Returning to Gaia House: A Journey Back to Inner Peace

This month, Helen Stephenson, senior yoga and meditation teacher at MindfulnessMK, returned to Gaia House—a place that holds deep personal and spiritual significance in her journey. Surrounded by the serene beauty of Devon countryside, Gaia House is not just a retreat centre, but a sanctuary of stillness and inner exploration.

Helen describes being back as “coming home to my inner place of peace.” It was many years ago, during her early spiritual studies with her Indian yoga teacher, that she first encountered Gaia House.

The teachings of yoga and insight meditation intertwined at a formative time in her life, setting the foundation for the mindful path she continues to walk and share with others.

Now, with a heart full of gratitude, Helen is co-teaching a 5-day Insight Meditation and Yoga Retreat at Gaia House. Taking place in what was once a church, now lovingly restored as a tranquil meditation hall, this retreat offers participants the opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and deepen their practice in a truly sacred space.

The retreat combines periods of silent sitting, gentle yoga, walking meditation, and reflective inquiry—inviting those attending to step out of the daily rush and return to what is most essential. It’s a time not just for individual renewal, but for shared presence, quiet joy, and collective healing.

Helen expresses deep appreciation for the teachers and the Gaia House community, who continue to hold this precious space where people can encounter the essence of life through stillness, movement, and compassion.

This retreat is part of the ongoing work at MindfulnessMK to support individuals and communities in cultivating awareness, resilience, and peace.