Thursday 20th - Sunday 23rd November 2025
Space is available on this event!
Post mortem portrait of Meister Eckhart c. 1366
‘When genuine friends of God – such as was Eckhart to my way of thinking – repeat words they have heard in secret amidst the silence of the union of love, and these words are in disagreement with the teaching of the church, it is simply that the language of the market place is not that of the nuptial chamber.’
So wrote Simone Weil as she reflected on the spirituality offered by Meister Eckhart who at once stood inside the church and on its very margins. A Dominican abbot, a professor of theology and a spiritual director, he wrote ultimately from personal encounter, as ‘the man from whom God nothing hid’.
On this retreat, we gather around a 14th century monk experienced by many as a mystic for our age. In his Rhineland cloisters, amid the mess and glory of community life, he saw horizons of being like few before or since.
With Simon Parke, 'therapist, writer and human', whose background ranges from Anglican priesthood to scriptwriting for Spitting Image.
Extra Accommodation
If this retreat is as popular as we expect, we will be offering alternative accommodation for some at Marian Dunlop House in Dorchester. A retreat centre owned by the Fellowship of Meditation, it is a substantial Victorian house with comfortable upstairs bedrooms, a well-kept garden and very convenient for Dorchester South station. Staying here you will breakfast with others as a mini-community and then go to Othona by car (ours or yours) to join in the rest of the day's retreat activities.
We advise early booking if you'd particularly like accommodation at Othona. If you'd prefer to try Marian Dunlop House please say so in the 'Questions or Comments' section of the booking form. Prices (see below) are exactly the same as at Othona itself.
Fee Types
You are genuinely welcome to choose whichever rate suits you
(Learn more about our Pricing Policy & Bursaries)
| Standard | £335 | aims to cover our real costs |
| Basic | £285 | if all pay Basic, Othona has to cut staff & activities |
| Benefactor | £385 | helps us afford Basic Rate and Bursaries |
| Deposit | £ 30 |
Arrival + Departure Times
(Learn about Arrival+Departure)
| Arrive between | 4.00 - 6.00 pm |
| Depart after | 2.30 pm |
Coast Road
Burton Bradstock
Dorset
DT6 4RN