Wellness & Workshops Highgrove House
Wellness Defined by The Global Wellness Institute as ‘The active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health’. However, you may personally choose to define Wellness, but for me the simple act of taking part in an experience, in an environment that fills your heart and soul, is ‘wellness’.
It was an early start for a Sunday morning. Rather than a nice leisurely lie-in, my husband and I were in the car, driving through a very foggy and damp Cotswolds. Our destination was Highgrove House and Gardens, home to Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Although I had previously visited Highgrove House many years ago to tour the beautiful gardens with my mom, this visit was a little different.
We were embarking on a wellness experience called Lie Down & Listen with Christina McMaster, a Tibetan Bowl sound healing session combined with classical piano. If I am honest, I wasn’t really sure what to expect and so approached this experience with a lot of curiosity and interest.
As we approached Highgrove House, the fog started to lift, revealing a long drive and a lawned area filled with daffodils. We were gifted a glimpse of Highgrove House as we drove along the lane, sitting quietly and contentedly in its peaceful surroundings. As we arrived at The Orchard Room, our venue for the morning, we were met with the sound of birdsong, whose chorus stayed with us for the duration of the experience, adding another layer of harmony to an already enchanting Sunday morning.
On the lawned area in front of The Orchard Room, known as The Orchard Meadow, you are met by a delightful family of four Indian elephant sculptures. These form part of a joint collective between ‘The Elephant Family’ and ‘The Real Elephant Collective,’ of which Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla are joint presidents. The aim is to raise funds for the ever-increasing conflict between wildlife and humans. ‘The Elephant Family’ is a non-profit charity set up by Queen Camilla’s late brother, Mark Shand, to preserve endangered Asian wildlife.
The elephant family includes a male, a female, and two female calves called Padosee and Mallika, their names meaning neighbour and jasmine flower in Hindi. Their presence on the Orchard Meadow lawn brings a smile and pleasure of its own. In many ways, they seem quite surreal in this Cotswold idyll, yet there is also a sense that they are exactly where they need to be.
Entering through the large wooden doors of The Orchard Room, you are met with a warmth and welcome that starts to calm your nervous system before you even begin. You feel like you have entered the hallway of someone’s home, with an open fire, colourful rugs laid on the floor, unusual ornaments, and side tables displaying family photographs. The warm, sandy-coloured walls are filled with an eclectic mix of art. Some have an African feel, others Mediterranean, and there is a lovely collection of scenes from the Highlands of Scotland. Many of the artworks on display were painted by King Charles.
As each person arrived, they were greeted with a warm and friendly welcome and invited to help themselves to a selection of teas, coffees, herbal teas, and hot chocolate. There was a selection of fruit skewers and healthy oat bites and nibbles to stave off the early morning tummy rumbles.
There was a little time to mix and chat before the workshop. The small group was diverse, including individuals enjoying some time alone, couples, mothers and daughters, and friends sharing the experience together.
When we were invited through to the workshop, we were met with an enchanting room that felt magical and serene. At the centre was a grand piano, surrounded by a semicircle of candlelight, roses, and comfortable cushion beds, pillows, and blankets that beckoned us to lie down and relax. The air was filled with the scent of lavender, gentle music, and the promise of what was to come.
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As we each claimed our ‘bed’ for the next couple of hours, Christina gently took control of the space, briefly introducing us to the concept of ‘Lie Down & Listen’ and the story behind how it came to be. We were then guided through the most transformative experience of meditation, poetry, Tibetan Sound Bowls and chimes, and an unbelievably powerful and beautiful private classical piano concert. Christina introduced us to the incredible music she had composed and to the works of Bach and other esteemed composers, highlighting the resonance created by the piano and how this vibration and energy match and align with our own. As we lay and listened, the birds could be heard joining in with the music, and as Christina introduced us to each individual piece, we were taken to another place.
At one point, a joyful and melodic piece of music took me to our family dog, Chester. He is fifteen now and, sadly, in his later stages of life, but the music swept me to memories of him running on the beach with the children in Scotland, to Christmas mornings where he helped the children unwrap their gifts, to lying with my mom in her hospital bed, letting her rest her hand on his head—something he didn’t let just anyone do. It took me to his zoomies around the house and garden and the fun and laughter he had brought to our family since we first brought him home as an eight-week-old puppy. As the music changed to a more intense and darker piece, I found myself clinging to return to the previous joyful music and the memories it brought with it.
My husband’s experience of this same music was quite different. While the joyful piece took him to walks along a long expanse of beach, with the sea air and crashing waves, the more intense music immediately transported him to a moment in Greek history, kneeling and holding a shiny sword.
Just how incredible is the power of music and the feelings and emotions it stirs in each of us?
As Christina gently brought the workshop to a close with a selection of chimes and bells, I was left with a profound sense of relaxation and lightness of heart and spirit. My central nervous system felt completely calmed, and the constant stream of thoughts that usually fill my mind had quietened—at least for a short while.
As we sat together and discussed the experience with Christina, I suddenly became aware that all around the room, there were family portraits. Just to my left was an oval glass window with light flooding in, and beneath it, a lovely picture of our late Queen Elizabeth. A lady sat in front of the picture expressed that she felt the experience was quite majestic, which made me smile. What a truly special Sunday morning this was.
As we said our goodbyes and thank-yous, we took one more look at The Elephant Family, enjoying the now spring sunshine. We headed back down the drive, feeling so much more relaxed and calmer than when we arrived. I had already planned to visit the gardens again in April. The last time was with my late mom, so this will be a bit of a trip down memory lane for me, but I am excited to see the gardens in the spring.
As the profits from the sale of events, garden tours, and Highgrove products are donated to the King’s Charitable Foundation, attending a workshop or garden tour at Highgrove House feels even more worthwhile.
Take a look at Highgrove Gardens for more information on future workshops and events. I really cannot recommend them enough.
There are all sorts of workshops, including willow or candle making, calligraphy, floral art, and copper foil stained glass. There is also a selection of wellness workshops, including breathwork. The garden tours are wonderful, no matter what the season.
Whether you visit Highgrove House and Gardens on your own or with family or friends, you will certainly be made to feel very welcome and at home, and I am sure you too will leave with some very special memories.
Another way to describe ‘Wellness’ is a holistic integration of physical, mental and spiritual well-being fueling the body, engaging the mind and nurturing the spirit.
How would you describe ‘wellness’ and what does it mean for you?
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