the reciprocal frame
peacebuildings
inner journeys
meditation
grahambrown.earth
the reciprocal frame
peacebuildings
inner journeys
meditation
A Walk on the beach in Scotland
A 7 day residential retreat in a Scottish Country House
A walk on the beach in Scotland
with Graham Brown
Graham Is delighted to be able to offer a 7 day residential Walk on the Beach program, in a beautiful country house close to Findhorn in Scotland, where he lived for 30 years.
The estate has been owned and managed by the Houldsworth family for many years, Poppy Houldsworth is the current custodian.
This workshop is for people who have completed the Base Camp workshop
A walk on the beach is the 3rd year in Journey of no Distance program of workshops. This 7 day retreat is an opportunity to consolidate practice further, clarify teachings and take some well deserved rest and relaxation in the deep peace of the Scottish countryside.
We will of course visit Findhorn Beach which was the inspiration for the program and other local places of power and beauty.
The retreat is offered in English with group co-operation where translation is required.
A walk on the Beach
For 30 years Findhorn Beach was my "go to" walk and place of sanctuary. Taking that familiar round again at Christmas 2021 my eyes awoke to the footprints left by the many lovers of this place... all interwoven and commingled. Impressions of where we had once been.
For some time I have been drawn to the origin of our current and dominant dualistic consciousness. Where did it begin and how has it taken dominion over life on earth.
The footprints before my eyes opened a door where history was revealed. 70,000 years ago something awoke in our ancestors. Scientist call this the cognitive revolution.
In this remarkably short evolutionary time we have risen to be top predator on our earth and driven our 6 remaining human cousins and a multitude of plant and animal species to extinction, and now we are doing the same to each other and what remains of the natural world.
70,000 years ago our mind awoke and the impressions of that experience lie deep in our current awareness and cause us to strive for dominance and security in a world of today where we are the only remaining threat to each other.
If our world is to change we need to take A Walk on the Beach, close to the ocean and let the waters wash away both the recent and the very old footprints embedded in the substrate of mind.
In this 7 day retreat we will retreat into the depth of that substrate and allow ourselves to be washed by the waters of awareness. We will gain more of an intellectual understanding of how and why we have created the world of today and we will take in the deep beauty of a landscape still imbued with the pristine power of countless ages.
This is 7 days of intense living together in truth and openness...
Bring everything you are ... everything is welcome
Program
Overview
The retreat is structured to provide a wonderful opportunity for deep rest, to go beyond how we normally live and meet ourselves and others in a place of openness and trust where truth and playfulness reside.
On Monday we arrive any time after 3.00pm, settle in and meet for dinner at 6.00. This will be followed by an evening meeting to introduce and give overview to the course.
Each of the following days, Tuesday to Saturday follow the same routine with formal morning session after breakfast to deepen and expand the practices and understandings of the Journey of no Distance. The afternoon session will be informal exploring the challenges of awakening, how we take our seat in our own being in an ever changing world. This is the time for questioning and the awareness of the group to speak.
Each evening there will be a mediation between 8.00 and 8.30. On Sunday the morning routine stays the same and the retreat ends with lunch.
We will take the opportunity to explore the beauty and power of nature both of the estate itself and the surrounding area. The River Findhorn is 15 minutes away. It is deep old and powerful with places where swimming is possible. We will make a visit and meditate close to these beautiful waters. The beach at Findhorn is of pure sand and remarkable pebbles. This is again a wonderful place to stay a while and we will meditate here again. Findhorn itself is a iconic Scottish fishing village with a long history transformed by the arrival of the Findhorn Foundation just down the road. Our time out will be entirely weather dependent including the internal weathering of the group. There will be ample time to explore the grounds of Dallas Estate which providesome beautiful walks with wonderful places to stop and sit a while..
Dallas lodge is a beautifully decorated and maintained comfortable Scottish home. There is a sumptuous lounge and dining room together with a games room for those wishing to sharped their table tennis skill in down time.
Travel
Arrival by air
The closest airport is Inverness being some 25 miles from Forres, with connecting flights from London Luton and Bristol offering the cheapest options. There are regular connections from the airport to Forres by bus which is a 30minute £6 ride.
Aberdeen airport is 73 miles from Forres. The airport is a 10 minute taxi ride to Dyce railway station from whicc it is a 2 hour £20 train ride to Forres.There is also a bus service from the airport to Forres which is a 2.5 hour ride.
Arrival by rail.
Forres Railway station is your closest option with services provided by Scotrail.
Arrival by bus/coach
Regular coach services stop in Forres from Inverness and Aberdeen which are hubs for travel from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Pick up and drop off in Forres
Pick up and drop off is included for all participants arriving or departing from Forres by rail or coach. Drop off at Inverness airport is included.
Mini bus travel
We will have a minibus available for the duration of the retreat to enable us to visit local places of beauty. We will walkand meditate beside the River Findhorn, do the same on Findhorn beach and wander through Findhorn village and the Findhorn Foundation and possibly visit the renowned Kimberley Inn which overlooks Findhorn Bay
Food
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. Cuisine is vegetarian with vegan options freshly prepared in-house by Tina Lamm our own fabulous cook. Tina always uses locally grown organic produce wherever possible. We will take breads from the Bakehouse bakery and cakes and pastries by Tina whose chocolate brownies area Graz legend.
Teas and coffee will be available throughout the days
Check out her website https://tinalamm.at/
Accommodation
The house provides accommodation for a maximum of 10 guests.
There are 2 double rooms
3 twin rooms
There are 4 large bathrooms with 2 showers available.
Rooms priced accordingly on the booking form
Rerservation
A non refundable deposit of €250 is required to reserve your place. The final balance becomes due by the 1st September. Please book using the Book Now button below.
Shared room will be either allocated by gender or by friends request.
Double rooms will be booked as a couples ticket which automatically adds two tickets requiring two deposits.
Non residential participants will receive 3 meals a day and the same program as residents
Costs per person
Double for a couple €1400
Twin room with a friend €1400
Gender twin room £1400
Non residential €1000
Important information
A €250 non refundable deposit is required to secure you place for all tickets.
The balance of your ticket must be paid by the 1st September
If it is necessary to cancel you reservation the following refunds will be available.
a 75% refund will be made until the 4th September 2022
A 50 % refund will be made until 9th September
No refund will be made after the 9th September
Schedule
The schedule below will be vary when afternoon excursions are added. All excursions are included.
