Listening for the Sound of the Genuine: A Winter Retreat Day

A spacious day of listening for the sound of the genuine: your own true voice and what is good, true, and beautiful in this world.

In an increasingly polarised world, where the forces of hate and fear intensify, it becomes ever more important to hear the sound of the genuine: what is good, true and beautiful that will strengthen, renew and guide you for the road ahead. Finding a way to hear the sound of the genuine in yourself is not an easy task.

“There are so many noises going on inside of you, so many echoes of all sorts, so [much] internalizing of the rumble and the traffic, the confusions, the disorders by which your environment is peopled that I wonder if you can get still enough—not quiet enough—still enough to hear rumbling up from your unique and essential idiom the sound of the genuine in you.…. There is something in every one of you that waits, listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself and if you cannot hear it, you will never find whatever it is for which you are searching.…” Howard Thurman, Civil Rights Leader and Theologian (1899 -1981)

This winter retreat day offers a warm hospitable space, a pause from the busyness, and an opportunity to become still enough to hear the sound of the genuine. Through a distinctive set of principles and practices, known as a Circle of Trust®, we will create a generous space and a gentle rhythm, with options for being immersed in nature, meditative practices like labyrinth walking and poetry to nourish our spirits. We will alternate time for individual reflection with opportunities in small groups and the larger circle to share and listen. A warm welcome awaits you with a fire crackling in the hearth.

What participants say about our previous Circle of Trust retreats

“I felt safely held, supported and free to roam with my inquiry and sense into my own rhythms and rhyme. This is powerful and heart-full work”. Rita McNulty

 “Felt like my essence was seen, acknowledged and reinforced”. Salman Ahmad

“What a gift. Beautifully held in a magical place with a balance of thoughtful provocation and silent reflection. I came away feeling deeply content and restored.” Nicole Bradfield

“I felt welcomed and held in a sacred space that we co-created as the day weaved a magical thread through poetry, meditation, reflection, storytelling, labyrinth walking and song”. Dominic Elton

Email: john.watters@livingleadership.org.uk with any questions or visit our Eventbrite page for more information on the retreat and to book your place