From the 2nd to the 4th of June, the tranquil setting of Ampleforth Abbey played host to a unique and moving event: The Joy of Encounter, a Meditatio and WCCM in the UK gathering. The retreat brought together members of the WCCM in the UK community and some of the most marginalised adults from Teesside, including the Saltburn Recovery Group and North East Opera (NEO).
Led by Terry Doyle, holistic wellbeing coach, Tai Chi teacher and long-time meditator, and Kate Middleton, director of Meditatio, the outreach for WCCM and a long-time meditator, the weekend offered a powerful space for healing, connection and shared humanity. Over the course of three days, participants engaged in a rich programme of activities designed to support wellbeing and deepen spiritual connection. These included Tai Chi, NEO Singing, Capacitar Wellbeing workshop, Creative Writing, Therapeutic Touch, Storytelling and Listening, 5Rhythms Dance and a Contemplative Nature Walk in the valley.
Sarah Humphreys
Central to the gathering was the opportunity for all participants to listen deeply, share stories, meditate and eat together. The gathering explored what it means to live on the margins of society and how meditation can be a profound source of support in reconnecting with our shared humanity. A particularly special moment came when Sixth Formers from Ampleforth College joined for the storytelling and listening session—an encounter that left a lasting impression on all involved.
Mike Stewart writes:
I am a WCCM meditator based in Edinburgh. However, even if I got the earliest train from Edinburgh in the morning, I still couldn’t get a bus connection to take me anywhere near Ampleforth on the same day. So I walked from Thirsk station to Ampleforth. The pre-retreat walking did help me to slow down and prepare for the rhythm of the next three days, which was truly a joyful encounter. And the peaceful setting of Ampleforth Abbey was perfect for this retreat.
The encounter was not just between people; it was an encounter for each of us with our own bodies. This was the first WCCM retreat I had done where the majority of the sessions were about body awareness. And through our bodies we built a sense of community with each other. And these sessions were beautifully balanced by our five meditation periods over the three days led by Kate Middleton.
We were a group from diverse backgrounds and family histories with some of our group having experienced (and still experiencing) deeply challenging circumstances in life. But as we moved through our time together, Terry’s simple observation, “Underneath it all, we’re just the same at the end of the day” (told in his ‘Teeside lilt’) emerged as a universal truth on the unity we all share with each other.
The sessions did challenge us and a gentle sense of self-discipline was needed to remain a part of things. But the discipline that we all undertook as best as we could was the kind that led us into warm-hearted community.
For me, a special part of the retreat was on the second evening when we met with students from Ampleforth school and some of our group shared personal stories of very challenging life events. On our last afternoon we had lovely walk down the valley with students from Ampleforth School to finish at a sculpture created by a famous alumni of the school – Anthony Gormley.
I felt that this was a truly joyful retreat giving an opportunity to be with people who you might not see at a more typical WCCM event. And the benefit of sharing some well-chosen workshops with each other, with inspiring leaders, was very special.
Inspiring Words from Terry
The retreat absolutely lived up to its title as a Joy of Encounter. All kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds came together and enjoyed listening and sharing with each other. We had some who were experiencing homelessness, some fighting their demons re drink and drug abuse, some neuro-divergent or with learning disabilities and some doing their best to hold things together with family and health issues… but everyone there alongside of each other, meditating, singing, walking, dancing, writing, massaging, healing together. People arrived as relative strangers and left as friends.
The feedback I’ve heard from those I brought has been incredibly humbling as so much healing ensued on so many levels for everyone who came. My hope is that the film that’s being edited will inspire others from all around our worldwide meditation community to look at what we have achieved and seek to find ways to introduce Joys of Encounter within their own spheres of influence.
Let’s share the Love and the Light, helping to heal ourselves and our world.
We hope you enjoy watching Terry’s short video of the Joy of Encounter retreat.