A space to connect with nature, community & your natural self.

Trees are the oldest living beings on our planet. Through meditation, movement, asana, sound, breath, art, story and song, discover the joy of connection and learn to commune with these kindred majestic beings - Trees of Life. 

Come with us on an unforgettable journey of immersion into your wholesome essence, through the wisdom of ancient trees and rewilding powers of unbridled nature.

Find a sense of belonging with a like-minded & light-hearted community who will share these timeless adventures in the sacred land of Hardwick Estate.

Expand into joyous unison with the elements and tune in to ancestral seasonal rhythms, awakening the spring within at our Mayday Beltane celebration!

During this special time of year, when nature awakens and springs to life its abundant potentials, unleash those inherent potentials within you and step up to your highest self, supported by nature's momentum of the season of Beltane, and its celebration with your community.

Trees have been supporting us on our spiritual quests for millennia.

We all know the story of Buddha achieving his full realisation under the bodhi tree. After he had found enlightenment under the pipal - fig tree, it became known as the bodhi tree or tree of enlightenment, bodhi meaning ‘ultimate and unconditioned truth’, and also ‘the Great Awakener’.

The name Druid comes from dru = most, highly, and vid, knowledge. "Most knowledgable ones”. But the very word for knowledge is identical with vid = tree. Because all knowledge was seen as coming from trees. These spiritual tradition holders of the British Isles worship the oak tree, and use them as a doorway between the spiritual realms. 

These huge beings embody a profound stillness, and the strong upward movement of electrically active layers through their trunk greatly enhances the powers of yoga and meditation, directly interacting with the spine and the energetic processes of the human brain. Most sages of the past knew this secret knowledge, and we would like to share it with you.

Surround yourself with ancient trees, wildflower meadows, stunning scenery, magical sunset views, wonderful wildlife and your community.

The history of trees in culture and consciousness finds its deepest expression in the universal mythology of the World Tree or Tree of Life. The various aspects of this metaphysical and eternal Tree, manifest in the abundance of different tree species around the world. All these Trees of Life have a lot to teach us. 

Journey to the source of this sacred knowledge at this unique gathering. 

The majority of spiritual paths have begun beneath old, venerable trees and in sacred groves. 

Soak in the sacred knowledge of the meaning of trees. You will be living alongside one of the the country's leading experts - Fred Hageneger - who will take you on a spiritual adventure around the cathedral of the trees in the unparalleled ecologically tended forest. Share in his deep etheric knowledge, woven with the practical aspects of our communication with trees and nature. Learn to identify the Trees of Life around you, and gain wondrous insight into their secrets. 

Step silently into the grove of trees and experience a concert like no other as nature sings its ancient songs. Find a restorative and soulful peace in live meditative music inspired by trees, a divine soundtrack to your joyful presence in the cool green embrace of the Hardwick groves. This is biodiversity in the realm of music! From the graceful birch to the oak in a thunderstorm, from sunlight in the ash to the moon in the willow, from the lively rowan to the silence of the yew, which comes from a world beyond time.

Learn the untold story of nature’s greatest healers and gain practical insights into their extraordinary powers in our guided tree meditations. Dmitry Glazkov holds sacred space while you meet the ancient oaks in Hardwick’s meadows. Use their supportive steadiness to elevate your practice to the next level and experience deep states of self remembrance.

Crystallise your path and engage deeply into your yoga practice, using the Trees of Life to bring you closer to your true nature in our tree yoga workshops. We each have a unique balance of elemental energies within us. Using the tools of Ayurveda, we are able to discover what this balance is and how to work with it. So too does each Tree of Life have a unique elemental signature and embodied qualities. Combine the powerful forces of these two aspects of shamanic wisdom, and you are able to commune your practice with a partner of energy, working directly with the flow of elements found in the natural world. 

In almost all cultures trees have been acknowledged as potential guardians of the gates to the spirit world. We are delighted to have Yannick Dubois with us, sharing his Druidric and Bardic lineage to connect to the wisdom of the local folklore and the roots of our land. Unfold into creative freedom on an intuitive artistic exploration, inspired by the Trees of Life which call to you. Follow Yannick on a shamanic drum journey through the life cycle of a tree, and reawaken the deep wisdom you share with these beings. 

Melt your heart with the warmth of the engaging storytelling around a fire hearth. We are evolved to share in circles, throwing our poems, stories and songs to the fire - the micro deity at the heart of the human community. Let Yannick be your guide in a visionary storytelling initiation through the nine worlds of the mythical Yggdrasil. 

Trees hold an interconnectedness with all the world’s beings, from the bottom tips of their roots to their pollen floating on the air, forming an unseen network which covers the globe. Tap into this infinite web through authentic movement and sound with Elaine Vijaya, wise woman and mistress of energy, dance and voice. Use embodied conscious movement and breath to find a place of deep connection and healing within the elemental worlds.

We come together to celebrate the spring’s delight and awaken your spirit in unison with mother nature. Beltane is the peak of spring and the beginning of summer. Earth's energies are at their strongest and most active. All of life is bursting with potent fertility, and at this point in the wheel of the year, the potential becomes conception. Harness those energies in a profound ceremony to enhance your connection to the elements, invoke the positivity and growth of the seasons, and step up into your graceful, highest self.

We hope to be able to accommodate all who are interested & feel drawn to come together as a community.  

We have tickets available for the Full  Retreat immersion: Saturday - Monday afternoon and Day Tickets for Saturday and Sunday. 

Tickets are limited in numbers to facilitate deep experience of rest and reconnection as a community.

There are an exclusive batch of  Early Bird tickets available at a discounted rate, on sale until the 14th March. We expect this incredible event to sell out so don't delay!

Your Retreat Immersion Ticket include:

✔️ 2.5 days of full immersion into sacred lands and your beautiful self!

✔️ All activities, classes and workshops.

✔️ Beltane Ceremony.

✔️ Delicious Ayurvedic food: lunch and dinner on Saturday; breakfast, lunch and dinner on Sunday; and breakfast and lunch on Monday. A selection of hot drinks will be available throughout the day.

✔️ Ground rent for your own tent.

✔️ Contribution for the building of a permanent retreat space here at Hardwick.

All tickets are booked on this website - tap the green Select  button on the right to secure your place. 

We can offer payment plans, please reach out if you need to pay in instalments. 

For those who would like to combine the fun of the retreat and karma of the service we have few Seva Tickets. These tickets are designed for those who enjoy getting involved in the running of the retreat by giving the core crew a hand with whatever is needed to be done on the day, or those who can't afford the full price of the tickets but still want to come.  If you’re keen to be involved, apply here.

Our refund policy can be found in the terms and conditions when you book.

Our food will be prepared according to the ancient wisdom of ayurveda and will be tailored to your unique constitution. Crafted to delight by our talented chef Karen Buckland and lovingly prepared by our dedicated and whole hearted kitchen team. 

We will be dining in the gorgeous and abundant gardens of the famous veganic farm Tolhurst Organic. Fresh, organic and locally grown ingredients are chosen to produce low carbon footprint, cruelty free food, inspired and aligned with our ethos of re-connecting and re-aligning with mother nature to live in more harmony.

Accommodation is provided on a secluded camping field next to the shores of the river with composting toilets and fresh water. Tents available to rent if you can not bring your own. For a comfortable and nourishing experience of the retreat at the beginning of the summer, we recommend bringing a good foundation for your bed which can provide insulation from the ground and keep you warm. Good solutions could include a folded bed frame or thick mattress / ground mats, rug to go underneath and plenty of blankets and hot water bottle for the top. If you are in any doubt whether you will be able to make yourself 100% comfortable and cosy, we recommend choosing to stay in accommodation nearby. You can find a link to local airbnb places here.

Camper vans & caravans are welcome, dogs must stay at home!

Hardwick estate is only 40 minutes by train from London (Paddington), and just 20 minutes by car from Junction 12 on the M4.  Easily accessible from the main transport hubs at Reading, yet set in the rolling countryside of the Chilterns AONB, Hardwick is ideally located for a weekend getaway of peace and tranquillity.

If you have a spare seat in your car and are happy to share a ride, or if you need a lift to the gathering, here is the link to our retreat community WhatsApp Trees of Life.