you have agreements with others that you will be immersed in a retreat like setting for the duration of the retreat.  You might want to create a retreat like space in your home, with whatever makes you feel comfortable.

You can do a self-retreat by either going away to a hotel, self contained cottage, or a venue which runs retreats.  Retreat centres are usually immersed in nature and are peaceful and provide food, so you don’t need to worry about anything else other than your practice.

You can also self-retreat in the comfort of your own home. You might want to make arrangements so as to not be disturbed and create a space in your home where you feel comfortable for the duration of your retreat.

The Mindfulness Association offers a variety of retreats including, but not limited to, “Mindfulness Retreats”, “Mindfulness for Life retreats”, and “Members’ Weekends and Retreats”. Specific examples mentioned in the sources include:

• • Mindfulness, Qigong & Yoga Retreat Weekend
  • Compassionate Imagery for Resilience
  • Naturally Being Retreat Weekend
  • Tonglen Weekend
  • Creating Healthy Boundaries for a Healthy Life
  • Mindfulness for Stress
  • Compassion in Action
  • Mindfulness in Nature
  • Mindfulness for Life Retreat
  • Free Autumn Members Weekend

Many of the in-person retreats are held at Samye Ling, which is described by a reviewer as a “beautiful place with beautiful people” and a “total privilege and a not to be missed experience”. Other locations mentioned include Holy Isle.

Yes, the Mindfulness Association provides both in-person and online offerings. For example, the “Free Autumn Members Weekend: Gratitude” was listed as an online event, indicating that online retreats are available.

Yes, the Mindfulness Association holds “Members’ Weekends and Retreats” and has offered a “Free Autumn Members Weekend”. This suggests that membership can provide access to exclusive or free retreat opportunities.

The duration of retreats varies. The sources list retreats ranging from weekend events (e.g., “Sep 05 – 07, 2025” for Mindfulness, Qigong & Yoga Retreat Weekend) to longer retreats (e.g., “29 July 2025 – 04 August 2025” for Mindfulness for Life Retreat).

All Mindfulness Association courses and presumably their retreats are rooted in their “second-generation mindfulness” approach, which offers a “more comprehensive and authentic understanding of mindfulness” by grounding it more firmly in its traditional Buddhist roots and expanding its applications beyond mere stress reduction. “Compassion is at the HEART of everything” the Mindfulness Association does, so retreats would undoubtedly integrate this compassionate foundation. The systematic training developed by Rob Nairn, who blends Western psychological and secular perspectives with Buddhist teachings, forms the basis of these courses.

Participants who have engaged with the Mindfulness Association’s offerings, including their courses and daily sits which often complement retreats, report “life changing” experiences. The training is described as “transformative” and helps individuals “totally change the way I view the world and my place in it”. Retreats offer a chance for “connection” and to “habituate a mindfulness practice”, contributing to “mental health and wellbeing”.

While some retreats may be part of a higher-level pathway, the Mindfulness Association’s “wide range of courses cater for beginners, experienced practitioners, those that want to train to teach Mindfulness and experienced teachers”. This suggests that there are likely retreats suitable for various levels of experience, though specific retreat pages would clarify any prerequisites. One reviewer mentioned starting as a “complete beginner” and progressing through courses to the MSc, implying a pathway for deepening practice that could include retreats.

The retreats and daily practice sessions are led by the Mindfulness Association’s tutor team, who are consistently described by participants as “knowledgeable, friendly and informative”, “wonderful: warm, caring and insightful”, and “Authentic, kind teachers”. The organisation itself was founded by Rob Nairn, who developed the systematic training.

The sources indicate that there are “Featured Courses” and listings of “All Courses and Retreats”. You can find details about specific dates and availability, as some retreats may be “Fully Booked”. The website generally provides sections for courses, retreats, and teaching information.

Yes, the Mindfulness Association provides numerous free resources that can be highly beneficial:

• • Free Daily Meditation Sessions via Zoom, available Monday to Friday at 10:30 am & 7 pm. These are described as a “wonderful community that anyone can join for free”.
  • Introduction to Mindfulness, Introduction to Compassion Course, and Introduction to Insight online.
  • Free Recorded Meditations and Mindfulness Calendars.
  • Rob Nairn Talks, offering insights from the founder of the systematic training.
  • The “Everyone Project”, which aims to make mindfulness accessible to a wider community.