Natalie, The Retreater Founder
18 October 2022
- Yoga RetreatsSound BathReviews
Just a stone throw away from London (roughly an hour from Charing Cross on the train to be precise!) we left the hustle and bustle of the city behind us and arrived at the wonderful Fair Oak Farm in East Sussex.
The attention to detail at the venue is hard to miss, every detail in our room was perfectly thought out, bath salts and a pillow spray were waiting for us to ensure we had the most relaxing stay.
Our host Mary, gave us a tour of the grounds which includes a cinema barn, yoga studio (with a view of the fields), a beauty barn for treatments and the gorgeous main house with a snug to curl up with a book and tea. After meeting the other Retreaters, a group of very welcoming women all from different backgrounds, ages and careers, we were whisked away for our treatment. In the beauty barn we had our shoulder, neck and back massage - what a perfect way to unwind and settle into the retreat.
The first evening consisted of a grounding yoga class followed by a delicious dinner of pumpkin risotto and chocolate torte. Then time to enjoy our lovely lodgings and melt into a bath to end the day and get into the retreat spirit!
Day 2 started with a dynamic flow yoga class in the barn. The barn doors opened out onto the field and as we flowed we had the wholesome view of peacocks roaming in the distance on the farm. We were quickly renourished with a delicious brunch of poached pear, coconut yoghurt and homemade granola.
The creative juices were flowing after breakfast as we were treated to an art workshop, a watercolour painting class where we focused on seasonal still life. Taking a moment to focus on the details of nature without distraction was the perfect mindfulness activity for the group.
Our mindfulness was not finished there, as next we had a gong bath, with Rowena. Gong meditation is a unique type of sound practice that involves using therapeutic gong sounds and vibrations to bring about healing.
This practice is also sometimes referred to as a “gong bath” because participants are “bathed” in meditation gong sound waves.
The final day left us all feeling truly like the batteries had been recharged. Our final 2 yoga sessions in the barn (one vinyasa and one yin class) had our bodies feeling reset and recentred. We finished our retreat with a delicious meal all together in the farmhouse and recounted some of our favourite moments from the retreat.
If you are interested in experiencing the serenity of Fair Oak Farm, check out their next retreat here. Spaces are still available!
There's a yoga retreat for everyone, no matter what level you are - we promise you'll be welcomed and offered lots of options. Find your perfect yoga retreat with The Retreater.