Retreats taken during the pandemic

The Jasmine House will reopen on September 4th. I’m looking forward to welcoming guests back for their personal retreats! And, at the same time, some things will be slightly different from before.

The Jasmine House is not just a retreat house; it’s also my home. Unlike Guest Houses or B&Bs, the house is not separated into guest and owner areas. My kitchen, dining room, lounge and the Sky Room are shared spaces. We eat breakfast together as well as spend many hours in the Sky Room (the healing room) with one another. We are effectively living together for 3–5 days which makes things a little tricky, but I trust the steps I am taking—see below—will keep everyone, including myself, as safe as is possible.

I’m passionate about all aspects of physical, mental and emotional health—and take good care of myself. I eat a pescatarian diet (vegetarian with fish). I don’t drink alcohol, tea or coffee, and I don’t smoke. I exercise and meditate most days. It’s rare for me to be ill or even to catch a cold.

I live by myself. I’m not a socialite, so I don’t frequent pubs or clubs. I eat out infrequently—and when I do, it’s now outdoors only. I take care with social distancing. I’ve created a social bubble with my eldest daughter and her family. They live in Yorkshire, so due to the distance between us, we don’t see one another very often. From now on, after we meet, I will be especially careful. I meet with my youngest daughter and her family, outdoors only. The rest of my family do not live locally. In the run-up to a retreat, I ask my guests to be careful too to minimise the risks.

Dorset, and especially Portland, has had a low coronavirus infection rate. However, due to the nature of this virus, I could be asymptomatic and unknowingly pass the virus on. The same goes for guests arriving here who could pass it on to me. I wish I could offer a guarantee that this wasn’t the case—but I can’t. However, the following steps will keep the risks as low as possible.

During the pandemic, people have very different views on what is and isn’t safe. For some people, what I am suggesting will work—for others, it won’t. There is no judgment. We all have to take into account the government’s guidance, our circumstances and then decide what is best for ourselves.

If you have any concerns, then as an alternative to a retreat, I am offering deep emotional healing via Zoom. Please see Emotional Healing on my Jennie Bayliss website for more details.

Please feel free to email me or call me on 01305 821799 to discuss any concerns you may have about staying with me. I want very much for you to feel comfortable and safe during your retreat.