Sweat and Serenity: Shamanic Sweat Lodge and Ayurvedic Yoga Cleanse
Sweat and Serenity: Shamanic Sweat Lodge and Ayurvedic Yoga Cleanse
2 The Ridgeway, Whitchurch-on-Thames, Reading, UK
Up to 40 in group
May 23 - 26, 2025
Retreat Highlights
- Sweat Lodge Ceremony - A profoundly transformative process of cleansing led by experienced ceremonial practitioners
- Morning Yoga Asana - to help us connect to our natural state of body/mind - relaxed awareness, presence, peace. Exploring mindful embodiment through the depth of asanas, breathwork and cleansing practices.
- Yoga Ayurveda Workshops - Transformational workshops in a stunning location with experienced teachers breathes new understanding into our essence of being.
- Personal Ayurvedic Assessment - Analysis of your ayurvedic constitution along with tailored wellbeing advice for an enhanced tool set for self healing.
- Tree Connection/Forest Bathing - Meditation with the help of the embodied stillness and living wisdom of the ancient oaks and lush forests at our retreat venue.
- Pranayama - breathing practices and Vedic pranayamas to awaken, attune and calm the nervous system.
- Mantra and Voice - The power of sound vibration can revitalise your inner spirit and find your true voice through chanting sacred mantra
- Live Music and Song - Sacred sound round the campfire will be heart-warming songs inspired by nature, the elements and what it is to be human, lead by specially invited renowned musicians.
- Wild swimming - We are blessed to have a clean and pure section of the Thames on our doorstep. Listed as one of the best wild swimming spots in the UK.
- Nature Connection - Connect to the sacred land around you through immersion into the generous wild.
About this Retreat
Dmitry has been teaching yoga, meditation and breathwork for nearly ten years. In his classes he shares a deep and powerful toolkit of techniques, drawing on Slavic, Vedic & Yogic traditions, as well as concepts of meditation and mindfulness taught by Buddhas.
Dmitry has undergone teacher training in Hatha and Kundalini yoga, as an Ayurvedic practitioner and Pancha Karma facilitator. He is passionate about studying the original texts to get to the ultimate and authentic sources of knowledge. By highlighting the fundamental and infinite number of characteristics which make each one of us unique, practices taught by Dmitry are tailored, bespoke and deeply transformative for each individual, as they connect with their true nature.
Dmitry is a co-founder of Sadhama, running wellbeing retreats throughout the year and teaching online courses and classes.
Karen Buckland is a passionate plant-based chef with over fifteen years in the industry. She has led kitchens for some of the biggest names in vegan fine dining, product development and festival catering. Karen fell in love with the ayurvedic approach to culinary art after discovering the way it combined a deep understanding of flavour, the healing nature of ingredients and a developed sense of intuitive eating – resulting in the ultimate holistic wellbeing practice.
Dishes from Karen use chef-trained techniques and methodologies along with locally grown, seasonal ingredients to produce nourishing, plant based food which hits all the bliss points. Nutritionally complete, flavoursome food which is light and energising for the body and gentle on the planet.
Andy Jupp is a father, gardener and sweatlodge leader. Buzzard Medicine is a sweatlodge ceremony that has been gifted from Canada and the Sundance.
By using indigenous teachings together with song, prayer, water, fire, rock and air a holistic healing medicine is created which touches the four parts of us, mental, emotional, physical and spiritual.
He has been working in these ways for 12 years and this ceremony has now been well established in the spirit of this land at Hardwick. Andy is grateful to be able to offer and sharing this sacred ceremony with you.
Anz is a trained yoga teacher, musician, massage therapist and sound facilitator. Her classes guide students towards a deeper intimacy with one's 'self', inspired by the natural rhythm's of nature and music.
Anz first trained in Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga in India in 2017 and has since taken further training in Meditation and Pranayama, Tantric Krama Vinyasa, Sound Healing, Thai Yoga Massage and Holistic Body Massage. All of which deepened her fascination with the mind-body connection and continue to inform her teachings.
Expect classes that weave together breath and movement to welcome a wider experience of where the body is in space and facilitate a deeper sense of opening and presence.
Mae Bird is a ceremonial musician, song-writer and creator of Hearth-song mystery school. She is devoted to tending the collective hearth of the world with song and ceremony, weaving the wisdom of nature through healing medicine music and guiding people to remember the power of their voice.
Mae has been studying the healing power of music and song since she was child, first discovering voice-alchemy for her own healing and then moving into learning how to guide others on their journey of remembrance. She has been a voice-alchemy practitioner for ten years, working in ceremonial spaces, holding workshops and one to one sessions. She combines somatic therapy, song writing and vocal-healing practices to create a unique space for people to really hear themselves and the wisdom of their bodies.
Mae has been in a deep study of ceremony and the wisdom of connecting to Mother Earth as a healer and teacher for over a decade, dedicating her life to rewilding her body, mind and spirit so she can be a clear vessel for life to flow through.
Details of this retreat
Sweat and Serenity is a rejuvenating and reviving spring retreat held on the banks of the river Thames. Returning for its fourth year, one of our most popular retreats opens its heart again for 2025.
Using a spectrum of carefully and thoughtfully curated ancient and modern cleansing techniques, this intimate gathering will enable you to shed outer layers of stress and strife, revealing your pure nature within.
This retreat is for those who want to remove all barriers to lasting serenity. Release what is not serving you through the cleansing power of the fire and the supportive ceremonial strength of the sweat lodge.
Over the weekend you will have the unique opportunity to participate in a traditional sweat lodge ceremony, hosted in a specially designed sacred hazel pole dome and led by experienced masters with chanting and shamanic drumming.
This ancient practice will be supported through tailored ayurvedic food, yoga and breathwork, individually designed for each participant around your own unique balance of elemental energies.
This is a rare opportunity to experience this transformative practice in the rolling nature of the Thames Valley and gain a deeper understanding of your body's own journey to wellness.
Discover the obstacles facing your unique ayurvedic constitution when you sit to meditate and how to best combat them for lasting inner peace. Move forward into summer with a fresh perspective and new grounding in your whole self.
There will be reviving yoga practices and wild swimming in the glistening river waters. Guided meditations with ancient trees and mindful journeying through the intuitive artistry of words will show you the way to reconnect with your divine nature.
The resonance of the spirit mantra will restore and replenish you, and storytelling and singing by the campfire will give you the heartwarming gift of community connection.
Sweat Lodge Ceremony
The lodge during the retreat will be hosted by Buzzard Medicine.
It is an honour to be able to share this sacred ceremony with you in such beautiful organic surroundings. The lodge calls you to gather in circle to honour our ancestors, our grandmother the earth, the sacred fire, grandfather rocks, water and air - bringing them together to create a powerful cleansing medicine.
This traditional lodge is made from bent hazel poles, smudged and blessed and covered with blankets and insulated to make a dome. Special stones that have been heated in a wood fire are brought inside and herbs and water are applied to release an aromatic cleansing vapour. Participants engage in several cycles of sweating and chanting with the opportunity to rest and cool down in between each cycle.
The lodge has a strong purification and transformative power for many people; so do give yourself time after the lodge to integrate. The lodge is a powerful place for prayers and healing.
We advise drinking lots of water on the day before the lodge so that you are well hydrated. Water will be available during the day. We ask that you refrain from any recreational drugs or alcohol for at least 72 hours before and after the ceremony.
The sweat lodge is a powerful ceremony and can help in healing processes but it is good to check with your health professional if you are concerned about any medical conditions - in particular heart conditions, high blood pressure, migraines, pregnancy, panic attacks, claustrophobia, strong back pain, diabetes, asthma or breathing difficulties, mental health issues or drug addiction.
Using a spectrum of carefully and thoughtfully curated ancient and modern cleansing techniques, this intimate gathering will enable you to shed outer layers of stress and strife, revealing your pure nature within.
This retreat is for those who want to remove all barriers to lasting serenity. Release what is not serving you through the cleansing power of the fire and the supportive ceremonial strength of the sweat lodge.
Over the weekend you will have the unique opportunity to participate in a traditional sweat lodge ceremony, hosted in a specially designed sacred hazel pole dome and led by experienced masters with chanting and shamanic drumming.
This ancient practice will be supported through tailored ayurvedic food, yoga and breathwork, individually designed for each participant around your own unique balance of elemental energies.
This is a rare opportunity to experience this transformative practice in the rolling nature of the Thames Valley and gain a deeper understanding of your body's own journey to wellness.
Discover the obstacles facing your unique ayurvedic constitution when you sit to meditate and how to best combat them for lasting inner peace. Move forward into summer with a fresh perspective and new grounding in your whole self.
There will be reviving yoga practices and wild swimming in the glistening river waters. Guided meditations with ancient trees and mindful journeying through the intuitive artistry of words will show you the way to reconnect with your divine nature.
The resonance of the spirit mantra will restore and replenish you, and storytelling and singing by the campfire will give you the heartwarming gift of community connection.
Sweat Lodge Ceremony
The lodge during the retreat will be hosted by Buzzard Medicine.
It is an honour to be able to share this sacred ceremony with you in such beautiful organic surroundings. The lodge calls you to gather in circle to honour our ancestors, our grandmother the earth, the sacred fire, grandfather rocks, water and air - bringing them together to create a powerful cleansing medicine.
This traditional lodge is made from bent hazel poles, smudged and blessed and covered with blankets and insulated to make a dome. Special stones that have been heated in a wood fire are brought inside and herbs and water are applied to release an aromatic cleansing vapour. Participants engage in several cycles of sweating and chanting with the opportunity to rest and cool down in between each cycle.
The lodge has a strong purification and transformative power for many people; so do give yourself time after the lodge to integrate. The lodge is a powerful place for prayers and healing.
We advise drinking lots of water on the day before the lodge so that you are well hydrated. Water will be available during the day. We ask that you refrain from any recreational drugs or alcohol for at least 72 hours before and after the ceremony.
The sweat lodge is a powerful ceremony and can help in healing processes but it is good to check with your health professional if you are concerned about any medical conditions - in particular heart conditions, high blood pressure, migraines, pregnancy, panic attacks, claustrophobia, strong back pain, diabetes, asthma or breathing difficulties, mental health issues or drug addiction.
Schedule
Our schedules are subject to change, but here is an example of what you can expect:
Friday - Arrivals
We will welcome you to our beautiful location between 3-5 pm. There will be time to settle and orientate, put up your tents, and relax in your space before we gather.
On the first evening, we will talk a little bit about your ayurvedic self, and how that will help shape your practice over the retreat. We will then enjoy our first meal together before holding the opening circle around the campfire.
As we settle in, grounding deeper into ourselves and the land surrounding us we will take the opportunity to embrace the earth element through song around the evening fire. Offering a musical space for connection with the trees that fuel the fire and produce the seeds for growth and life’s cycle of endings and beginnings.
Saturday - Sweat
Dive straight in with a refreshing wild swim in the river Thames as we wake.
Revived from the waters we will flow into a morning yoga practice at 8am, focused on awakening the body and introducing yogic cleansing techniques.
After a 9.30am breakfast, we will head to the sweat lodge to spend the day in ceremony and sweat.
Returning bathed by the cleansing fire from the sweat lodge, a restorative meal will be served at 5pm. There will then be an opportunity for rest, or to explore the gorgeous surroundings during some free time.
We circle back together to chant Om in a powerful mantra meditation at 7pm, deeply embodying the earth's vibration.
Our evening around the campfire brings you music and songs that reflect the element of water and its ability to cleanse us, shed old layers, and embody a fresh perspective, making way for renewal. Appreciating the movement and fluidity of water, its tidal rhythms, and how this transpires through the body and the healing powers of sound.
Sunday - Serenity
Another unique opportunity to experience the cleansing water of the Thames, as we wild swim when we wake.
The morning yoga practice at 8am will awaken the body and build on the yogic cleansing techniques learned the previous day.
After breakfast, our 11am workshop will delve into the topic of how our daily habits and routine can serve the process of cleansing and rejuvenation. Called dinacharya in the yogic texts, this important and fundamental ayurvedic tool may look different for each of us depending on our constitution, but is a vital first step in bringing about daily wellness. Try out the different recommendations to see how clean and cleansed you feel!
We rest and relax over a shared ayurvedic lunch at 1pm, lovingly comprised of carefully chosen cleansing ingredients.
In the afternoon we walk to sit with one of the many ancient oaks on the land at Hardwick, tapping into their innate and profound serenity with a guided tree meditation at 2.30pm. Breathe with these immense and timeless beings, and use their radiant energy to bring you to a state of deep connection and oneness.
There will be time for rest and dinner at 6pm.
Gathering around the fire in the evening to find our own unique and natural conclusion to our journey, as we branch and flourish into our full being through the medium of story and song. Embodying the element of fire with its warmth, light, and energy and its power to transform matter to ashes through flames and embers, we will reflect on the ashes we wish to leave behind and the embers we intend to carry forward.
Monday - Departures
We start the day with the third morning swim of the retreat to wash away the layers you have shed during this cleansing weekend.
Our final morning yoga session will bring our awareness deeply into our bodies, mind and beyond with the last instalment of your introduction to yogic cleansing.
We then gather for our closing circle at 10.30am to bring complete fullness to the retreat weekend.
Our final day and we reflect on our experience and intentions going full circle back to our daily lives. Embracing air as our element, with the power of the breath and how it gives us life, delivers our voice and carries our song and a reminder of how we can always tune in to the present using the breath as our anchor.
We expect the closing circle to end around 11.30am, after which time you will be invited to pack down your belongings and begin your journeys back to your homes, resting in the freshness of your new self.
Friday - Arrivals
We will welcome you to our beautiful location between 3-5 pm. There will be time to settle and orientate, put up your tents, and relax in your space before we gather.
On the first evening, we will talk a little bit about your ayurvedic self, and how that will help shape your practice over the retreat. We will then enjoy our first meal together before holding the opening circle around the campfire.
As we settle in, grounding deeper into ourselves and the land surrounding us we will take the opportunity to embrace the earth element through song around the evening fire. Offering a musical space for connection with the trees that fuel the fire and produce the seeds for growth and life’s cycle of endings and beginnings.
Saturday - Sweat
Dive straight in with a refreshing wild swim in the river Thames as we wake.
Revived from the waters we will flow into a morning yoga practice at 8am, focused on awakening the body and introducing yogic cleansing techniques.
After a 9.30am breakfast, we will head to the sweat lodge to spend the day in ceremony and sweat.
Returning bathed by the cleansing fire from the sweat lodge, a restorative meal will be served at 5pm. There will then be an opportunity for rest, or to explore the gorgeous surroundings during some free time.
We circle back together to chant Om in a powerful mantra meditation at 7pm, deeply embodying the earth's vibration.
Our evening around the campfire brings you music and songs that reflect the element of water and its ability to cleanse us, shed old layers, and embody a fresh perspective, making way for renewal. Appreciating the movement and fluidity of water, its tidal rhythms, and how this transpires through the body and the healing powers of sound.
Sunday - Serenity
Another unique opportunity to experience the cleansing water of the Thames, as we wild swim when we wake.
The morning yoga practice at 8am will awaken the body and build on the yogic cleansing techniques learned the previous day.
After breakfast, our 11am workshop will delve into the topic of how our daily habits and routine can serve the process of cleansing and rejuvenation. Called dinacharya in the yogic texts, this important and fundamental ayurvedic tool may look different for each of us depending on our constitution, but is a vital first step in bringing about daily wellness. Try out the different recommendations to see how clean and cleansed you feel!
We rest and relax over a shared ayurvedic lunch at 1pm, lovingly comprised of carefully chosen cleansing ingredients.
In the afternoon we walk to sit with one of the many ancient oaks on the land at Hardwick, tapping into their innate and profound serenity with a guided tree meditation at 2.30pm. Breathe with these immense and timeless beings, and use their radiant energy to bring you to a state of deep connection and oneness.
There will be time for rest and dinner at 6pm.
Gathering around the fire in the evening to find our own unique and natural conclusion to our journey, as we branch and flourish into our full being through the medium of story and song. Embodying the element of fire with its warmth, light, and energy and its power to transform matter to ashes through flames and embers, we will reflect on the ashes we wish to leave behind and the embers we intend to carry forward.
Monday - Departures
We start the day with the third morning swim of the retreat to wash away the layers you have shed during this cleansing weekend.
Our final morning yoga session will bring our awareness deeply into our bodies, mind and beyond with the last instalment of your introduction to yogic cleansing.
We then gather for our closing circle at 10.30am to bring complete fullness to the retreat weekend.
Our final day and we reflect on our experience and intentions going full circle back to our daily lives. Embracing air as our element, with the power of the breath and how it gives us life, delivers our voice and carries our song and a reminder of how we can always tune in to the present using the breath as our anchor.
We expect the closing circle to end around 11.30am, after which time you will be invited to pack down your belongings and begin your journeys back to your homes, resting in the freshness of your new self.
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Sadhama, 2 The Ridgeway, Whitchurch-on-Thames, Reading, UK
Directions
Our retreat venue at Hardwick Estate Hardwick Estate is easily accessed by public transport, or is only a 20 minute drive from Junction 12 on the M4.
The closest airport is London Heathrow which is one hour away by car. From Heathrow there are direct train and coach services to Reading, our nearest city. From Reading it is a further 20 minute journey by car or taxi to our venue, or an onward seven minute train journey to Pangbourne, our closest village.
Pangbourne is served by direct trains from London, Reading and Didcot Parkway. From the train station at Pangbourne it is a 40 minute walk to the venue, or a ten minute taxi or car journey.
Many participants reach us on public transport and we provide contact details for local taxi services on booking for you to arrange any connections necessary. We also invite all participants to a retreat WhatsApp chat where lift shares can be offered and requested.
The closest airport is London Heathrow which is one hour away by car. From Heathrow there are direct train and coach services to Reading, our nearest city. From Reading it is a further 20 minute journey by car or taxi to our venue, or an onward seven minute train journey to Pangbourne, our closest village.
Pangbourne is served by direct trains from London, Reading and Didcot Parkway. From the train station at Pangbourne it is a 40 minute walk to the venue, or a ten minute taxi or car journey.
Many participants reach us on public transport and we provide contact details for local taxi services on booking for you to arrange any connections necessary. We also invite all participants to a retreat WhatsApp chat where lift shares can be offered and requested.
Accommodation
We have various accommodation and ticket options available. Participants are welcome to bring their own tents, campervans or caravans, or choose from one of our pre-erected tents. From deluxe glamping experiences to basic tent packages, we have a range of options to suit every budget. All accommodation is in our gorgeous riverside campsite, with fresh water, outdoor hot shower cabin, riverside sauna, composting toilets and a sparkling river to swim in! Luxury indoor showers and toilets are right next to the camping field, surrounded by lush green forests and wildflower meadows.
Retreat Package - Bring Your Own Tent/Live-in Vehicle | £299 GBP // $365 USD | Participants are welcome to bring their own tents, campervans or caravans for personal rest during their stay, at no additional cost.
Retreat Package with Deluxe Glamping Cotswold Bell Tent | £539 GBP // $658 USD | A gorgeously cosy home-from-home with everything you need for a luxurious stay. The bell tent comes equipped with framed camping bed and mattress, pillows, duvet, freshly laundered bed linen, Indian Kantha quilt, cushions, table, mirror, lamp, floor matting, rag rugs, interior and exterior fairy lights, decorative garlands and bunting. This spacious and light canvas bell tent is pre-erected for your arrival and available for your private accommodation throughout the retreat. The bell tent can sleep up to 6 people comfortably if you are booking with friends or partners, or provides spacious accommodation for one if you are travelling solo. Pack just your clothes and a toothbrush and you're good to go!
Retreat Package with Furnished Bell Tent | £449 GBP // $549 USD | A light and airy canvas bell tent pre-erected for your arrival and for your private accommodation. The bell tent comes equipped with one double mattress, table, lamp and rug to provide you with all the essentials you need for a comfortable stay. One double mattress is provided - bedding, pillows, blankets and/or additional mattresses will need to come with you. The bell tent can sleep up to 6 people comfortably if you are booking with friends or partners, or provides spacious accommodation for one if you are travelling solo.
Retreat Package with Medium Pre-Erected Tent | £359 GBP // $439 USD | A medium sized nylon tent pre-erected for your arrival and for your private accommodation. This rental is for the tent only, so mattresses, bedding and whatever you need to keep yourself comfy and cosy will need to come with you. The medium tents can sleep 3-4 people if you are booking with friends or partners, or provides spacious accommodation for one if you are travelling solo.
Retreat Package with Small Pre-Erected Tent | £339 GBP // $414 USD | A small sized nylon tent pre-erected for your arrival and for your private accommodation. The small tents are recommended for solo travellers only requiring a compact space. This rental is for the tent only, so mattress, bedding and whatever you need to keep yourself comfy and cosy will need to come with you.
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Our retreats take place in a secluded and serene riverside setting on a community run rural estate in the Thames Valley. Surrounded by lush green forests with ancient oaks, rare wildflower meadows with astounding biodiversity, this unique location is easy to get to, yet feels deeply held in wild nature.
Workshops are held in an open structures and out in the meadows and forests to truly experience immersive nature, or in the gorgeous panelled drawing rooms of the tudor Hardwick House mansion.
Workshops are held in an open structures and out in the meadows and forests to truly experience immersive nature, or in the gorgeous panelled drawing rooms of the tudor Hardwick House mansion.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
Ayurvedic, organic, plant based and locally sourced, we buy much of our produce from the on-site farms to create food which is nourishing, enlivening and delicious.
What's Included
- All Sessions, Workshops and Ceremonies - Sweat Lodge, yoga asana, meditation, breathwork, immersive nature experiences, campfire singing and music.
- Ayurvedic Meals and Teas - All our food is organic and locally sourced and lovingly prepared according to ayurvedic principles.
- Riverside Sauna - Deeply relax in the warmth of the sauna with a spectacular view of the river Thames.
- Luxury Indoor Showers - Indoor showers and toilets are conveniently located next to the campsite. There are additional toilets, an outdoor hot shower cabin, sinks and fresh running water also available in the campsite.
- Glamping Accommodation - choose from our range of pre-erected glamping options to suit all budgets or bring your own tent.
What's Not Included
- Massage/Healing - There will be professional therapists on site offering rejuvenating massage and deeply healing bodywork. This will be offered at a reduced rate but is not included in the package price.
- Yoga Mat - Please bring your own yoga mat. Let us know if you can't access a mat we have a few to borrow. Please also bring a blanket for end of class relaxation
- Transport - we are easily accessed by public transport, there is plentiful free parking at the venue and we offer a chat group for participants to find rideshares.
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