A Life Well Lived by Willem Kuyken & Barbara Doeleman

A Rare Invitation to Deepen Presence

This 3.5-day retreat offers a unique opportunity to explore what it means to live fully awake; not as a concept or aspiration, but as a lived reality. In the intimate presence of two internationally respected teachers, you are invited to pause, reflect and practice.

What does it mean to flourish amidst all of life — its beauty, its sorrow, and everything in between?
How can we meet our minds and bodies with kindness, instead of struggle or avoidance?
And how might it feel to live more closely aligned with what truly matters?
Together, we enter a space of inquiry that is both personal and shared — grounded in silence, reflection, movement, and dialogue.

Keys to a life well lived

Central to this retreat are three themes that support a life of meaning and mindful engagement: We explore the practice of befriending ourselves; learning to relate to our inner experience with warmth and clarity. We reconnect with our deepest values and allow them to guide our everyday choices. And we cultivate the presence needed to live not on autopilot, but with intention, spaciousness and care.

Themes and foundations

This retreat brings together insights from modern psychology, contemplative science, ancient traditions and lived human experience. It is a place to slow down, to listen deeply, and to engage with the timeless questions of human flourishing.
We explore the qualities that support mindful living: curiosity, compassion, courage, patience, trust, and equanimity. We draw from foundational teachings such as the Four Brahma Vihārās and the Seven Factors of Awakening. We also explore dimensions of mindful presence  including: knowing awareness, wise discernment, and befriending compassonately.

This is mindfulness in action: a practice that touches how we meet stress and stillness, grief and beauty, inner life and outer engagement. Life becomes practice and practice becomes a way of life.

A Retreat Rooted in Experience, Not Instruction

This is not a lecture-based event. It is a living, breathing experience, shaped by silence and speech, by stillness and embodied movement, by personal reflection and shared presence. It is a retreat designed to nourish the whole person: mind, heart, and body. Periods of silence and stillness will alterate.

Who is this for?

This retreat is intended for those who feel called to explore mindfulness not as a method, but as a path of being. It is especially relevant for those with prior experience in contemplative practice who wish to live more consciously; whether in their personal lives, in leadership or in the helping professions. The setting is intimate and intentionally designed to foster presence, connection and depth.

You are warmly invited to join us.

Prior mindfulness experience is required

Practical information

Prices:
– Single room €1.275,- p.p.
– Shared room €999,- p.p.*

*When you register for a shared room, you share the room with someone of the same sex by default. If you prefer to share the room with a specific person (regardless of gender), please mention that person’s name when registering.

Included:

3 nights in a single or shared room (max. 2 persons), dinner on arrival, all other meals and drinks, inspiration material, use of sauna and swimming pond and 3 days of guidance by Barbara Doeleman-van Veldhoven and Willem Kuyken.

End of retreat May 30th 5 p.m.

Not included:

Travel expenses to the retreat location are not included and must be arranged by the participant. You can find information about travel options to the retreat location in the document ‘plan your trip’. You can find the document above.

And furthermore:

The retreat will be given in English. If necessary, Barbara can clarify in Dutch.

After registration, you’ll be asked to fill in a questionnaire to assess whether the retreat is suitable for you and whether we can offer you and the other participants the right safety and guidance.

If you have questions about this retreat email Eveline at office@ccmm.care

Read more about the programme and venue.

Teachers:

This deepening retreat is guided by Barbara Doeleman-van Veldhoven. From the age of 18 she studied Buddhist philosophy and psychology and meditation became an essential part of her life. She attended classes, trainings and retreats in several countries and in addition to taking the post-graduate mindfulness course at Radboud University and being trained as a compassion trainer, she became immersed in non-duality, Buddhist philosophy and practice by Bodhi College teachers (Christina Feldman, John Peacock, Jaya Rudgard, Acincano Weber, Chris Cullen, Stephen Batchelor, Martine Batchelor), Martin Aylward, Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Ajahn Succito, Thea Kuin and Pema Chödron, among others.

Barbara is founder and director of BFC Compassionate Care & Mindful Medicine; an organization that guides healthcare professionals, teams and leaders in strengthening professional performance, enhancing collaboration and being effective with leadership. Mindfulness and compassion underlie all its offerings. She is internationally recognized as an expert on mindfulness and compassion in leadership and organization.

Willem Kuyken is the Ritblat Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. His work focuses on preventing depression, promoting mental health, and flourishing across the lifespan. He has published more than 150 journal articles and was named by Web of Science as in the top 1% of the most cited scientists in the world in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025.

He is the author of two books, Mindfulness for Life, (2024) and Mindfulness – Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Psychology (2019) with Christina Feldman; both published by Guilford Press. His work has been featured in the New York Times, New Scientist, Nature, Scientific American, Times Oprah Daily, Educational Supplement, the BBC, CBS, New Statesman, Le Monde, der Zeit, the Telegraph, the Guardian and numerous podcasts.

Willlem lives in London.