The stargazing spa break for meditation and relaxation

Have you ever looked out at the ocean and had the feeling that all your problems become smaller in its presence, set against the sheer magnitude of the water? Now imagine that feeling twice over as you gaze up at the night sky and take in the universe as far as the eye can see.

It's that perspective and sense of wonder that Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa has captured on its Starry, Starry Night Retreat. Not only does the unique experience give spa goers the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the spa and hotel, but to embrace an immersive experience of the night sky and an opportunity to learn mindful star-gazing techniques through a thoughtful group discussion, a dusk Qigong workshop and dawn Zen yoga session.

The retreat is led by astrophysicist and Zen meditation and yoga teacher, Mark Westmoquette, whose own quiet reverence for the world around us is decidedly infectious.

Two worlds collide: bringing astronomy and mindfulness together

Mark's journey towards mediation and mental wellbeing is inextricably linked with the night sky. An astronomer by trade, with a background in physics and astrophysics, his scientific career began in London, taking him to Germany where he was involved in exploring the evolution of galaxies. During that time, he had the opportunity to go and study the skies in Hawaii - one of the best places in the world to do so.

He recalls: "I got there all excited, and the way it works is you are allocated time on these incredibly powerful telescopes for a few nights. You spend all night surrounded by these banks of computers, looking at the stars through the telescope, and then dawn comes and you stumble out. I did that for two nights in a row and gathered all this wonderful data, but it occurred to me that I was in this incredible place and hadn't looked at the night sky with my own eyes once. I was there capturing all these concepts and information but forgot to experience that direct human connection to nature."

No doubt a feeling that many of us can identify with (if not in quite such a visceral way), Mark gradually became inspired to seek a new direction, leaving astronomy in pursuit of something that was more people-focused. He wanted to find something where he could help people more, and having been doing some yoga and mediation for a while, he felt that side of him was waking up.

He began teaching yoga, and when he and his wife moved to the island of St. Helena, halfway between South America and Africa, he began to galvanise his thinking. With no light pollution in the area, he was reminded of his love of astronomy and the wonder that first attracted him to it. Soon his two worlds started to come together, combining yoga and stargazing. A number of books followed, with initial feedback from those attending his sessions speaking to that awed feeling of having your eyes opened to the world around you.

He says: "We all have a sense of the night sky but so often we don't really pay attention to it - we forget to look up! The night is part of our natural world - 50% of the time it’s dark, but we forget it exists. We all know the arguments about the benefits of connecting with nature - and it works exactly the same for the night sky. For some, the quiet or less familiar sounds of the night make them feel worried, but if you can combine it with a space to feel safe, you discover a whole new world."

Discovering the Dark Skies in Sussex

On his return to the UK, Mark set about doing more retreats, and he has now been running them since the pandemic.

Bailiffscourt Hotel and Spa has proven to be an ideal location. Set in Sussex and the South Downs, surrounded by 30 acres and nearby beaches, the area is one of the world's few Dark Sky Reserves, meaning it offers exceptional opportunities for stargazing due to its low levels of light pollution. For context, there are only six Dark Sky Reserves in England, and 20 around the world.

Of course, not everyday offers clear skies, but Mark has a plan whatever the weather.

The starry night spa break

The stargazing spa retreat has been carefully designed to suit the location, with an overnight break that includes contemplation and meditation, a stargazing and immersive tour of the night sky (with blankets), and an early morning group Zen yoga session.

Mark says: "We start inside and there’s lots we can do there because there are many ways to connect with the universe without looking at the stars. We feel our sense of weight - the force that pulls us down and connects us to the planet. I have a rope on which we trace the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang. We look at the timeline and how chemicals built up, realising that our whole body is made up of material that was made by stars. It's at that point you can see the spark in people. When we then go outside, we can point to different stars and get a sense of perspective - we can identify a small star that's like our sun, and know that it produced the carbon and nitrogen in our bodies. Essentially, we start to connect the science and our lived experience, and that's very special."

Mark has a particular talent for making the vast expanse of the universe relatable and tangible, noting with some amusement that the enamel we feel on our teeth is made of calcium phosphate, the components of which can only have been made inside a supernova, billions of years ago. It’s eye opening to think that the very things we're made of were once inside a star.

The net result of all of that information and experience is a sense of perspective. It's an opportunity to experience mindfulness by connecting with nature, creating a sense of wonder and affiliation with something vast, timeless, and simply magnificent.