Re-Vitalise have been running Buddhist based Tai Chi and Meditation retreats at Braziers Park, Ipsden, just down the road from Wallingford for 10 years now and have taken over 800 people through their retreats. I was recently asked about the retreats and how they help people deal with the stresses and strains they face in their lives.

“We hear the term mindfulness extremely often now in the media and in magazines but I’m not convinced that people are really appreciating what it is about or how you apply it to you life. Actually, mindfulness is a practise. That is a key word. Because we do have to practise! In order to make mindfulness a part of our lives and to experience some of the benefits that it can offer, we must practise. The practise simply involves dwelling in the present moment. Without the usual clutter and overlay of the mental chatter of our minds. We simply pay attention to what is happening right now. Sound easy? It isn’t. The reason it isn’t is because, when life kicks off and the stressful situations which cause us pain kick in, we forget to be mindful. I do it! Even after 25 years of practise, there are times when I forget. That is what we humans do. Our thinking takes over and gets in the way of what is actually happening.
Retreat is very important. It gives us a real opportunity to practise, without our modern, crazy world invading. On retreat we learn tai chi, a moving meditation, which helps us to lock in to the present moment by observing closely the movement of our bodies. Then we learn traditional buddhist sitting meditation which helps us to develop the concentration necessary to keep control of the mind, to stop it dancing around and taking us away from our objective, simply to stay in the moment.

The rest, following retreat, is down to us. To make sure we sit regularly, or practise our tai chi regularly. This way, mindfulness creeps in to our lives and transforms us, drop by drop or thought by thought. So come and practise with us. www.re-vitalise.co.uk.”