We opened the doors of Acorn Wellness in January 2017. It was my dream to create a safe space for people to be inspired, nurtured and nourished and ultimately, to find a path of wellness. To find time to escape the world and connect with themselves and like minded souls seemed to be an imperative part of the plan. I had discovered the incredible benefits of yoga, mindfulness and nature and I wanted to share them.
Since we opened, it has evolved and grown into something that I am so proud to be a part of. The embracing and wholehearted specialists and therapists that grace this place with their profound and inspirational teachings, have proven to be as vital as the beautiful countryside and structure of this special place.
It has been a real privilege to be a part of people’s life in this way, both specialists and guests give opportunities to share and learn. I have come to see The Acorn as a place to empower individuals to embrace their life fully and optimise their health with a holistic approach – mind, body and soul.
When I first visited the house in December 2014, I knew instantly that this home, tucked into the rolling hillside with its babbling brook, secluded garden and stillness, was to be the perfect haven I was looking for. The place itself is truly special and admired by all its visitors. As soon as people walk through the door, they will often makes comments to suggest immediate calm and safety such as, “its like coming home” or “I feel relaxed already.” One of our guests felt so moved by the feeling of this magical place that she carried out research that lead her to discover that The Acorn is in fact on a lay line along with Ripon Cathedral and Fountains Abbey. The building itself and the grounds, seem to muster the best qualities for healing to take place on every level. I still feel this too – every time I arrive and still feel so grateful that I have this opportunity to share it like this.
I set up Acorn Wellness to provide a safe haven to serve people in finding a path to wellness and sharing ways to stay well on their journey. I had witnessed people close to me find comfort in supporting their own health in times of illness and I wanted our place to become a support for those in need of guidance. The catalyst for The Acorn’s creation was my husband having bowel cancer at 29 when I was 14 weeks pregnant. It stopped our lives in its tracks and life became suddenly very fragile. I supported him to implement changes that empowered him to take his health back – changes that he believes are the reason for his survival. There was very little support back then (2008) and I was determined to create a space that could support people on this challenging journey – hence why we have a not for profit ethos that supports people on day retreats.
When I walked into my first yoga class in 2014, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I had not only endured my husband’s cancer journey, but I had also suffered a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that had meant a huge life saving operation. My almost daily running had to come to a pause. I needed to pause. I’d been thrown so many curved balls along with bringing two children into the world and the challenges of motherhood to the mind, body and soul. Yoga was where I began to heal – I showed up every week and eventually began to recognise myself again. I continue to rely on a personal practice to help find balance and perspective in life but now there are all sorts of modalities woven in, including cacao and sound. I have witnessed transformational changes in our guests and continue to believe that Yoga can have a profound effect on overall health and wellness – its a great foundation for daily practice. We are lucky to have Jules Cooper as our yoga teacher who offers a weekly class on a Monday 9:30-10:30.
A while after I started Yoga, I was dragged along to a mindfulness course by a friend. This was an absolute life altering moment for me. One of those times when I didn’t know how I’d survived this long without having this vital tool and life support. It was about week 3 of the 8 week course that I really felt myself becoming more and more able to acknowledge when I was allowing my thoughts to run away. I had become a witness to my own mind and this was a gift – One that I wanted to share and further deepened my yoga practice.
Here at Acorn wellness, we attempt to provide events that are accessible and varied from overnight retreats, day retreats and pop up gong baths or essential oil workshops. We also offer half day retreats, regular yoga classes or drop in treatments. The Acorn is also available as a venue to hire, for specialists to bring their own groups to enjoy exclusive use.
The specialists here at Acorn Wellness are chosen to fit in with the ethos of our holistic ideals. They all have an ‘ever learning’ approach, key to them adapting to individual needs. We are privileged to have such a high quality, well experienced team of beautiful souls.
You can create your own exclusive bespoke retreats, encompassing any of our specialists for an event of your choice. We do recommend planning in advance for this to avoid disappointment on dates.
I am so excited to announce the launch of our new 3 night retreat – Nourish to Flourish. This retreat is a magical blend of wellness tools, holistic practices, immersion into nature and includes many of our amazing specialists. Learn more on Retreat with us.
