practical information
The food at the monastery is simple vegetarian food. For special dietary needs like herbal teas or non-dairy milk, you have to bring that with you, or buy it in the village nearby.
There is a refrigerator and shelf space to store your personal food items but as this is shared amongst all of us, please keep that in mind when storing your things there.
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THE BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDING DUNES
A dune week ticket is required if you wish to go for longer walks into the dunes and to the sea. The dune ticket is included in your retreat fee, but you must let us know if you want one, as Saki will go into town to buy it for you. This area is a protected nature reservation, and it could happen that a ranger will ask you to show your ticket.
If you have a map of the dunes from previous years, please bring it with you.
On the page with directions there is also a small map of the dunes which could be good enough. Let Saki know two days before the retreat starts if you want her to buy a map for you - the map is 5 euros.
You don't need a map to find the sea - there is a straight road to it (Middenweg). The sea is just over 3 km away from the monastery - an hour walk.
Remember, international trains are often arriving later than scheduled, so be aware of this when making plans for local connecting trains or busses.
during your stay:
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travelling there:
Contact Lightsong@gmail.com if you need help with planning your trip or need a taxi to bring you to Heiloo or Castricum stations. Please, write to Lightsong to give us your arrival time no later than one week before the retreat starts if you need any help with travel plans.
Here is some practical information for your retreat at Lioba, Holland.
Please read it carefully.
Look here for a last minute weather forecast for the region
Your retreat begins on Friday afternoon, and you are welcome at the monastery after 15:00. This gives you time to settle in and have a walk in the beautiful surroundings and to reflect on your intention and aspirations for your retreat. We will be staying in the main guesthouse. You must ring the front door whenever you wish to enter the monastery. The nun answering will ask who is there, and if you say "Saki's group," they will welcome you and open the door.
On the first day, someone may come to show you to the main guesthouse where your room will have your name on it. If you are arriving earlier (after making prior arrangements with us) the sister in charge of the guest house guest will show you your room. Remember that any extra nights at the monastary requires you to pay an additional 60 euros per night. Also we are now being asked to pay 10 euros per person to rent sheets and towels as the monastary actually prefers people to bring their own. Please pay this at the orientation meeting. We will be meeting as a group at 17:00 on Friday afternoon. At that time, Saki will assign sitting times for everyone.
Please note: your retreat begins officially on Friday evening, even if you arrive one or two days earlier, and the retreat ends on the following Friday after lunch (14:00)
Meals:
A light supper will be served at around 18:00 (bread and cheese). Breakfast is generally the same (bread, cheese, peanut butter,yoghurt, muesli and fruit), and is served from 8:00 a.m. on. A simple warm vegetarian meal is served at around 12:30. We are expected to wash up our own dishes, setting up for meals and putting things back on the serving trolleys as part of sharing the mealtime tasks.
please note: this is a monastary, so if you have special dietary needs - you will need to bring these yourself! There is also a grocery store in the town of Egmond Binnen, about half an hour walk into town. see below "during your stay."
The retreat ends on the following Friday September 18 after lunch. You are asked to vacate your room before noon on that day, so that the cleaners could prepare for the next group arriving that day. However, you are welcome to leave your luggage in the foyer if you wish to go for a walk after lunch before returning home, or if you need to wait for someone to pick you up.
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write to Lightsong@gmail.com for any additional questions and to let us know what time you will be arriving at Lioba monastary.