Restore deep inner serenity with silence and self-care
Tranquility & Stillness
Practice of Peace is a four day long silent retreat where we introduce gentlemeditation techniques, offer yoga for increased embodied presence, invite you into the stillness of nature and lovinglytake 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?
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.
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 bestbits 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.
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.
Time for You – Generous amounts of rest amongst the scheduled sessions, and the freedom to move through the retreat as you please, leaving plenty of time for personal creative practices, reflection, and mental space.
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.
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. The sauna will be available on day one and day seven of the retreat.
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!
Sadhama Retreats Video Highlights
Essential Info
We hope to be able to accommodate all who are interested & feel drawn to come together as a community.
We have tickets available for the Full Retreat: Friday evening – Monday morning which are limited in numbers to facilitate a deep experience of rest and reconnection as a community.
Your Tickets include:
✔️ 4 days of full immersion into sacred lands and your beautiful self!
✔️ All activities, classes and workshops.
✔️ Delicious Ayurvedic food
✔️ Friday dinner, three meals on Saturday and Sunday and breakfast on Monday. A selection of hot drinks will be available throughout the day.
✔️ Ground rent for your own tent.
The retreat begins on Friday evening, 28th August 2026, and ends on Monday morning, 31st August 2026.
Camper vans & caravans are welcome, dogs must stay at home!
This retreat is free from drugs, alcohol and intoxicants which cloud the mind.
Tickets are booked on this website through our booking platform Wetravel – tap the orange button below on this page to secure your place.
For those who would like to combine the fun of the retreat and the karma of the service, we have a few Seva Tickets. These tickets are designed for those who enjoy getting involved in the running of the retreat by giving the core crew a hand with whatever is needed to be done on the day, or those who can’t afford the full price of the tickets but still want to come. If you’re keen to be involved, apply here.
A full immersion amidst the living wisdom of the ancient oak trees and wild water of Hardwick Estate.
Food
We will be eating fresh, organic, locally grown plant based meals lovingly prepared according to the Ayurvedic principle of food as medicine. Ayurveda views food as both nourishment and a primary tool for self healing, essential for balancing the mind, body, and spirit.
This approach blends flavourful ingredients with health benefits, creating meals that satisfy your senses while enhancing your vitality with culinary richness and balance. We use a pallette of sattvic ingredients to ensure that your food supports your yoga, mediation and cleansing practices, leaving you feeling nourished, balanced and strong. Here we move beyond calories and macronutrients to embrace food as a tool for creating harmony, balance, and optimal health.
As much as possible of our gorgeous fruit and veg will come from Tolhurst Organic farm, based on site, who use stock free farming to produce the lowest possible carbon footprint, cruelty free food. Their work is truly inspiring and aligned with our ethos of re-connecting and re-aligning with mother nature to live in more harmony.
Venue and Location
Our retreat takes 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 and the glistening waters of the upstream Thames, this unique location is easy to get to, yet feels deeply held in wild nature.
All accommodation is in our secluded riverside campsite. Hot shower cabins, a riverside sauna, composting toilets, and a sparkling river to swim in! Washing sinks and running fresh water. Tents are available to rent if you can not bring your own.
Workshops are held in an open structures, and out in the meadows and forests to truly experience immersive nature.
Camper vans & caravans are welcome, dogs must stay at home!
This retreat is free from drugs, alcohol and intoxicants which cloud the mind.
Travel Logistics
Hardwick estate is only 40 minutes by train from London (Paddington), and just 20 minutes by car from Junction 12 on the M4. Easily accessible from the main transport hubs at Reading, yet set in the rolling countryside of the Chilterns AONB, Hardwick is ideally located for a weekend getaway of peace and tranquillity.
By Air
The closest airport is London Heathrow – LHR – which is only a 1 hour car journey from the retreat venue. There are direct train and coach services from LHR to Reading, our closest city. From Reading it is a a seven minute onward train journey to Pangbourne, our closest village or a 20 minute taxi or car journey to the retreat venue.
By Train/Taxi
There are direct trains to Pangbourne, our closest village, from London (40 minutes) , Reading (7 minutes) and Didcot Parkway (20 minutes). From Pangbourne it is a 40 minute walk or a 10 minute taxi or car ride to the retreat venue. We give out some local taxi numbers in our booking confirmation, and we recommend you make a reservation with them for your journey if you plan to travel this way – we are in a rural location so they do not wait by the station and there is no Uber!
By Car
The retreat venue is just 20 minutes from Junction 12 on the M4, halfway between London and Bristol. If you have a spare seat in your car and are happy to share a ride, or if you need a lift to the gathering, here is the link to our retreat community WhatsApp group: Natural Flow Shares
Surround yourself with 500-year-old trees, wildflower meadows, stunning scenery, magical sunset views, wonderful wildlife & your community.
Reviews
Wow, I don’t know where to begin. What an amazing weekend I had, it’s beyond words. I arrived feeling agitated and closed and I left feeling peaceful and open hearted. The experience of love, joy and connection from everyone really touched my heart. The teachers were skilled, knowledgeable and brought so much love and energy to their sessions.
By Syreeta D
I’ve been to a billion and one retreats, but never ever one like this. It felt like coming home. I absolutely with my whole heart want to be a part of that in any small way I can!
Kayleigh F.
Ian P.
“I had an amazing life changing experience with people that I felt safe to be myself with. Really well organised with so many wonderful things to do.The food was out of this world if they had a restaurant I would move next door. The yoga ,meditation,breath work ,and talks were first class.also some fantastic treatments.and some beautiful music and singing from top notch musicians. Book me up for next year please.”
Vikki S.
“This was my second time to a Sadhama retreat and once again it exceeded all my expectations. What Dima and Karen create on these retreats is something very special, from the food, to the practices and ceremonies, to the sacred land that it all takes place on. As for the Lovejam tribe…wow! The music and singing around the campfire was very special…Lewis and Lana both incredible talents and Phil’s yoga was up there with the best I have ever experienced, Nathan and Joe…they all held space for us so beautifully. It’s testament to all involved by how much so many of us were transformed after just 2 days. I totally recommend booking yourself on a Sadhama retreat if you want to feel joy, unity, connection, freedom, empowerment and love…all things that the world needs now more than ever!”
Rachel B.
“The Hardwick Estate is a magical place and Dmitry & Karen dedicated to helping, healing and sharing their gifts with the world. Under Dmitry’s kind, humorous and humble guidance, one can find their way back to their true selves. Karen and her team work quietly and attentively in the background, making sure that every is cared for and has all that they need. The food was another level! If you are looking for a genuine place to connect to yourself and your heart under the care of those who only have your best interests at heart, this is it.”
Anita M
“This was an amazing retreat – my best yet and i’ve been on a lot all over the world. The teachings were amazing, the food exemplary. It was a truly nurturing experience and even as a beginner yogi, I felt very welcome and able to follow and stretch as best I could without any inner criticism or comparisons to others, which is new. Thank you so much I truly looked forward to the next one”
