The retreat will help guests make sense of their life journey in the wider world
Structured learning sessions will focus on sacred geometry, ancient Greek philosophy, dreamwork and the role of myth
Guests will also be able to experience the thermal facilities at the Avalon Wellbeing Centre
A former neuroscientist and psychologist with a background in mythology and folklore, Dr Sharon Blackie, will lead a retreat called Nostos at Broughton Sanctuary’s Avalon Wellbeing Centre in the Yorkshire Dales, UK.
Taking place between 15-20 November, guests will explore how to live well in today’s world, using a framework for spirituality that is rooted in ancient Greek philosophy.
The word Nostos is derived from the ancient Greek concept of “homecoming,” historically linked to Odysseus’ return to Ithaca in The Odyssey. Blackie will be joined by contributors during the five-day experience, who are part of the Nostos Institute – a philosophy-led community committed to cultivating a deeper understanding of meaning, belonging and connection based on the oldest spiritual traditions of the West.
The contributors will be Mark Vernon, Tom Bree and Vanessa Chamberlin.
The retreat centres around what the Nostos Institute describes as “soul-making,” which means helping individuals find their personal calling and make sense of their life journey within the wider world.
The programme will include structured learning, personal reflection and shared experience. Guests will participate in conversations around identity, belief and belonging – as well as answering questions about the meaning of life and what it means to be wise.
Blackie said: “At a time when many feel spiritually unanchored, disconnected from both organised religion and surface-level wellness culture, Nostos offers a rare alternative. It provides a grounded, intellectually rigorous and deeply imaginative framework for exploring life’s biggest questions, without dogma or doctrine."
Guided sessions will focus on:
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The role of myth and the “mythic imagination”
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Dreamwork and active imagination
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Sacred geometry and cosmology
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Virtue ethics and the divine feminine in Western traditions
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Platonic and Neoplatonic philosophy as a way of life
Guests will also have the opportunity to explore the Sanctuary’s landscape, experience the thermal facilities within the Avalon Wellbeing Centre, take part in sound baths and enjoy storytelling gatherings around the property's Fire Temple.
The retreat cost ranges between £1,700 (US$2,159, €1,989) and £3,400 (US$4,318, €3,978) per person, depending on the choice of accommodation. The price includes accommodation, all workshops and food – beginning with dinner on Sunday 15 November and ending with breakfast on Friday 20 November.
