Walking Your Promise Group Retreat To enable you to prepare, the following explains what to expect and what to bring to ensure you are comfortable during your stay.
Itinerary outline Day 1 - Arrival: Midday Introduction to the nature of the ‘thinking’ through the heart. We will provide you an access to the language of the heart which you can take with you as a touchstone for your life. The intention is to embrace the power of the magnetic field of the heart and to explore a deeper, more physical way of feeling and connecting with the world. Day 2 - Solitude, breathing and fasting Journeying deeper into ancient woodland, to our base under the canopy of the trees, without walls or roof, where you will fast, breathe and walk barefoot. This will be a day of fasting and quiet contemplation where you can enjoy your own space amidst the trees. As your body and mind drops into presence, nurture the awareness of interconnectedness and dissolve the division between your inner nature and nature all around you. You will gain a deep sense of clarity, relief and release from everyday anxieties. Day 3 - Feeling your essential energetic nature At dawn we will gather and walk barefoot to the top of May Hill to feel and witness what is possible when you engage and reconnect with your essential energetic nature. We’ll descend down to a woodland roundhouse and break the fast around the fire. After time for integration and group completion you will depart at around 1pm. What to expect The majority of the time will be spent outdoors. We will have access to covered areas but please keep an eye on the forecast and come prepared so that your can make the most of the amazing site. Food All meals will be vegetarian and made using locally grown and organic produce. Please let us know in advance if you have any concerns or any dietary requirement that we should know about. Fasting We recommend a 36 hour fast from after supper on Friday to Sunday morning. Our experience has shown that this is the best way to gain clarity and to connect deeply with the physical body. We also recommend avoiding caffeine during the retreat, and you may wish to prepare for this by cutting down your caffeine intake during the week before. The hourly benefits of fasting 8 Hours Blood sugars fall All food has left the stomach Insulin is no longer produced 12 hours Food consumed has been burned Digestive system goes to sleep Body begins healings process Human Growth Hormone begins to increase Glucagon is relaxed to balance blood sugars 14 hours Body has converted to using stored fat as energy Human Growth Hormone starts to increase dramatically 16 hours Body start to ramp up the fat burning 18 hours Human Growth Hormone starts to skyrocket 24 hours Autophagy begins Drain all glycogen stores Ketones are released into the blood stream 36 hours Autophagy increases 300% increase Immune system reset and regeneration
What to bring The majority of the time will be spent outdoors. We will have access to covered areas but please keep an eye on the forecast and come prepared so that your can make the most of the amazing site. Head torch Natural clothing, and warm clothing for overnight. Bring different layers so that you can adapt to changing temperatures. Suitable footwear - as minimal as possible but suitable to cope with the weather Non-plastic drinking water bottle Pencil/pen and notebook/journal Towel if you would like to swim in the lake on the last day (other towels provided) A day rucksack to carry your things for the day/night in the woods A sleeping bag
Mobile phones and other technologyWe ask you to either lock your mobile phones, ipads etc in your car or give them to us for safekeeping on the evening of the first day (around 5pm). Please give anyone who may need to contact you in emergency Sarah or Danny’s numbers (below)Getting home We will finish by 1pm on the last day. Please plan ahead to ensure you have a safe journey home. Contact details If you have any questions then you can contact Sarah or Danny: [email protected] 07866 625787 / [email protected] 07803 586410 DirectionsWe will meet at a beautiful yurt site (Barefoot and Bower) which is best found by following the postcode to the local pub, the Glass House Inn, GL17 0NN and from the A40 turn on to Saunders Close which is west of Huntley and follow up over the hill and down the other side to the Glass House Inn where you will pick up our brown and white “Into the Woods” signs. Keep an eye out for the bear at our entrance. Come in the gate (closing it behind you) and follow the track deep into the woods. The wooden gate is the last to open before heading to our car park. From there everything is signposted.