No one is an island

I have left my comfort zone of solitary wandering and come to an island off an island to be with 23 other women from different faiths and lives. Here on Holy Isle I am taking part in a retreat hosted by Interfaith Scotland. We all met up at the pier in Lamlash, where due to the tides, we had to wait for nearly 2 hours for a ferry. The weather was nice, and the wait meant that we all got talking and started getting to know each other before we even arrived on the island.

After being shown our rooms there was time for a quick look around, then a briefing from a volunteer and a welcome soup supper. We had an introductory session this evening and it’s now time for bed - I am very tired.

From what I have seen so far, the island is beautiful and full of wildlife, including Eriskay ponies and Soay sheep. It is very peaceful here, with no cars and no light pollution.

Holy Isle is owned by the Rokpa Trust, and the HolyvIsle Project is directed by Lama Yeshe from Samye Ling. His intention is to “provide a sustainable environment where individuals can develop and experience inner peace”