Running Ecotherapy Retreats (online workshop with Caroline Brazier)

Taking part in a retreat in nature can be a very special experience. It can be a time of deep peace and connection; of insight and intensity. It can be an opportunity to engage profoundly with a spiritual practice or to simply sit with the flow of life both within ourselves and in the world around us.

As more people start to offer therapeutic spaces outdoors, some choose to build their activities around retreat style events. These may be offered within a spiritual tradition but often they will be grounded in a more open framework of nature connection, perhaps drawing on a broad-based intuitive spirituality. Whatever the orientation, there are certain elements which are important in creating the retreat atmosphere which are different from other workshops and ecotherapy activities. In this workshop we will be exploring some of these.

This workshop will offer an opportunity to investigate the basic building blocks which create a retreat space. We will explore themes such as the ways in which a holding atmosphere can be created; the use of ritual; the balance between structure and space, silence and sharing; the role of the facilitator as enabler or teacher; and ways of offering different focuses and activities for contemplation and reflection.

The workshop will not be focused on any particular religion or form, since such a focus requires a long term commitment within your own tradition and advice from those already experienced in that style of practice. Rather it will focus on general points, common to running any retreat, and so will be suitable for people from a variety of spiritual and secular backgrounds.

Please note that at Tariki Trust, we generally do not record our online events.

Although this event is part of the Ten Directions training course for ecotherapy practitioners, anybody can book and take part in this public online event. If you are interested, please do buy a ticket – all are welcome!

About Caroline Brazier

Caroline Brazier is a longstanding member of staff on the Tariki training programmes and author of seven books on ecotherapy, psychotherapy and Buddhism. She is also an ordained Buddhist priest in the Jodo Shinshu tradition. Over the years she has led and co-led many retreats with different styles and focuses including formal and informal Buddhist retreats, ecotherapy retreats, therapeutic retreats, individual retreats and immersive group experiences. In this workshop she will draw on this breadth of experience and explore some of the common threads important to running a retreat in any tradition.