European Retreat 2027

This six-day residential retreat with Miranda Macpherson is a meditation and spiritual inquiry retreat for people who want to step out of daily busyness and turn inward. It is held at The Place to – BE, a retreat center in Zelhem, Gelderland, in the eastern Netherlands. Miranda teaches a blend of meditation, inquiry, silence, devotional practice, music and embodied exploration, with three breathwork sessions led alongside Heleen Hulscher. It suits anyone drawn to Ego Relaxation, non-dual teaching and the experience of Grace.

What to Expect

The retreat is held in a spirit of compassion, authenticity and acceptance. Miranda's stated intention is to support not only moments of insight but a deeper capacity to live what you discover in everyday life. People often come hoping to deepen their sense of Presence and stillness, release limiting patterns and emotional burdens, and cultivate trust, clarity and self-compassion.

The days follow a steady rhythm. It begins with an opening session on the first evening. On the full days, breakfast is followed by a morning session from 9am to 12pm, which includes meditation and mantra practice, a teaching with inquiry practice, and interactive dialogue. Lunch and self-care time run from 12 to 4pm, with suggestions from Miranda for deepening and nurturing yourself. Afternoon sessions from 4 to 6pm include meditation or breathwork. After dinner, evening satsang runs from 7 to 9pm. The final morning has a closing session from 9am to 12pm, then lunch, and everyone leaves by 2pm.

Silence is observed each morning until the close of morning practice, and there is an extended period of silence in the middle of the retreat to help you settle more deeply. The theme of this retreat has not yet been announced.

Participants are asked to arrive before supper on the first day and to stay until at least early afternoon on the last, since late arrivals and early departures disrupt the group.

About Miranda Macpherson

Miranda Macpherson is a meditation teacher known for her depth of presence and her gift for guiding others into direct experience of the Sacred. She teaches a holistic approach to spiritual surrender and non-dual realization built on the practice of Ego Relaxation. Her work draws on Sri Ramana Maharshi, A Course in Miracles, extensive study of the world's wisdom traditions and the Diamond Approach, and she brings three decades of teaching experience.

At the heart of her teaching is Grace, the direct experience of Divine Presence coming alive within you. Ego Relaxation invites the part of us that feels separate, insecure and afraid to soften its habitual patterns of control. It is not passivity or resignation. In her words, "You cannot do spiritual transformation. Relax the interference, and Grace finds you."

About Heleen Hulscher

Heleen Hulscher is a breathwork trainer and coach in the Netherlands and a member of the Living Grace Global Sangha. Healing and Ego Relaxation through breathwork have been the core of her work since 2003. She approaches breathwork as a way of doing shadow work, which supports becoming more whole and, in turn, Ego Relaxation.

The Setting

The Place to – BE sits within forest and meadow on the Slangenburg estate. It was once a working farm, built in 1921, and has been restored as a simple, affordable retreat center. Meals are prepared by the cook, Ruud, and are organic and vegetarian. Vegan food and medically necessary diets can be accommodated as far as possible, and you can note this when booking your accommodation.

From Schiphol Airport the center is about two hours by car, or a few hours by regular public transport. If you travel by public transport, you will need a taxi shuttle from Doetinchem station for the last stretch.

Before You Go

Karma yoga is part of the retreat, in the form of cutting vegetables and washing dishes. Accommodation and meals are arranged separately with the center, and rooms must be vacated before the closing morning session. Partial scholarships for Miranda's fee may be available.