ENDORSEMENTS

Five of us spent a weekend at the Meditation Centre - including actors, a writer, and a designer - taking part in a day-long course, followed by further meditation and a follow-up check on the second day - with walking, eating and relaxing in the beautiful village of Dent included in the programme. It was more than a tonic. There is no doubt that the practice of meditation and the sense of retreat that the Meditation Centre offers, has a massive contribution to make to all the creative industries, whether individual artists or groups. The relaxed, easy, generous, and highly expert quality of teaching was incredibly impressive. The skills and tools that we learned will feed back into all of our work, making us better, more open, more reflective creative practitioners.
Lucy Davies, Head of The National Theatre Studio

The Meditation Centre at Dent is an ideal vehicle for those individuals and teams who are interested in taking risks and gaining deeper insight. Meditation is a positive force for change – it helps develop personal coping strategies and promotes greater self-awareness.
Steve Dalton, NHS Executive

Many courses offer life-transforming experiences, and one takes their claims with a pinch of salt. But learning to meditate at Dent Meditation Centre really did change my life for the better. There's no magic, just highly professional organisation, experienced and inspiring tutoring, and a beautiful environment.
Linda Woodhead Head of Department of Religious Studies, Lancaster University

Meditation is everything I want it to be. When I am tired it refreshes me, when I need to concentrate it helps me focus, and when I want to extend myself I feel anything is possible. When I haven’t got time to meditate, my own fuel gauge tells me that this is precisely the time I need it most. My inspiration and ideas do not come from my logical, thinking mind but from a stillness within. Meditation prepares my mind, and allows creativity to bubble up to the surface for me to grasp and use to the best of my ability.
Martin Rayner, Director of Lakeland Limited

It’s not easy to pinpoint all the benefits I have experienced since learning to meditate in Dent; I am aware of subtle shifts. My attitude towards myself and others has softened, more gentle and less resisting. I’ve been able to reconnect to deeper levels more easily despite the tensions within my own life. I know that I now have the ability to settle into a gentle, loving space . . . thank you for the fellow searching, vulnerability and peace that was shared at Dent.
Marko Müller, Artist


There is no doubt that the Meditation Centre in Dent offers teaching that can bring about deep and lasting change in people's lives. Meditation has had a profound effect on my life, both on a personal level and within my work as a musician and teacher of young people with learning disabilities. My teaching has become more creative and effective with the result that I have now instigated an innovative programme of Stress Management for both pupils and staff at school. The far-reaching benefits of this have been recognised by colleagues, employers and Ofsted inspectors, and these techniques are now being adopted by other schools and Centres in the North of England.
Julie Darling, Special Needs Teacher and Harp Therapist

I've been in the hotel business for many years and, whilst I love it, it can be stressful. The demanding schedule can take its toll on relationships, personal time, and health. I have always had slightly high blood pressure and meditation has helped reduce this – that's the measurable bit. But it also calms me, allows me to deal with problems more easily, stops me getting hung up on things which are minor in reality. I have more energy and sleep better at the end of the day. It's definitely restorative. I have also not had the severe sort of colds I used to get every winter when run down. Most importantly Jean my wife, notices that there has been a reduction in the many types of anger I used to feel which were almost definitely stress related.
I'm sure if more people in the world meditated it would be a better, less stressful place!
Mike Bevans, Linthwaite House Hotel, Windermere

I learned to meditate with Eliza at a time when my work life was both highly pressured and very insecure. It felt as if I had learned a way to inject concentrated rest and rejuvenation into my day, every day, in a way I had not been able to before. I managed the subsequent period of change and increasing work pressures feeling much calmer and more clear-headed. I have continued meditating regularly and now very rarely feel exhausted, overwhelmed or over-stressed, whatever is going on around me.
Karin Tustig, Lecturer and researcher, Lancaster University