Land of Joy

18/06/2026

17/06/2026

⚽ The whole world is watching the game right now ⚽️

The World Cup is an exciting, and beautiful thing - millions of hearts beating as one, the highs, the heartbreak, the way a single match can lift or sink our entire mood in ninety minutes.

And isn't that a wonderful mirror for the mind? 🧘

As Lama Yeshe reminds us: "Your up and down emotions are like clouds in the sky; beyond them, the real, basic human nature is clear and pure."

Whether your team is soaring or already packing their bags, the score will rise and fall - but the awareness watching it all remains steady, spacious, and calm. The real championship, perhaps, is learning to rest there. 🌤️

So enjoy the game. Cheer your heart out. And when the final whistle blows - win, lose or draw - may you find that quiet, unshakeable joy that no result can touch. 💙

16/06/2026

🌿 Our June Spiritual Programme Newsletter is here!

June arrives with long days, open skies, and the land at its most alive - a beautiful time to deepen your practice. And we're still within the blessed window of Saka Dawa, when every act of kindness and moment of genuine practice is amplified beyond measure. ✨

Some highlights from this month's newsletters:
🕯️ Wednesday Night Meditations for our local community
🤍 Our online White Tara Practice Group - join from anywhere in the world
🙏 Heartfelt thanks (and beautiful feedback) from The Bridge from Shamatha to Vipassana
📿 A look ahead to upcoming retreats with Ven. Mary, Lou Beaumont, François Schick, Geshe Rinchen & more
🏡 Retreat hut availability for your own solo practice
🎧 A podcast recommendation to accompany you wherever you are

Whether you're drawn to silent contemplation, embodied movement, philosophical inquiry, or simply the nourishment of community - there's something here for you this summer. 💙

🔗 Read the newsletter here: https://landofjoy.co.uk/resources/newsletter-archive/

15/06/2026

🌿A Reminder: Our Community Programme

A gentle reminder that our Community Programme is alive and well - if you’re in the local area, we hope you will join us for🕯️ Wednesday Night Meditations 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, 6–7pm Land of Joy's main gompa.

You don't need to be Buddhist, or have any prior experience - just a willingness to come along, meet the team, and see what Land of Joy is all about. ✨

Whether you're curious about meditation and want to give it a try, or you have your own practice but find it hard to sustain alone, our Wednesday night meditations offer a quiet, supportive space to explore. Experienced meditators will guide you through a variety of techniques and themes, perfect for beginners and experienced practitioners alike.

No need to book - just turn up at the main door, and we'll show you to the room. 🙏

13/06/2026

Land of Joy is a wonderful environment for retreat. Our semi-rural location offers quiet, spacious and beautiful grounds which can be explored during your breaks whilst the retreat facilities provide a private space that will support your practice. Our three private retreat huts are in a part of the woodland close to the main house overlooking the valley. We ask that you plan to stay for a minimum of one week and a maximum of three months.We still have very limited availability in the next few months (more dates are available throughout the year, please check the website!):

Retreat Hut 1: 11th - 19th November | 2nd - 19th December

Retreat Hut 2: 3rd - 19th November | 8th December - 28th January

Retreat Hut 3: 17th - 25th November | 10th - 19th December

NOTE: Our retreat huts bookings are open to 2027, please be sure to book in advance!

11/06/2026

Such a simple teaching. Such a profound shift. 🪷

When we turn our attention outward - genuinely, wholeheartedly toward the wellbeing of others - something unexpected happens. The happiness we were searching for begins to find us.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche reminds us that cherishing others is not a sacrifice. It is the very source of our own joy. 💛

May we carry this with us today, in small acts of kindness, in patient listening, in a warm smile offered without agenda. 🙏

10/06/2026

Upcoming Retreat Opportunity:
🌿 Mindful Movement with Body & Breath
With Lou Beaumont | Friday 28th – Sunday 30th August

Sometimes the path back to stillness runs through the body.
This gentle, nourishing retreat invites you to slow down and reconnect - with your breath, your energy, and your own natural rhythm. Through the complementary practices of pranayama (yogic breathwork) and qigong (mindful movement), you'll explore how breath and movement can work together to harmonise the body, calm the mind, and open a grounded pathway into meditation.

No experience needed. No performance required. Just you, your breath, and the beautiful stillness of Northumberland. 🌳

Over the weekend you'll explore:
🌬️ Pranayama practices to energise and calm
🤲 Gentle qigong to release tension and invite flow
✨ Awareness of subtle energy within and around the body
🧘 Simple, accessible meditation rooted in embodied presence
Each session is slow-paced and spacious - room to move, breathe, and rest at your own rhythm.

Whether you're new to these practices or returning to deepen your experience, you are warmly welcome. 🙏

🔗 Register here: https://landofjoy.co.uk/mindful-movement-2026/

08/06/2026

Upcoming Retreat: 🌿

How do we live well - not just in grand gestures, but in the small, quiet moments that make up a life?

Teacher François Schick invites us into a gentle yet profound exploration of the second pāramitā: ethics and morality. Together, we'll look at how ethical conduct nurtures inner peace, how our choices ripple outward through the law of karma, and how timeless teachings can be woven into the fabric of everyday life - our words, our actions, our relationships.

This retreat is for everyone. Whether you're new to Buddhist practice or have walked this path for years, you are warmly welcome. If you're longing to pause, reconnect with what matters most, and discover how integrity can bring steadiness and ease to modern life, this weekend is for you.

✨ Guided teachings & reflections
✨ Practical wisdom for daily life
✨ Space for silence and contemplation
✨ A warm, supportive community

🔗 Register through our website: landofjoy.co.uk

05/06/2026

Ready to take flight on your spiritual journey? 🪽

The Buddhist path to awakening is often compared to a bird with two wings: Wisdom and Bodhichitta (compassionate intention). To truly soar toward enlightenment, we must develop both in harmony.

Join us at Land of Joy from July 3rd–11th for a transformative retreat led by Ven. Mary Reavey. Together, we will explore the Lam Rim - the graduated path to enlightenment - focusing on turning intellectual concepts into a living, felt experience through meditation.

✨ What to expect:
A deep dive into the two "wings" of practice.
Guided meditations to move beyond the intellect.
A supportive environment to integrate these teachings into your daily life.

Don't miss this opportunity to strengthen your practice and cultivate a heart of wisdom and compassion.

Register here: https://landofjoy.co.uk/two-wings-of-wisdom-bodhichitta/

04/06/2026

🌿 Something special is coming to Land of Joy this summer

Life moves fast. The to-do lists pile up. Somehow, the people we love most can feel the furthest away.

This August, we're creating space for something different. 💙

🏡 Land of Joy Family Retreat

Friday 31st July - Monday 3rd August
With Olivia & Louise

A long weekend to slow down, reconnect, and remember what matters most - together.

We'll explore simple ways to bring more kindness into your home, tools for navigating life's challenges with a steady heart, and practices that strengthen the bonds that make your family uniquely yours. All set against the peaceful woodlands, open skies, and gentle wildlife of our Northumberland sanctuary.
No rush. No noise. Just your people, the land, and a little more space to breathe. 🌳

All are welcome — whatever your family looks like. 🙏

🔗 Register here: https://landofjoy.co.uk/family-retreat-2026/