Re-imagine your Life’s Next Steps, on this Sacred Isle
Iona Pilgrimage: 15 July 2023
Slow down, connect with the sacred in nature and consider your life’s next steps, as you experience this mystical island as a pilgrim rather than a tourist.
Slow down ...
Do you ever wish you could pause the rollercoaster of life for a while, to relax and reconnect with what really brings you joy?
An Iona Pilgrimage Retreat is a chance to slow down and experience this beautiful island as a pilgrim rather than a tourist, welcoming the presence of the Divine all around you.
Alllow yourself to consciously connect to Mother Earth beneath your feet, to recognise the sacred in nature, and know that each step is a prayer and a blessing, given and received.
In step with nature
During the week we’ll embrace simplicity and explore what really matters in our lives.
We’ll settle into the gentle rhythms of island life, allowing time for stillness and reflection, rediscovering the peace and joy that’s present when we practice deep inner listening.
You’ll be in good company at our retreat house right on the sea, with like-minded people also on a soul journey, sharing companionship, good food and new friendships.
This retreat is limited to just five people.
What you’ll enjoy
As a small group we’ll take this Iona journey together, enriching each other with our diverse experiences, insights and discoveries. We’ll contrast quiet moments for inner work with outside time in Iona’s wild and natural beauty, including:
- Morning meditations in the Sanctuary, and sharings on some evenings.
- A guided walk to some of the island’s most sacred points.
- Rituals to support our unfolding journey, such as creating a labyrinth on the beach, and developing our next steps.
- Touching in on some of the island community’s experiences.
- If possible, a visit to our sister community on Erraid, exploring that historic island.
Why do a retreat on Iona?
- You’ll leave your everyday busy-ness behind.
- Your days will be shaped by the natural rhythms of nature and island life.
- It’s a chance to explore at the pace of our ancestors.
- You’ll be staying in a comfy house a pebble’s throw from the ocean.
- You can remember and reconnect with the things that bring joy to your heart.
- You’ll re-imagine the next steps you want to take in your life.
- No more than five retreat participants will be welcomed at a time.
What to expect
The island, the retreat house and your two focalisers will hold a safe space that allows you to relax and deepen into the peace of Iona.
You may not want to join all the activities, but we’ll prepare meals and eat together each evening, creating a heart-centred container and bonding as a group. We’ll share the cooking between us, in the house’s warm kitchen.
Be sure to bring:
Warm and waterproof outdoor clothing – the weather is changeable.
Good walking shoes to enjoy exploring the island.
Sun hat and water bottle.
A journal for insights.
Try to travel light – we carry our goods to the house in a cart or on our backs (or you can book the taxi!) It takes about 25-30 minutes to walk to the retreat house.
The retreat house – Traigh Bhan
Traigh Bhan is in the quieter, more remote northern part of the island, on a beach called Traigh Ban nam Manach – the White Strand of the Monks.
There’s a beautiful porch overlooking the garden and sea – excellent in all kinds of weather – and plenty of books to read.
The shared bedrooms and bathroom are downstairs, while the beautiful Sanctuary is upstairs overlooking the sea. You can see the Isle of Mull across the Sound of Iona, with Erraid in the distance.
Book your space
The retreat supports just five people, so places are limited.
The price of £1 435 includes seven nights’ accommodation, activities with your guides, and all your meals.
The bedrooms and bathroom are shared. One room has four private bunk beds, each with a privacy curtain, individual bedside lamp and bookshelf. The other room has a double bed and a single bed.
We look forward to welcoming you to the peace of Iona!
Your focaliser: Geoff Dalglish
Geoff is an award-winning journalist, author, activist and adventurer. In recent years he grabbed headlines when he walked many thousands of miles with climate change messages about treading more lightly and lovingly upon our beloved Earth.
A former race driver, rally driver, 4×4 overland expedition leader and motoring editor, he began to explore ways of living that are kinder to our planet, each other, and all the lifeforms with which we co-exist.
Pivotal to his journey has been time spent with the Findhorn Foundation ecovillage and spiritual community, as well as time on the Isle of Iona. He is the author of the recent memoir Pilgrim – Taking a really long walk from the head to the heart.