Hello and welcome to this the first Ánradh newsletter.
Let me begin by saying that as much as I wish to communicate with you all, I am keenly aware of the volume of emails that we all receive and I don’t want to keep anyone online any more than is necessary – there’s daylight to be savoured and life to be lived. With that in mind, I am committed to keeping these newsletters as minimal as possible. If you want to read more on any of our courses or retreats, or my own musings, full posts are available on Ánradh.ie.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at marie.therese@anradh.ie
Le gach dea-ghuí,
Marie-Thérèse
The Life We Choose
We hosted the first Ánradh retreat, The Life We Choose, here in Galway in August. The group spent the weekend exploring their beliefs, the characteristics they aspire to and challenge we face in living the life we choose. Guest speaker James Leonard and his wife Gillian Butler joined us for a truly moving conversation about life – it’s many challenges and our choices in response. Over the course of the weekend, Olwyn guided the group through a bespoke yoga programme to deepen the groups explorations around values, purpose and action. While the Slieve Aughty Centre and our own garden here, kept the group nourished with beautiful organic food.
Some of the feedback from participants….
“(The retreat)…really helped me to find some clarity around the life I want to live and how to go about changing that.”
“It was a privilege to meet James and Gillian and hear their story. It was not only inspiring, but opened up so many lines of reflection around life, parenting, choices, gratitude, hope.”
“I would have said I wasn’t a big yoga fan before this retreat but I actually looked forward to the yoga by the end of the weekend. Olwyn had a very special way about her and was very gentle and attentive to all of the different needs in the group.”
Up-coming retreats
Our next retreat, The Stories We Live By, will take place from 24-27th October 2025 (rescheduled) 6th-9th March 2026. Hosted once again in the Slieve Aughty Centre, with a programme each day in the Happy Pig, the retreat is designed to encourage reflection, conversation and inspiration. Together with guest speaker, Belinda Vigors (author and cultural theorist), we will examine the stories that shape us and the narratives we choose to live by. Guided meditations and a tailored yoga programme will help participants to slow down, while a digital detox will support deep rest and reflection.
More information on the retreat is available here: https://anradh.ie/the-stories-we-live-by/
Up-coming meditation courses
Our next 3 Day Learn to Meditate Course will take place online from Monday 6th – Wednesday 9th October, from 7.00-8.30pm each evening.
The course is delivered online, over three sessions, where you will be introduced to the 1 Giant Mind Being meditation technique and supported to develop your own on-going practice of the technique. The course is delivered in a small group setting, focusing on experiential learning and direct support for each participant. After completing the course, you will be invited to regular, free, community meditation gatherings to support you in your practice.
More information on the benefits of practicing meditation, this technique and the course format is available here: https://anradh.ie/meditation/
For anyone interested in the course, a free, 1 hour Information Session will take place on Tuesday 16th September from 7.00pm. You can register for the Information Session here: https://anradh.ie/information-session/
Newsletters
If you would like to receive these newsletters by email, you can sign up here.
