Inward bound mindfulness education: Retreats for young people

A group of young people UK are standing quietly in a circle in a sun-lit room surrounded by woods.

One by one, they place their shoes into the middle of the circle. The quiet is respectful and accepting. The masks so usual to teenage existence have dropped.

The ‘real world’ of screens, likes and notifications feels far away. A magic time of authenticity, caring and peace is unfolding. And this is only day one.

The next five days will see laughter, tears, fun, silence, truth, friendships and young people opening up to each other like never have before.

This group of people aged 15-19 are taking part in iBme UK’s second mindfulness retreat for young people.

“Before going, I was hesitant of the idea, not really seeing a way through things I’ve dealt with,” says one girl, aged 17. “When I came out, however, I was able to confidently, with pride and certainty, manage difficult situations with my family and friends”.

iBme, pronounced I Be Me, stands for Inward Bound Mindfulness Education. Its retreats have been running for 10 years in the US, seeing some 4,000 teens experiencing profound change in their day-to-day lives.

They are now launching in Derbyshire, with a taster in Sheffield, after Jem Shackleford, iBme UK director, went to the US to see what the fuss was about.

He says: “I was bowled over by what I saw. I thought ‘we need this in the UK’.”

It’s a fairly demanding schedule – no phones, no technology of any kind, and daily periods of silence.

The young people wake each day at 7am, in silence, and make their way – some still half-asleep – to the meditation hall for a 30-minute silent sit.

The day unfolds with breakfast in silence, community chores, mindful movement, sitting meditation, walking meditation, small group meetings, lunch, free time, workshops, dinner, kindness meditation, wisdom talks, more small group meetings, one final meditation for good luck, and lights out at 11pm.

Each young person is part of a small group which meets twice a day.

A popular self-enquiry activity that takes place in small groups is the ‘hot seat’ exercise, during which one young person is asked questions by his/her peers.

The questions often nudged the young person to degrees of openness that were deep and cathartic.

“I was able to open up about what really concerns me,” says one 18-year-old.

Jessica Morey, director of iBMe in the US, says: “With adolescents, what is so helpful is seeing they are not alone and having this authentic intimacy with their peers.”

There is time for fun, too. Different workshops are offered every day, including art, crafts, games in the woods, dance and authentic connection.

Mindful movement is a daily offering to help the teens connect more positively with their bodies.

One parent says of her daughter: “She went to the retreat carrying a lot of different worries and negative beliefs about herself, others and the world and returned a lighter, brighter, happier and more rounded, compassionate person”.

When parents of the teens were asked if they would encourage their children to return, all said yes.

“I truly feel the retreat was a turning point for my daughter, to believing change was possible and it was within her to do it for herself”, says one mum.

Another said of her daughter: “She left feeling like she has a core purpose, meaning and centre from which she can orientate her life.”

iBme UK retreats will take place in Derbyshire and Kent this summer. To find out more, there is a taster session on Saturday, March 7, from 2-4pm at The Welcome Centre, Nottingham Street, Pitsmoor – see www.ibme.org.uk