Practice of Peace: Gentle Silence & Digital Detox Retreat

Location icon
2 The Ridgeway, Reading, UK
Date
August 28 - 31, 2026

Retreat Highlights

  • Weekend of Silence - Rest in the rare and ultimate peace of total and utter silence for the duration of your stay.
  • Sitting Meditations - A golden opportunity to learn simple meditation techniques to enhance your sense of inner peace.
  • Walking Meditations - Learn the art of dynamic meditation to accompany and enhance the effects of the sitting practice.
  • Morning Yoga - Movement 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 extended savasana.
  • Forest Bathing - Meditate in the lush green of the broadleaf forest.
  • Yin Yoga - Long, slow, deep stretches to calm the mind and nervous system for complete relaxation.
  • Dhamma Talks - Insight into the nature of the mind and the self, with stories from the sutras to inspire long lasting inner peace in everyday life.
  • Time for You - Generous amounts of rest amongst the scheduled sessions, and the freedom to move through the retreat as you please, leaves plenty of time for personal creative practices, reflection, and mental space.
  • Digital Detox - Leave your devices at the door as you tune out the static of the modern world to find true tranquility.
  • Nature Connection - Connect to the sacred land around you through immersion into the generous wild.
  • Wild Swimming - We are blessed to have a clean section of the Thames on our doorstep. It's one of the best wild swimming spots in UK.
  • Riverside Sauna - Deeply relax in the warmth of the sauna with a spectacular view of the river Thames.
  • Ayurvedic Meals and Teas - All our food is organic and locally sourced and lovingly prepared with your health and satisfaction in mind. We are so lucky to be surrounded by passionate and ethical growers!
  • Hot Showers - Shower cabins and compost toilets are conveniently located in the campsite. There are additional flushing toilets located at the campsite entrance.
  • Parking next to camping ground
  • Ground Rent - Accommodation is provided on a secluded camping field next to the shores of the river. Bring your own tent or hire one at checkout.

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Details of this retreat

Practice of Peace is a four day long silent retreat where we introduce gentle meditation techniques, offer yoga for increased embodied presence, invite you into the stillness of nature and lovingly take care of you. With plenty of opportunity for your own rest, relaxation, creative pursuits and self practice, we create precious quiet space, for you to rediscover yourself.

Step away from the outside noise - reduce the static; the over stimulation; the disturbances, distractions and intrusions. Take four days from the frenzy of modern life. Slow down, become silent and find your inner guide. Re-centre, regenerate, and practice peace.

Start the day in the therapeutic warmth of our hand-built Siberian sauna, gazing at the panoramic riverside view, before a refreshing dip in the sparkling waters. Flow from this into a morning yoga session with restorative movement and extended relaxation. Learn the mindfulness of breathing, a simple but astonishingly effective technique, and fundamental to all meditations which followed. Have afternoons free and full of time for yourself - rest, have a massage, create, practise, move as you please. Be guided into the emerald embrace of the native woodland for forest bathing. As evening falls, gather for heartwarming metta, meditation of loving kindness.

All of this with plenty of time in between for a slow, gentle pace to calm the mind. Freedom to dip in and out as you choose. Nourished with organic, locally sourced wholesome and delicious food to cherish your body. No interruptions, no responsibilities and no expectations. Just the Practice of Peace.


Who Is This Retreat For?
Do any of these call to you?

For those who need a break, a pause and a reset.

For those who have never practiced mindfulness before and would like a soft introduction.

For those who want space to focus on their creative endeavours in quiet solitude, without distraction.

For those who would like an accessible foundation course towards sitting a 7 or 10 day Vipassana retreat.

For those with a strong personal practice who would like the chance to engage with it deeply on their own terms.


What Are The Benefits?
To embark on a silent retreat means committing to a pause in your everyday. A weekend where you learn to see clearly - breathe in a calm reality, without the distractions and disturbances that usually clutter the mind.

The practice of mindfulness quietens the mind, improves concentration, develops memory and attention, and develops the skill of awareness and presence in the moment of now.

Coming on a retreat like this can facilitate:

Reduced stress and anxiety levels

Fewer fears and obsessive or compulsive thoughts

A clear and calm mind

Renewed sense of purpose and clarity of direction

A feeling of increased energy, vitality and excitement towards life

A refocus on your deeply held interests and life's calling

Improved awareness and consciousness of the body

Developed presence in the moment and attentiveness to everyday activities

Less habitual and mindless reactivity to your environment

Cultivation of patience and thoughtfulness of action


What Makes This Retreat Special?
Practice of Peace is a retreat that we have honed through our decades of experience organising events, and from our seven years as Sadhama, running wellbeing retreats at Hardwick.

Over the years we have learned what really delivers - what is effective, accessible and profound. The program we have developed for Practice of Peace is a blend of all the best bits of our other retreat offerings - the serenity of silence, the softness of gentle guidance from authentic, mindful techniques that really work, space to breathe and be present in nature, calmness and tranquility away from digital devices - all rooted in traditional wisdom and proven ancient practice.

We know that what hinders people most on the path to personal wellness is simply not having the opportunity to focus on themselves without the interferences and obstructions that come with everyday living. We know that people find it hard to take time out from their lives and responsibilities to sit long Vipassana retreats. We also know that even the retreat environment can be overwhelming - when there's lots of new people to meet, new experiences, challenging practices and high expectations.

That's why we've created Practice of Peace - a four day getaway over a bank holiday, low commitment, easy to make to the time. No expectations of advanced yoga abilities, or the requirement for you to sit for hours of meditation - but if that's what you want to do - you're free to do it on your own terms. No pressure to socialise or put yourself out there. No phones, no emails, no social media.

Just you and your silence. Elegant, nourishing meals. Simple and effective meditation techniques taken straight from the sutras, ready for you to assimilate and put into practice. The forgiving wild of the English countryside - rivers, forests, ancient trees. Siberian sauna and skilled therapists. Embodied movement to restore your body and relax your nervous system. Space held for you to reflect, create and belong.

Low stakes, but super high reward.

Join us for this brand new retreat for 2026.

A journey of personal self care and deep stillness, and a culmination of all our work so far.

Schedule

Friday - Arrivals

*You are welcome to participate in the program as much or as little as you would like. This is a sample itinerary and subject to change.

We will welcome you to our beautiful location between 3-5pm. There will be time to settle and orientate, put up your tents and relax into your space before we gather.

On the first evening we will have an ayurvedic orientation, and how that will help shape your practice over the retreat. We will then enjoy dinner together before holding the opening circle around the camp fire.

As we settle in, grounding deeper into ourselves and the land surrounding us we will take the opportunity for an introductory talk to understand the techniques we will be encountering over the weekend. Noble silence begins and we practice our first session of loving kindness meditation.


Saturday

We start with a morning gong to awaken, and then there is ample time for slow rising, riverside sauna and wild swim in the sparkling Thames waters.

Refreshed from the river we will flow into a morning yoga practice, focused on coming into the body and bringing stillness with extended savasana.

Breakfast follows, and then have a session of Anapanasati meditation. Here we introduce a simple, breath-focused meditation technique to help bring your awareness into the present moment.

We gather for lunch, and then the afternoons are free for you to rest, meditate, walk in nature, engage in self practice, or undertake creative pursuits, as you prefer.

Late afternoon we embark on a guided walk into the welcome green of the forest. Enjoy reconnecting with the divine life force in this space of vitality, using the Japanese art of Forest Bathing. Rest in the tranquil vibrance of the tree-biome, teeming with life and serenely peaceful, restorative in its rich essence, blessed with bountiful prana, and a fertile ground for meditation and deep spirit work.

Dinner is served on our return, and our evening session introduces light dharmic wisdom as a context and fundamental support to your practice. We round the day off with a practice of Metta, loving kindness meditation.


Sunday

Our Sunday starts with a morning gong to awaken, and then there is ample time for slow rising, riverside sauna and wild swim in the sparkling Thames waters.

Bring your beautiful body to morning yoga practice, with kind movement and meditative extended savasana.

After breakfast, our guided meditation sessions of Anapanasati continues, providing you with the opportunity to find another level of stillness within this ancient and fundamental meditation technique.

Lunch is afterwards, and then the afternoon is free for you to rest, meditate, walk in nature, engage in self practice, or undertake creative pursuits, as you prefer.

Late afternoon we offer the gentle strength of yin yoga. A session suitable for all levels that uses long-held, supported poses to deeply stretch the body, calm the nervous system, and encourage stillness and release.

When we have eaten dinner, our evening sessions continue with enlightening traditional wisdom to root and reinforce your practice. We finish the day with a practice of loving kindness meditation.


Monday - Departures

The morning rhythm of the gong, sauna and wild swim heralds our final day.

The last morning yoga session allows for deep present awareness, using our bodies as a tool for mindfulness and our breath the anchor to the moment.

After breakfast we will reflect on our experience and intentions going full circle back to our daily lives. As the group gathers we explore a gratitude practice to help us re-enter our normal worlds with full hearts and clear purpose. A sharing circle follows, where you will get the opportunity to break your silence and share your journey with your fellow participants.

We expect the sharing 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

Location icon Sadhama, 2 The Ridgeway, 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.

Accommodation

We have various pre-erected tent accommodation options available. Participants are also welcome to bring their own tents, campervans or caravans for personal rest during their stay. 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! Additional flush toilets are right next to the camping field, surrounded by lush green forests and wildflower meadows. Please note, on this retreat in particular, sharing accommodation between partners or friends is not permitted. All pre-erected tents we have available to book are for single occupancy only, and we ask that if you are bringing your own accommodation, you ensure that each participant you are booking for has a tent or equivalent for their own personal use. We do this in effort to give every participant the best chance of succeeding with the precept of noble silence, and reduce the risk of disturbance to others. Deluxe Glamping Cotswold Bell Tent A gorgeously cosy home-from-home with everything you need for a luxurious stay. 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 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. Pack just your clothes and a toothbrush and you're good to go! Fully Furnished Canvas Bell Tent A light and airy canvas bell tent pre-erected for your arrival and available for your private accommodation throughout the retreat. 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. Medium Pre-Erected Tent A medium sized nylon tent pre-erected for your arrival and available for your private accommodation throughout the retreat. 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. Small Pre-Erected Tent A small sized nylon tent pre-erected for your arrival and available for your private accommodation throughout the retreat. 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.

Accommodation
Retreat Package - Bring Your Own Tent/Live-in Vehicle | £275 GBP // $377 USD | Participants are welcome to bring their own tents, campervans or caravans for personal rest during their stay, at no additional cost.
Accommodation
Retreat Package with Small Pre-Erected Tent | £315 GBP // $432 USD | A small sized nylon tent pre-erected for your arrival and for your private accommodation. 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.
Accommodation
Retreat Package with Medium Pre-Erected Tent | £335 GBP // $460 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.
Accommodation
Retreat Package with Furnished Bell Tent | £425 GBP // $582 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.
Accommodation
Retreat Package with Deluxe Glamping Cotswold Bell Tent | £515 GBP // $705 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 for your private accommodation. Pack just your clothes and a toothbrush and you're good to go!

Venue & Amenities

Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms icon A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi icon Free Wifi
Spa icon Spa
Sauna icon Sauna
Pool icon Pool
Towels icon Towels
Free Parking icon Free Parking
Kitchen icon Kitchen
Tour Assistance icon Tour Assistance
Hot Tub icon Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea icon Coffee/Tea
Cafe icon Cafe
Restaurant icon Restaurant
Fitness Center icon Fitness Center
Yoga Studio icon Yoga Studio
Housekeeping icon Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent icon 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.

Meals

Menu

Menu Types

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

  • 4 days of classes, workshops and activities
  • Accommodation
  • Ayurvedic meals and teas
  • Yoga classes
  • Meditation classes
  • Forest bathing
  • Nature walks
  • Dhamma Talks
  • Sauna
  • Wild Swimming

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.
  • Tent for Personal Rest - Bring a tent to pitch in our secluded camping field next to the shores of the river. We have an option to rent tents which you can add before you checkout.
  • Bedding - please bring your own sleeping bag, mattress, pillows etc.
  • Cutlery and Crockery - Please bring your own plates, bowls, cutlery and mug.
  • Yoga Mat - Please bring your own yoga mat. Let us know if you cant access a mat we have a few to borrow. Please also bring a blanket for end of class relaxation.
  • Massage Cushion or Stool - We recommend you bring along something to help you stay comfortable as you sit.

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