Our Future

Here at OWD we are keen that our offer remains relevant in a time when people and the planet are facing many challenges. Othona can’t solve climate change, poverty, inequality, and division or the stress and burnout that many feel or experience. However, we are keen to do what we can to respond in such a way that people are able to come here and go away refreshed and more enabled to continue both to live in this troubled world and to do their bit to respond in love. This is not to say we wish to discard those things we do that are still helpful, but rather to expand upon and update our offer

What people say

People who visit tell us that coming here can be transformational for them and foundational for their families. They tell us coming here promotes their wellbeing and promotes spiritual exploration. They tell us that we offer a place of inclusion and inclusivity where they are accepted and can be themselves (sometimes more so than in many other areas of their lives).

. Some of their feedback has been…

• Othona is a place of connection, reflection and growth
• A place of inclusive spiritual practice searching for a balance between looking inward and looking outward, caring for oneself and caring for the wider community
• Othona to me is a place of refuge. (I first came at a very difficult time) I found amazing peace and it was the first step to my recovery
• No judgments are made, you can be who you are… as an agnostic … I drew strength from the spirituality… this is a real inclusive element…
• Whilst not a formal therapeutic community OWD has the extra dimensions of beauty, spirituality, philosophy and humanity which work together to heal.

Our challenges

We are however aware that our demographic is not representative of the demographic of the UK more widely and we would certainly welcome this changing. We also believe that our pricing is reasonable, indeed good value, and for some is easily affordable. It is also at the (minimum) level that we need in order to continue to function. However, we are also aware that for many people it is out of reach.

How we would like to respond.

We are thinking and discussing with others how we might widen what we do to be useful in the world. Areas where we would like to contribute are in

• “Caring for the carers” …
• Offerings to more vulnerable individuals and groups, such as refugees, families with caring responsibilities, perhaps those living in poverty without access to green spaces, the sea or indeed any form of holiday.
• Raising awareness and building resilience in relation to the current state of the world, i.e. trapped in a destructive consumerism, oppression and climate destruction