Weekend Retreat at Healing Spring

Winter asks us to slow down, and a weekend inside a monastic community is one of the most direct ways to answer. This wellness retreat at Healing Spring Monastery in Thénac, Dordogne, is built around rest, silence, and the quiet nourishment of practicing alongside others. There is no performance to keep up and no pressure to achieve anything. The days are simple and spacious by design.

Led by a Healing Spring monastic Dharma teacher, the weekend is an invitation to learn meditation directly from people who live it every day. You will practice with the monastic community and with other lay practitioners, whether you are new to mindfulness or have sat for many years. One past participant described it as "wonderful. Very strengthening for my practice and mental health."

If you have been looking for an introduction to monastic life, or a reset that feels more like a homecoming than a program, this retreat offers a gentle way in.

What to Expect

The weekend runs from Friday arrival to Sunday departure, and follows the rhythm of the monastery. Mornings generally begin around 6:30 am. Through the days you will move between:

- Sitting meditation
- Walking meditation
- Mindful meals
- Service to the community
- Sharing with fellow practitioners
- Teachings from the monastic Dharma teacher

Each evening, noble silence begins at 9:30 pm and continues until after the breakfast dishes have been washed the next morning. This is not a whole-day silent retreat, so there is room for conversation, sharing, and connection as well as stillness. On some Sundays, the retreat practices together with visitors who come for a day of mindfulness.

Three vegan meals are served each day. The retreat is taught in English only. Like all programs in this tradition, the schedule embraces impermanence: if conditions require it, elements of the retreat may be adjusted, rescheduled, or canceled.

You will leave with a deeper feel for meditation in everyday movements such as walking, eating, and working, and with a direct experience of how restful shared silence and simple routines can be.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place at Healing Spring Monastery in Thénac, Dordogne, a monastic home where monks live and practice year-round. The retreat welcomes all genders, though because the monastery is a home for monks, men may sometimes be the majority of participants.

Participants must be 18 or older. You may bring children or teenagers, but there is no special program for them. You remain fully responsible for their care, and some adult activities may not be suitable for them to attend.

Registration is confirmed after payment. The contribution is a donation that supports the monastery and its monastic community, and it depends on your financial situation. If you are able, a higher rate helps sustain the monastery and supports participants who face financial difficulty. Reductions are available based on individual needs, and the organizers invite you to get in touch after booking if you need support, even if the scholarship rate is no longer listed.