Hello there,
I hope you are all well and staying cosy on this rainy December day. It is dark and dreary here today and I am thinking back to the warm days of summer and all the activity of the year that is gone. I hope that the year is ending well for all of you and that you are taking some time to reflect on, to celebrate or to grieve all that has passed.
I wanted to send a newsletter before the year ends with news on retreats and meditation courses in 2026, some musings on the importance of support and an invitation for your own reflections on what you need at this time. I hope you enjoy.
As ever, if you have any questions or just want to say hi, I would love to hear from you so drop me an email at info@anradh.ie.
Le gach dea-ghuí,
Marie-Therese
Courses & Retreats
Retreats in 2026
As you may know, our October retreat was rescheduled and will now take place from 6th-9th March 2026. The retreat will be hosted once again in the Slieve Aughty Centre, with a daily programme in the Happy Pig. Our guest speaker is author and cultural theorist Belinda Vigors who will help us to explore 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.
Full details and booking information are available here: https://anradh.ie/the-stories-we-live-by/
Feedback from past retreats:
“The retreat really helped me to find some clarity around the life I want to live and how to go about changing that.”
Other retreats in 2026
We will be hosting two further retreats in 2026, full details to follow in the new year. The dates for your diary are:
Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th May,
Friday 31st July to Monday 3rd August.
If you know anyone who would be interested in joining one of our retreats, please do send these dates on to them, or share our website with them.
Meditation Courses in 2026
Our next 3 Day Learn to Meditate Course will take place online from Wednesday 7th – Friday 9th January, from 7.00-8.30pm each evening.
The course is delivered 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 6th January from 7.00pm. You can register for the Information Session here: https://anradh.ie/information-session/
Offer the gift of a retreat or meditation course
Do you know someone who would like to meditate more or would benefit from an Ánradh retreat? Why not get them the gift of a course or retreat or a voucher for either this Christmas?
You can book meditation courses or our March retreat at Anradh.ie. If you would like to gift a voucher for future courses or retreats, please contact Marie-Therese on info@anradh.ie.
On Living Well – What Do You Need?
A few weeks ago, one of my favourite facilitators announced her first workshop in two years. A lot has changed in my life in those two years. I’ve moved to Galway and started a business, I’ve taken courses and delivered them. I’ve learned a lot and feel more aligned within myself than I ever have. I also have a lot less disposable income than I did two years ago. So a part of me said no – I told myself I didn’t need the workshop, that I couldn’t afford it, that I know that type of work and that I can do it myself. I was very close to talking myself out of it but thankfully, in an impulsive moment, I signed myself up.
And yes, it was work I have done before and questions I was familiar with but Kate (Kate Gaffey for anyone wondering!) brings another dimension to the material, she creates a space that I cannot do for myself and I came away from the workshop feeling more inspired and supported than I had felt in months. The workshop cost €40 but it resourced me and revived me in a way that little else for that price tag could. It also reminded me that while I can do a lot of things by myself, sometimes we need a little bit of extra support.
I’ve mentioned before that the process of personal growth is far from linear. Sometimes we have to learn the same lesson over and over again before it really sticks. Other times life throws us curveballs that can knock us off track and make us forget the goal we were striving for. I think it so important therefore, to find something – a source of support or a touchstone, that can help us to come back to the path we want to be on when detours, distractions or old habits take us off course. The guest speaker on our August retreat gave a great example of this. He spoke about the role of rehab in his recovery from addiction but he also emphasised the importance of his weekly meetings in helping him to stay the course, whatever life was throwing at him along the way. James’ was high stakes example but the point remains – we all need support at some point on our journey.
My invitation to you (and reminder to myself) is to find what supports you in an on-going way, whether it be a group, an individual or some sort of structured practice that can act as a touchstone, whatever else is happening in your life. The trick then is to remember its importance to you!
Of course, I know that affording or paying for these supports is not always easy or even realistic and to that I would say the following:
- Be clear on what you are prioritising. If you can’t afford a workshop but you’re spending money on other luxuries then ask yourself which is your priority.
- If luxuries aren’t on your radar, then see what free options are available. There are lots of free meditation groups and very often trainee practitioners for all sorts of therapies are in need of volunteers or offer discounted trainee rates.
- And finally, if there is something you really want to do but can’t afford the full cost, why not ask about bursary or funded places? Or see if there is a possibility of a skills exchange. I offer bursary funding for retreats and meditation courses and I know many others do too. If it’s not clearly advertised, just ask – the worst they can say is no!
P.S. and finally, if you’re looking for a good book this Christmas…
Bronnie Ware’s The Top Five Regrets of the Dying was one of my favourite books of this year. I’ll admit, initially I was sceptical, as I often am of “self-helpy” books, but Ware captures so much wisdom and insight into the obstacles we face, and often create in our lives, that by the end of the book I wanted to read it all over again. It’s an easy read and has so many nuggets of beauty that it begs to be read in full, so skip the podcast, find a copy of the book somewhere and read it slowly!
That’s all from me for now folks. I hope you find whatever you need in this winter season and that you take some time in the busy weeks ahead to look after yourselves.
Beir bua agus beannacht,
Marie-Therese
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