The retreat starts on Friday afternoon and finishes on Sunday. The programme is a mix of silent sitting meditation and walking meditation, with guided mindfulness practices slotted in and evening Dharma talks and reflections. Mike offers a daily one-to-one check-in, so if something comes up in your practice you have someone to talk it through with privately rather than in a group.

Silence is the rule for the whole weekend. No phones, no email, no media, no talking. That is the actual content of the retreat, not a nice extra: the quiet is what gives the sitting meditation room to work. Rest periods are built into the schedule, and the house sits in a peaceful natural setting you can walk in.

What separates this from a general wellness weekend is that it is a proper silent retreat with a teacher present throughout, not a series of talks with free afternoons. You get structured practice, individual attention and a small group. The food is homemade vegetarian and vegan, cooked on site.

January on the Isle of Man is quiet and cold, which is part of why Mike runs it then. Rather than going straight back into the usual patterns after New Year, you get a weekend to stop and reflect. Previous participants describe finding stillness and insight, and one called it the ultimate in self-care.

The Mill House is in Santon, a short drive from Castletown in the south of the island. Rooms are en-suite, single or shared, and the price covers accommodation, all meals and the full programme.

What's included

- Two nights' accommodation at The Mill House in a single or shared en-suite room - Homemade vegetarian and vegan meals across the weekend - Silent sitting and walking meditation sessions - Guided mindfulness practices - Evening Dharma talks and reflections - Daily one-to-one check-ins with Mike Kewley - Full retreat programme

What's not included

- Travel to and from the Isle of Man - Transfers to The Mill House - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Anything not listed as included

More wellness retreats