Beginning Now
Making a fresh start, guided by the heart
A Kum Nye and meditation retreat
RETREAT DESCRIPTION
In this retreat we will experience how through movement we can discover a greater stillness, and how in that stillness we come alive.
With mind calm, heart awakened and senses open we can take a kind look at where we are, sense our potential, and be gently moved in that direction.
Kum Nye is based on traditional Tibetan healing practices and meets you where you are, so it is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
For those newer to meditation it is an accessible and grounding entry point, while for more seasoned practitioners, it can open a subtle and deepening pathway into embodied awareness.
Periods of this retreat will be held in silence.
Please note: The cost of the training only covers the residential, administration costs and travel expenses for tutors, therefore, dana for the tutors is welcomed.
Matt Padwick
Matt has been practising meditation and Kum Nye since 1998 as a member of the Dzogchen Beara Retreat Centre community in south west Ireland. He has completed two years of closed retreat and worked in a variety of roles including Centre Director from 2003-2013.
Matt was first authorised to teach Kum Nye by Arnaud Maitland in 2019 and is also certified by the Nyingma Institute (Berkeley, CA). He will be joining the Nyingma Institute to teach the 2026-2027 Teacher Training.
Matt offers Kum Nye workshops and retreats at Dzogchen Beara, elsewhere in Ireland, the UK and online. This will be his first visit to Karuna Dartmoor.
James Scurry
James is an accredited Core Process Psychotherapist and a Kum Nye instructor authorised by the Nyingma Institute . He specialises in supporting those who have experienced trauma to reconnect with their bodies and restore a felt sense of safety and belonging through the healing practices of Kum Nye.
Alongside his psychotherapy practice, James has run workshops with journalists, police offices, and members of the military, though his Kum Nye classes are open to anyone with an interest in embodied healing.
He has a deep interest in Tibetan Buddhism and co-facilitates workshops on Tibetan lucid dreaming practices for trauma alongside lucid dreaming teacher and author Charlie Morley.
James holds a Master’s Degree in Mindfulness-based Core Process Psychotherapy from the Karuna Institute in Devon, England.
Guidelines for Dana
Dana means “generosity” and “giving” in Pali, the language in which the Buddha’s teachings were originally recorded. The Buddha regularly emphasised in his teaching the value of generosity and sharing what we have with others, as an essential practice of cultivating happiness and wellbeing.
Dana is a foundation principle underlying the running of Retreats, and also at other Insight Meditation centres and Buddhist monasteries, around the world. This follows a two and a half thousand year-old tradition in the transmission of the dharma.
In order to make this opportunity to practice as accessible as possible, Karuna Dartmoor seeks to keep costs to a minimum. The charge you paid to attend this retreat covers only the ongoing costs of running the course. The teachers serve and support your retreat out of kindness and generosity: they are not paid for the work they do.
As your time on the retreat comes to an end, you have the opportunity to support the teachers who have supported your retreat.
The Buddha encouraged dana and generosity, in recognition of our interdependence, and as a wholesome practice which helps release the heart and mind from greed and negativity. In receiving with gratitude, and giving with generosity, we become more fully conscious participants in the interconnected web of life that supports us all.
Take it as a practice: there is no expected “right amount”, so please listen to your heart and give what you are moved to offer, while also respecting your practical circumstances. Your dana ensures the continued transmission of the dharma teachings, and their accessibility to all who wish to receive them.
The Directors and Teachers at Karuna Dartmoor deeply appreciate and thank you for your kindness and generosity.
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Beginning Now (September 2026)
DATES: Wednesday 9 September - Sunday 13 Septmber 2026
VENUE: Karuna Dartmoor, TQ13 7TR
TUTORS: Matt Padwick & James Scurry
COST: WAGED £520 (with a deposit of £200) / UNWAGED £390 (with a deposit of £200)
Plus Dana (a voluntary offering) for the tutors.
Arrival will be at 5pm on the Wednesday, departure from Karuna Dartmoor by 1.30pm on the Sunday.
Please note: The cost of the training only covers the residential, administration costs and travel expenses for tutors, therefore, dana for the tutors is welcomed.
You need to feel comfortable with silent retreats.
We may be able to offer payment plans to spread the cost of the course over a longer time. If this is something you would be interested in, please let us know once you’re accepted onto the course.
All residential retreats and training will include lunch and dinner, prepared by a local chef. There will be a self-serve breakfast. This is all included in the cost.
Karuna offers vegetarian meals. We can provide wheat-free and dairy-free or vegan options, but please inform us as soon as possible before your stay. If you have very specific dietary needs, consider bringing any items you might need to supplement the provided meals.
Please note that Karuna Dartmoor is alcohol-free and does not allow non-prescribed drugs.