This years retreat at the Brownshill monastery was attended by nine lay guests and Rev. Saido from Telford Priory and Rev. Gareth. This was my first visit and it is an excellent setting for a contemplative retreat. It was lovely to catch up with old friends and for me also to meet new. We were well looked after and generally left to do our thing. The usual mix of sitting, ceremony and dharma was interspersed with outside walking meditation of up to 30 mins. An addition this year was to do the Renewal of Precepts ceremony in a version which Rev. Saido does at Telford. Before the ceremony he gave a talk covering aspects of the ceremony and it’s history.

Everyone seemed to appreciate the extra day. We are intending to book again this length of time for next year but hopefully revert to spring time if we can get a slot. It fell during June this year because they were already booked up. Most people managed to come on the Thursday but just a reminder that it’s fine to come on the Friday if that is what is manageable.