What better way to spend a summer’s morning than relaxing and retreating in beautiful Wanstead Park, filled with woodland, lakes and open green spaces! Experiencing Mindfulness guidance and practices within the beautiful environment can create calming, restorative feelings and a sense of well-being. Being mindful in nature invites you to reawaken your senses. I will facilitate this as I guide you to be present and deepen your connection and appreciation of the natural world. 


What to expect:

- Facilitated by an experienced Mindfulness teacher who is passionate about nature.

- Retreat from the hustle and bustle of stressful city life and spend mindful time in the peaceful and beautiful Wanstead Park.

- Experience a variety of guided mindfulness practices including walking, sitting and standing, whilst engaging with the natural world.

- Experience sensory and elemental practices, where you will be guided in connecting with the natural environment in joyful and contemplative way. 

- You will experience guided gentle mindful movement – light yoga stretches.

- Experience a digital detox, as I encourage you to turn off your phone. The majority of time will be spent in silence, other than my meditation guidance. I will fully facilitate and hold the silent space.

- Connecting to the summer season whilst experiencing nature as a wonderful teacher; often assisting us to gain wisdom and clarity, deepened awareness.

- Experience a meditation to the gentle and soothing beat of a shamanic drum.

- There will be space given towards for you to share your experience and insights from this retreat day.

- There is an opportunity to socialise at the tea hut once the retreat has ended. Where you can buy lunch and/or other refreshments if you wish.

- If you have previously attended my mindful walks, this retreat will facilitate more time to deepen your practice in nature. 


Benefits of spending time in nature: 

- There is a growing body of research to show that spending time in nature is beneficial to our well-being and health. Connecting with nature and Mindfulness meditation both assist in stress and anxiety reduction and improved mood and vitality.

- Spending mindful time in nature cultivates a sense of gratitude, awe and joy which is particularly beneficial to our overall physical and emotional health.

- Nature teaches us to slow down, relax and enjoy the present moment.

- Engaging with the natural environment helps us to reconnect to ourselves.


Isn’t spending time in nature already a mindful experience?

Spending time in nature can help us to be more mindful. However, we often spend time in nature whilst checking our phones, chatting to friends or worrying about work or our to-do list! Being mindful in nature involves turning off our phones, spending time in silence and sensing into the natural world.This event will be guided and mostly in silence.

Benefits of Mindfulness:

Thousands of peer reviewed scientific research papers demonstrate that regular mindfulness meditation practice is beneficial to our emotional, physical and mental health. It is shown to reduce stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and improve general well-being. Other benefits of mindfulness include pain reduction, improved working memory and prevention of depression- relapse. 


Course Facilitator: 

I worked for 10 years’ as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist, within Higher Education, private practice, Public and Charity sectors. I am now a self-employed Mindfulness Teacher. I’m an experienced group facilitator and I’ve been meditating for over 10 years. The positive impact that Mindfulness has had on my life led me to train as a Meditation teacher, where I facilitate courses, retreats, mindfulness in nature and one-to-one skype sessions. My teaching style is professional, relaxed, friendly and inclusive. I am listed as a teacher on the UK Mindfulness Network register. I’ve been leading Mindful walks in East London for the past 18 months.

I’ve completed the Foundation and Teacher 1 courses at Bangor University, I continue my Mindfulness training via the Teacher Training Pathway (TTP) at The Mindfulness Network and Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice (CMRP) at Bangor University. 

PLEASE NOTE: The retreat will go ahead regardless of the weather, which of course cannot be guaranteed. Once you have booked I will give further details of what to wear and bring to this event. This event is for 18yrs and over. 

Also note that focus of this retreat is to experience being more present in nature. During walking and movement practices, we will walk/move at a reasonably slow pace in silence, other than my guidance, WITHOUT any particular focus such as exercise, bird watching or photography. This allows us to experience the natural world, and our responses to it, as it unfolds in each moment in a non-striving way. You are of course very welcome to take photos and continue enjoying the park, including continuing you own mindfulness practices, once the retreat is over. 

Location:

The course will be held in Wanstead Park. I’ll share the exact meeting point once you’ve booked. Please note booking is essential.


Price: 

Early bird price - £25. Early bird ends Saturday 15th June. £30 thereafter. Booking closes on Friday 28th June. 


Private message me if you have any questions or would like to book. 
If you prefer email/phone: elizabethkeates111@gmail.com or 07885 519226


I look forward to hearing from you!


Liz Keates 
Mindfulness Teacher
Elizabeth Keates - Mindful Living