Please only complete the registration form below if you’ve been invited to do so.
We are pleased to announce that we are reopening the house for personal retreats from December 2020. We wish to welcome you back and we wish to keep you safe so a few changes have been made to support the retreat environment and ensure we are meeting government guidelines.
There is one retreat available at present:
- 6 – 20 December at a cost of £672
Payment will be required on confirmation of a place – a FAB funded place is available so please indicate in the application if you would like to discuss financial assistance.
Please note that the retreat is for the full duration and we cannot accept late arrivals.
Please be aware it is a requirement that you will have been based in the UK for 14 days prior to the retreat dates and that you have previously participated in a Gaia House Retreat.
Please also note that places will be offered on a first come first served basis.
What to expect during the retreat:
- You will be allocated a single room and there will be six people staying in each wing of the house. Guidelines for safe access of shared spaces, including the Meditation Hall, will be explained on arrival.
- It is not possible for Gaia House to provide a laundry service. A facility for hand-washing clothes will be available, but we respectfully ask that this is kept to a minimum so please pack accordingly.
- A weekly meeting with a teacher is a requirement of the retreat.
- Use of showers and WCs: You will have shared access to a bathroom with one other retreatant. The bathrooms will be cleaned daily, however there will be additional protocols to follow regarding when shower facilities are available and cleaning after use.
- To support the running of the house with reduced numbers, working meditation will be for two separate hours each day. The work periods will be pre-allocated.
- Although normally we would discourage use of mobiles whilst on retreat, within the current conditions you will be supported to check for NHS Test and Trace messages once a day.
- Please bring your own face covering — these will need to be worn at all times whilst walking through communal areas and during work periods. More details will be provided on arrival.
Food and Dietary Needs :
Gaia House offers a healthy, balanced vegetarian diet that may include eggs and dairy produce. Vegan, dairy-free and wheat/gluten-free options need to be requested prior to arrival. At lunch we also offer a ‘Simple Diet’ consisting of a gluten-free wholegrain, steamed vegetables and plain pulses, egg or tofu. This diet is intended to meet nutritional needs whilst being as plain as possible. The simple diet, including protein choices, also needs to be requested prior to arrival.
Due to Covid-19 constraints, it is not possible for us to cater for any dietary need which differs from the above options and it is not possible for personal food supplies to be brought to Gaia House and stored.
Pre-Arrival Registration
To limit the amount of time people spend with other members of the community we will contact you 1 or 2 days before the start of your retreat to go through some pre-arrival questions and information. We will also reconfirm your arrival slot.
Building work during 2020-21
To support more socially distant retreats in the short term and our development into the future, we are excited to be using the money donated for this purpose to get started on our new Dartmoor Wing and shower block. The new buildings will enable us to double the number of single rooms we can offer to group retreatants, and more than double the shower/toilet spaces.
We will take all possible care to minimise disruption by scheduling noisier work to take place between retreats. However, there may be more noise than is usual at Gaia House during this time.
Cancellation Terms & Conditions
If you find it necessary to cancel due to Covid-19 related reasons, a full refund will be available. In all other circumstances our standard cancellation terms and conditions apply.
If there is an outbreak of Covid within the residential staff community the retreat will be closed early and a refund will be offered for the remaining days of the retreat.
If you have Covid-19 symptoms during your retreat there will be a facility available for your isolation for a limited period. It is a requirement that you have a plan in place to enable you to continue your isolation away from Gaia House, i.e. if you have travelled by public transport you will need a friend or family member to collect you.