Mindfulness Retreat

We're running a Mindfulness Retreat here on the idyllic Croatian IsIand of Brac.
Want to come?

Shakya Kumara

Sussan Öster

Brief Mindfulness Retreat

The idea of a retreat is to take time out and deeply refresh yourself, preferably amidst beautiful and peaceful natural surroundings. On this retreat you'll also learn mindfulness skills - exploring a more mindful way of being during the retreat, so you can emerge refreshed and equipped with new skills to handle the pressures and challenges of modern life.

We're holding this retreat on the Croatian island of Brac - as you can see from the photos, it's a wonderful location, tremendously peaceful and beautiful.

You'll be welcomed into a mindful all-inclusive world by Sussan and her team (her Mum Majvor and her partner Urban!). They'll provide you with healthy, tasty vegetarian food, all carefully prepared with as many fresh local organic ingredients as possible. (Meat and fish options are also available on request).

Your retreat leader is Shakya Kumara, who has over 25 years experience of meditation, and 13 years experience of training in corporate and personal development contexts. He is the founder of Brief Mindfulness, which is especially designed for busy professionals who want to reduce stress, and find ways to make life more enjoyable and satisfying.

The retreat runs from Thursday 13th to Monday 17th June 2019. You can arrive at any time on Thursday afternoon or evening - the first workshop session is after breakfast on Friday. The retreat finishes at 10am on Monday morning.

Prices start from €950 per person fully inclusive of all accommodation, food and mindfulness teaching.

(There is also the option to stay on for two more days, with lots of relaxing and fun options - see below for details)

A very relaxing retreat that left me feeling energised.

"It was a very relaxing retreat that left me feeling energised. Whilst having meditated for many years I had been struggling lately to meditate properly; the course gave me some very useful tips which has allowed me to resume, plus some very useful tips for almost instantaneous mediation. Highly recommended."

John Brooker

"Yes, And" Owner and Facilitator; Former Vice-President, Visa

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is best known for stress reduction - the evidence suggests it reduces stress by up to 30%, and anxiety by up to 70%.

But Mindfulness isn't just about relaxation: it gives a richer and more vibrant experience of life, at work and at play. Your life - just as it is - becomes more enjoyable. This increased awareness of oneself and others improves relationships, and gives various health benefits (increased immune function, better sleep etc etc).

Mindfulness also reduces distraction and mental clutter, making your mind clearer and more focused. That helps you get through work more quickly and easily - boosting your effectiveness as well as your well-being.

Brief Mindfulness adds in some unique elements to help fit Mindfulness into a busy life. For example, one of the key techniques can be done in just 30 seconds, without closing your eyes or changing your posture.

Retreat Programme

Over the three days of workshops, we'll cover the full content of Shakya's 8 week "Resilient Mindfulness" course.

The aim of the retreat is to give you a spacious and enjoyable time, as well as helping you learn the skills of mindfulness.

We'll be learning and exploring mindfulness through a mixture of quiet meditation and interactive exercises. There's calm and quiet - and also plenty of laughter and fun! Meditation will usually be in chairs or lying on blankets - there are no special postures required, and you don't even have to close your eyes unless you feel comfortable doing so.

The mindfulness training will take place during two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. There will also be optional morning meditations before breakfast, for those who wish to immerse themselves in mindfulness more fully.

Immensely Helpful

"Mindfulness gives me much more “real time” awareness of my thoughts and emotions. It releases the creative part of my mind, and enables me to be more focused on the impact I’m seeking to achieve."

Paul Zollinger-Read CBE

Chief Medical Officer, Bupa

Retreat Leader

Shakya Kumara is the retreat leader and course trainer. He has been practising Mindfulness since 1989, when it helped him recover from long term illness. Since then he has meditated just about every day, and been on retreat several times per year. In 2004 he was Ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order on a 4 month retreat - but his Mindfulness teaching is very much secular, based on modern scientific understanding and evidence. In addition to his own Brief Mindfulness approach, he has studied the MBSR and MBCT approach at Bangor University, and is accredited by the Mindfulness Academy in Spain.

Shakya is an experienced trainer and coach, especially in the corporate world where his clients have included Bupa, the National Australia Bank, Sheffield University, the NHS, and other organisations around the UK and Europe. His Mindfulness courses have attracted participants from the USA, New Zealand, Singapore, Bali, Finland and many other countries around the world.

I've tried mindfulness before but it never clicked for me

"Simple and genius, and goes straight to the core! I've tried mindfulness before but it never clicked for me. But with your guidance and your amazing ability to connect us to our feelings and senses it just transformed the whole experience."

Therese Jonsson

Professional Coach, Forsnäs, Sweden

Venue and Accomodation

This is our venue!

The house you can see in the foreground is for accommodation, and the house we're looking out from is the main retreat house (which has more accommodation, along with the meditation and dining facilities.)

There are a number of different room options:

double room (one double bed for two people) with shared bathroom and sea view.
shared room (shared with one other person).
single room (in shared apartment, subject to availability).

Almost all rooms have a sea view (much like the one shown in the photo).

We have our own swimming pool, and the Adriatic is a 2 minute walk away!

Food and Refreshment

All the food is home-made, created by our own experienced and talented chefs. Dishes are loaded with local organic, flavourful, colourful ingredients, to give you many healthy choices! Every meal is well balanced in nutrition and designed for the meditation group. Vegetarian and vegan cuisine is a speciality - gluten free and other special diets are also catered for; and if you want meat or fish to be added, just say!

Breakfast

Start the day with a big breakfast buffet, including yoghurt and homemade granola, seeds, fruit salad, bread and cheese, eggs, smoothies and more...

Lunch

Then a lighter salad or soup lunch that goes well with the meditation process. (And don't worry - plenty of extra helpings are available for those with a hearty appetite!)

Dinner

The evening main meal with carefully prepared raw, cooked and grilled selection of tofu, nuts, cheese, eggs, lentils, beans and vegetables. Delicious flavours are brought out with herbs and spices, and you can choose between hot and neutral sauces.

....and there are delicious desserts to follow, of course!

Your Chefs

All the food is lovingly prepared by the mother and daughter team, Majvor and Sussan.

Sussan has been studying nutrition for 35 years, and working in Föllingegården, one of the most famous health club and vegetarian restaurants in Sweden, cooking and studying vegan and vegetarian food.

Majvor is an expert of every kind of nutritious Swedish traditional dishes.

Want to stay longer?

There's the option to stay for an extra 2 days at the end of the retreat.

Sussan and Majvor will be providing just the same quality of food and service as before, plus a barbecue on Tuesday night.

There's plenty of choice when it comes to activities. You can simply enjoy the peace and tranquility of Brac, hang out on the beach or by the pool, and and spend time with lovely people from the retreat. You can join with a walk, exploring the delights of the island. There's a locally grown olive-oil tasting experience. Or if you'd like something more adventurous, Urban will be available to organise activities like Stand-Up-Paddle, snorkling, boat trips and even quad-biking around the island (mindfulness at speed!)

The price is €260 from Monday lunch until Wednesday breakfast.

How much is it?

For double or twin occupancy, the fully inclusive price is €950 per person. For a single room, subject to availability, it's €1100. To extend your stay an extra 2 days, please add €260.

These prices are fully inclusive - 4 nights accommodation, all meals, all training and all materials. So you needn't spend another cent between arrival and departure. The price covers support after the retreat too - an 8 week course by email, guided meditations, and personal email support from Shakya are all included.

You can either pay in full immediately, or pay a deposit of €200 and make full payment nearer the time.

(If you need to cancel, your payment/deposit are fully refundable up to 7th Feb 2019. After this point we need to make deductions to cover unavoidable expenses, but you can still get a 60% refund up to a month before the event.)

How do I book?

To make a booking, just email Sussan, specifying how many people and your preference for rooms (double, shared, single). Sussan will get back to you with details of how to make your payment and reserve your place(s).

Email Sussan at: sussan@goodsolution.se

Peace of mind, happiness and a sense of connection

"Helps me connect with what I really want to do and who I really want to BE – but without the woo woo. Now I can engage in practices that give me peace of mind, happiness and a sense of connection, without being dependent on anything outside of myself"