Terms & Conditions: PDF Version (pdf format – to save : Right Click and Save Link/Target As…)
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Information about: Your Commitment to the Retreat |
Your Commitment to the Retreat:
To make it possible for Gaia House to offer an atmosphere and environment which is conducive to meditation, it is essential that all retreatants are aware of these guidelines:
- Please respect the silent atmosphere throughout the House and grounds.
- Please engage in at least four sessions of meditation practice.
- Everyone is asked to contribute one hour of work per day to the house.
- We encourage sensitivity towards all living beings and a non-harming relationship to all life.
- A retreatant takes only that which is clearly given.
- No consumption of alcohol, cigarettes or recreational drugs is permitted at Gaia House. (Including all areas of the house, garden and grounds.)
- Retreatants are asked to abstain from all sexual contact during their retreat.
- Continuity and steadiness are essential factors in the deepening of meditation. Retreatants are asked to participate for the full retreat and shorten a retreat only after discussion with a teacher.
- Retreatants are requested to commit themselves fully to Gaia House and to stay within the immediate vicinity of the House and grounds, except in an emergency. Walking in the nearby countryside is fine.
- If you need to leave the House during your retreat please inform a Co-ordinator or teacher of your plans.
Retreats FAQ: Please read through the Frequently Asked Questions about the practical side of coming on retreat at Gaia House. Other questions about Group Retreats are answered here. Hopefully most questions are answered on this website – but if you have any other queries, please contact us, and we will be happy to help.
Deposit and Payment Information:
Please Note: All bookings are provisional until you have received confirmation from Gaia House.
- All retreats must be paid for in full at least one month prior to the start of the retreat.
- Retreats of 3 nights or less must be paid for in full at the time of booking.
- Personal and Group Retreats of 4 nights or more require a £70 deposit to secure your place. Please pay the balance at least one month before the retreat start date.
- Work Retreats must be paid for in full at the time of booking.
- If you need financial assistance from the Retreat Support Fund please request this when booking. It is not possible to apply for Financial Support on the opening day of a retreat.
If you have not paid in full, one month before the retreat begins, please be aware that your place may be cancelled and offered to someone on the waiting list.
Many of our retreats are quickly filled and have long waiting lists, but cancellations still lead to places being left empty, when those on the waiting list make alternative plans in the meantime.
You may have noticed in our Newsletter, that Gaia House has considered introducing a nominal Waiting List Fee – this idea has been put on hold for the time being.
If you request to be put on the waiting list, it would be very much appreciated, if you would regard this as a commitment to being available if you are offered a place on retreat.
Many Gaia House retreats book up quickly, but late cancellations may lead to places being unfilled, since people who are on the waiting list often make other arrangements. This means that Gaia House loses much-needed income, while still being liable for bank charges and administration costs.
For this reason, Gaia House has the following Cancellation Policy for confirmed places on retreats:
Cancellation and Refunds:
- If you cancel one month (or more) before the retreat start date, your payment will be refunded, less a £40 cancellation fee.
- Cancellation of a retreat less than one month but more than two weeks before the start date, will incur a £70 fee.
- Cancellation of a retreat two weeks (or less) before the start date will incur the loss of the full amount paid.
- Sponsor Rate: Please note that the Sponsor Rate includes a direct Donation to the Retreatant Support Fund, which is Non-Refundable. Sponsors are refunded at the Standard Rate.
- After admin costs are paid, any remaining credit from cancellation fees is put into the Retreatant Support Fund.
- Refunds have to be authorised by the finance department and can take up to 5 working days to be processed.
- Cancellations can be made by telephone or email. Please note that cancellations can only be accepted from the named retreatant and not from third parties.
- Once your booking has been confirmed, please make changes only if absolutely necessary. If you change dates, an administration fee may be applied at our discretion.
- If you wish to change to a completely different retreat, this is treated as a cancellation and rebooking. Cancellation fees are applied as per our Cancellation Policy.
- Travel Arrangements: All bookings are provisional until you have received confirmation from Gaia House. Please do not make any travel arrangements before you receive this. Gaia House cannot be held liable for travel costs.
- Weather Conditions: If you have to cancel your retreat due to adverse weather conditions the standard Cancellation Policy still applies. Any particular cases may be submitted to the Admin Manager and each case will be considered individually.
- Vegan, Non-Dairy and wheat/gluten-free options are available – please request when you register on arrival.
- A Simple Diet of a grain, steamed vegetables and plain pulses, egg or tofu can be provided at lunch time. The Simple Diet is intended to meet the nutritional needs of retreatants whilst being as plain as possible. If you would prefer this option, please request the Simple Diet when you register on arrival.
- Gaia House is not able to cater for any other individual dietary needs or preferences.
- Food Allergy/Sensitivity: Whilst cooks endeavour to label any `problem’ ingredients, we cannot guarantee to do so. Retreatants with a severe allergy should have the Simple Diet at lunch. We cannot label the ingredients of soups or left-overs at tea-time.
- We are not able to store meat or fish on the premises.
- If there is a medical necessity, it may be possible for you to bring your own personal supplies, at the discretion of the Kitchen Co-ordinators. If you have any questions about the food served at Gaia House please contact one of the Kitchen Co-ordinators before you book.
- We ask that you help support Gaia House during your stay by offering one hour’s work per day, helping with the running of the house.
- All retreatants are also asked to clean their own rooms on the day of departure.
- If you are unable to do a work session, or can offer only light work, please let Reception know when booking and mention when you register on arrival.
- Gaia House offers simple shared accommodation. Rooms are for two or three, single-sex, usually with people of similar age. Younger retreatants may be in a dormitory of up to six people.
- Single Rooms: We have a very limited number of single rooms and these are allocated according to individual needs. Medical needs are given priority, followed by consideration of age. If you need a single room, please request this at the time of booking.
- Please note: We are unable to meet requests for single rooms made on arrival.
- We regret we are unable to guarantee single rooms for Group Retreats.
Access for People with Disabilities:
- We welcome people with disabilities. If you have any mobility or special needs please phone Reception before booking your retreat – our reception team will be happy to give you information about the house and discuss your needs.
- Gaia House is a rambling old house, with the ground floor of the house accessible for people in wheelchairs and those with restricted mobility.
- It may be possible for a carer to stay free of charge to support a retreatant who needs personal care.
Personal or Work Retreat Application Forms (RAF):
- If you are applying for a place on a Personal or Work Retreat (only), please submit a Retreat Application Form (RAF).
- These forms are not kept on file, so please submit a separate RAF for each Personal or Work Retreat you apply for.
- Please let us know immediately of any changes to your RAF information.
- If there are significant changes to the information on your Retreat Application Form your application may need to be re-submitted to a teacher for re-approval. For further clarification, please phone reception.
- Please sign on arrival to confirm that the information on your approved RAF is correct.
- We cannot accept applications for retreats more than a year in advance.
Interviews with Teachers for Long-term Retreatants:
- Personal Retreatants staying for one week or longer, commit to meeting with a teacher at least once a week.
- As soon as possible after the beginning of Personal Retreats, an Induction Interview is arranged in which the nature and outline of the retreat is discussed.
- Regular interviews are offered and retreats may continue only with the agreement of your teacher(s).
- Personal Retreatants staying for less than one week are not guaranteed an interview but may sign up if there is a free space.
Terms & Conditions: PDF Version (pdf format – to save : Right Click and Save Link/Target As…)
Booking Conditions may be subject to alteration.
