Broughton Sanctuary, Yorkshire, UK

A Life of Practice:
The Four Keys

with Elena Brower
16 - 23 April 2027
BOOK NOW
Broughton Sanctuary,
Yorkshire, UK

A Life of Practice:
The Four Keys

with Elena Brower
16 - 23 April 2027
BOOK NOW
Four qualities carry a life forward: loving-kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity. The Buddhist tradition calls them the brahma viharas, the sublime abodes; four rooms in which the heart can thrive throughout our lives.

"Being in close proximity to Elena helped me realize new levels of accountability and freedom."

"Being in close proximity to Elena helped me realize new levels of accountability and freedom."

Example Day
Early meditation
Breakfast
Mid-morning asana
Lunch
Rest / treatments / walks
Afternoon asana and writing
What to expect
Returning to Broughton for her second year, Elena's retreat gives each key its own ground. Early mornings bring us together for silent sitting, then breakfast in silence. Morning asana moves through vigorous hatha and vinyasa, inviting the body to find each quality before the mind needs to understand. Afternoons offer more restorative and yin work. minimally instructed with a daily writing practice to close each day.
Loving-kindness opens the week. Compassion follows, then joy. Equanimity is given three full days rather than one, being the ground on which the other three are standing.
Broughton's walled garden, river, animal habitats, labyrinth and pools welcome us in, with food to nurture us and daily soak/steam/sauna time if you wish. Bring your notebook or journal, your yoga mat if you prefer using your own, and your willingness. Eager to be together again.
Example Day
Early meditation
Breakfast
Mid-morning asana
Lunch
Rest / treatments / walks
Afternoon asana and writing
What to expect
Returning to Broughton for her second year, Elena's retreat gives each key its own ground. Early mornings bring us together for silent sitting, then breakfast in silence. Morning asana moves through vigorous hatha and vinyasa, inviting the body to find each quality before the mind needs to understand. Afternoons offer more restorative and yin work. minimally instructed with a daily writing practice to close each day.
Loving-kindness opens the week. Compassion follows, then joy. Equanimity is given three full days rather than one, being the ground on which the other three are standing.
Broughton's walled garden, river, animal habitats, labyrinth and pools welcome us in, with food to nurture us and daily soak/steam/sauna time if you wish. Bring your notebook or journal, your yoga mat if you prefer using your own, and your willingness. Eager to be together again.
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"Elena’s work provides highly effective, grounded guidance."

"Elena’s work provides highly effective, grounded guidance."

About Elena

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Mother, mentor, poet, artist, volunteer, bestselling author, and host of the Practice You Podcast, Elena Brower is a celebrated international yoga and meditation teacher on Glo, guiding transformative practices since 1999. Her debut book, Art of Attention: A Yoga Practice Workbook for Movement as Meditation, has been translated into seven languages. Her bestselling journals Practice You and Being You, her collection of poetry entitled Softening Time, along with her courses, classes, and talks, explore stages of studentship, practice, life, and listening.

Her latest book, Hold Nothing, investigates what it means to let go of narratives and return to the spacious emptiness within. Her column on Substack supports girls and women, through On The Inside, Girls on Fire Leaders, Women for Women, and Free Food Kitchen.

She hosts the acclaimed podcast Practice You, a series of deep, compassionate conversations with teachers, artists, and thinkers, designed to support you through life’s transitions, encouraging presence, care, and openness.

Offering new weekly classes on Glo, Elena weaves body, breath, art, and contemplative mindfulness into practice. Bridging ancient yogic precision with creative depth and emotional intelligence, she serves individuals in cultivating resilience and inner alignment.

In 2023, she received Jukai (lay Buddhist vows) from Roshi Joan Jiko Halifax at Upaya Zen Center, and is a student in Upaya’s Chaplaincy Training. As part of her service, she volunteers in hospice and penitentiary settings, bringing yoga, meditation, and compassionate presence, aligning with Upaya’s commitment to local service and community support.

Learn more about Elena
elenabrower.com

About Elena

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Mother, mentor, poet, artist, volunteer, bestselling author, and host of the Practice You Podcast, Elena Brower is a celebrated international yoga and meditation teacher on Glo, guiding transformative practices since 1999. Her debut book, Art of Attention: A Yoga Practice Workbook for Movement as Meditation, has been translated into seven languages. Her bestselling journals Practice You and Being You, her collection of poetry entitled Softening Time, along with her courses, classes, and talks, explore stages of studentship, practice, life, and listening.

Her latest book, Hold Nothing, investigates what it means to let go of narratives and return to the spacious emptiness within. Her column on Substack supports girls and women, through On The Inside, Girls on Fire Leaders, Women for Women, and Free Food Kitchen.

She hosts the acclaimed podcast Practice You, a series of deep, compassionate conversations with teachers, artists, and thinkers, designed to support you through life’s transitions, encouraging presence, care, and openness.

Offering new weekly classes on Glo, Elena weaves body, breath, art, and contemplative mindfulness into practice. Bridging ancient yogic precision with creative depth and emotional intelligence, she serves individuals in cultivating resilience and inner alignment.

In 2023, she received Jukai (lay Buddhist vows) from Roshi Joan Jiko Halifax at Upaya Zen Center, and is a student in Upaya’s Chaplaincy Training. As part of her service, she volunteers in hospice and penitentiary settings, bringing yoga, meditation, and compassionate presence, aligning with Upaya’s commitment to local service and community support.

Learn more about Elena
elenabrower.com

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Avalon Wellbeing Centre
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Broughton Sanctuary

The retreat will be held here at the 2500 acre Broughton Sanctuary, just outside Skipton, at the foothills of The Yorkshire Dales, one of the most picturesque parts of the country. Established in 1097, Broughton Hall is a house of transformation, home to the Tempest family for over 900 years, and enjoys a rich history stretching back over the millennium.

The Sanctuary is also home to one of Britain’s most exciting nature recovery projects, a heartfelt commitment to address one of our deepest contemporary crises, based upon an extensive tree-planting and rewilding programme. We welcomed beavers to the Sanctuary in 2025 alongside our native cattle and Iron Age pigs. Subscribe to our Rewilding Broughton Youtube channel to learn more.

Avalon, our state-of-the-art wellbeing retreat centre is the beating heart of the Sanctuary. With extensive indoor and outdoor resources the building exists to serve the inner voyage of mind, body, spirit. During your stay you may unwind in the state-of-the-art biophilic designed Pool Suite; including a clear 20-metre pool, steam room and sauna, plus hydromassage pool. Beyond the building itself, the Sanctuary grounds offer a chance to return to source, from meditation labyrinths, wild swimming reservoirs, a cosmic garden and much more.

We have a large variety of rooms available, whether in Broughton Hall itself, or throughout our eclectic collection of 20 stunning guest houses, including converted barns, former coachhouses and gatehouses.

Rooming

The retreats offers a variety of accommodation across a collection of retreat houses and our 16th Century historic home, Broughton Hall.

Please note: the images below are examples of the type of room you will be booking, all rooms are subject to availability.

Rooms in Broughton Hall

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Broughton Hall, our Historic Home

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Broughton Hall - Bow, super king, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - North, super king, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - Amber, superking, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - Oak, super king, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - Portico, super king, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - Captain's, super king, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - Chapel Flat Tower, super king, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - Garden, super king, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - Penthouse Park, double/twin, shared bathroom

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Broughton Hall - Smiths, king, ensuite

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Broughton Hall - Buff, double, shared bathroom

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Broughton Hall - Copper Beech, double, shared bathroom

Rooms in Retreat Houses
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The Manse

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The Manse, conservatory

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Barnhouse

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Barnhouse, living space

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Poverty Hill

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Poverty Hill, living space

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Eden

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Eden, living space

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Top Lodge

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Top Lodge

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Stable Cottage

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Stable Cottage, living space

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The Manse - Rumi, ensuite

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The Manse - Tolle, ensuite

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The Manse - Teresa, ensuite

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Barnhouse - Trust, ensuite

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Barnhouse, example bathroom

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Barnhouse - Kindness, ensuite

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Eden - Chestnut, ensuite

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Eden - Lime, shared bathroom

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Eden - Beech, shared bathroom

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Top Lodge - Gatekeeper, private bathroom

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Top Lodge, example bathroom

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Top Lodge - Head Gardener, private bathroom

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Top Lodge - Pugin, private bathroom

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Poverty Hill - Pendle, ensuite

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Poverty Hill - Quaker, ensuite

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Stable Cottage - Saddle, ensuite

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Stable Cottage - Jockey, shared bathroom

How to book

Elena Brower
A Life of Practice: The Four Keys
Friday 16 - Friday 23 April 2027
7-night retreat

Please choose your accommodation from the form to the right. Choose from rooms in the Hall, or across our collection of Retreat Houses.

For any questions you may have, please email the Sanctuary team or call us on +44(0)1756 799608.

How to book

Elena Brower
A Life of Practice: The Four Keys
16 - 23 April 2027
7-night retreat

Please choose your accommodation from the form to the right. Choose from rooms in the Hall, or across our collection of Retreat Houses.

For any questions you may have, please email the Sanctuary team or call us on +44(0)1756 799608.

National Location
Road and Rail