Needing an escape from the big city and some time for reflection and tranquility, I made my way to a quiet hilltop near Totnes in Devon for a week's retreat at The Barn. Days were spent meditating, gardening, cooking, reading, walking and practicing yoga, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and all sorts of wild animals. It felt like a realised utopia that has left me serene and energised. Whilst there, we were guided in meditation and learning by Shenyen, a Tibetan monk from Liverpool, who inspired me to read books from The Barn's library late into the night. I came across a poem by Blake that I hadn't read since school and it took on a whole new meaning. It's perfect in its simplicity and its message:
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
Listening to: 'Mother's Love' - The Ethiopiques
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