Practical Information

We are looking forward to welcoming you at the Benedictine monastery of Lioba, Egmond Binnen, the Netherlands.   Below you will find further information about your stay. Please read through it carefully.

Arrivals, rooms, and meals

You are welcome at the monastery on Friday between 14:00 -  15:30.  This gives you time to settle in to your room and relax with a cup of tea.  We will be staying in the main guesthouse. Upon arrival, ring the bell at the front door for Lioba Gastenverblijf. The nun answering will ask who is there, and if you say your name and add "for Saki's group," they will welcome you and open the door.  (Each time you go in and out of the monastery you must do this.)

When you arrive, please go to the main guesthouse.  There will be a welcome sheet on the table in the main meeting room  and dining hall of the guesthouse with your name and room number on it.   There will also be a paper there  for you to sign up for karma yoga.  We are expected to set up for the meals, wash up our own dishes and pots/ pans,  put things back on the serving trolleys and clear the tables as part of karma yoga tasks. 

We will have a short orientation meeting at 16:00 on Friday, so please make sure that you are there on time!    

RENTAL OF SHEETS AND TOWELS:  

There are duvets and pillows, but if you wish to rent sheets and towels, please let us know and  pay an additional  € 12,50 with your retreat fee.  Many people like bringing their own sheets and towels.  This also spares the monastery from doing extra laundry as they have a shortage of help.

Meals:

On Friday at 18:00 there will be a simple light supper of bread, and cheese.  We shall also have the same on Saturday evening. Please bring your own extras if you need something more than that

Breakfast is self-service, from 7:00 -8:00.  Bread  cheese, peanut butter, fruit, yoghurt and muesli are available.  We need to make our own coffee and tea.

The main warm meal is between  12:30- 12:45 on Saturday and on Sunday.  The meal is a simple vegetarian meal.  When you have special needs you should bring this with you.

There is a small refrigerator in the kitchen as well as cupboard space to store things.  

On Saturday afternoon, between 14:00 - 16:00 the monastery opens their atelier to the public., where hand made crafts from the community are for sale.

The retreat ends on Sunday after lunch and tidying up at around 15:00 

Good to bring with you

• An alarm clock if you need it to wake up in the mornings

• warm clothing, shawls or sweaters!  

• a hot water bottle if you tend to be very cold in bed

• comfortable clothes during meditation sessions 

• Indoor shoes or warm socks 

• The floor is not carpeted, but there are enough chairs available. If you prefer to sit on the ground, bring your own meditation cushion or blanket.

• There are beautiful grounds for walks, so do bring outdoor shoes/ rain gear and outdoor clothes. 

• Bring notebook and pen if you wish to take personal notes. 

We all look forward to being together at the retreat 

HOW TO GET THERE:

Here is some information to give you some practical ideas about the venue of this special retreat.  We are very grateful to the community of Lioba that we are welcome there so many times each year!

ADDRESS AND DIRECTIONS:

Don’t enter the village Egmond-Binnen, but follow the roundabout.  On the left, about 200 meter outside the village, you’ll find the drive to the monastery.  

And please note - there are 3 villages called Egmond very near each other:

- aan Zee

- aan den Hoef

- Binnen

Lioba is just north of Egmond-Binnen and can easily be found on the road Herenweg.  This is the address:

Herenweg 85, 1935 AH Egmond Binnen. 

TRAVEL TO EGMOND BINNEN WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORT:

The easiest way is to take the train to Heiloo or Castricum station, and from there  regular busses leave to Lioba monastery bus stop (ask bus driver where the monastery is).  PLEASE NOTE that busses do NOT run on SUNDAYS so we need to either order a taxi or coordinate your return journey to the train station.  

GO TO THE SITE 9292 FOR UPDATED INFORMATION:  https://9292.nl/reisadvies

TAXI:  

You can take a taxi from the train station to the monastery.  It will generally cost around   25-30  euros which you could share with someone from the group.  For people coming from abroad:  a taxi can be called for you but you can also call for a taxi yourself:  +31725331313.