The Journey April 2025

The Journey

The Journey is Embercombe’s flagship 5-day programme. Created 15 years ago by Mac Macartney, an international speaker, writer and change-maker, he still co-leads every Journey. Wherever you are on your own personal journey, whether slumbering, awake, or deeply present to your potential, this profound experience will enrich, enliven and lovingly challenge you. For some it will be an initiation, for some a homecoming, for some a radical deepening.

with Mac Macartney, Tugba Kirhan, Joey Waterson & the Journey Team

Why Choose The Journey?

You might be feeling distracted, overwhelmed or disconnected. Too many of us in today’s world feel that this is all there is to life. You may feel a creeping passivity, that you’re stuck or have become a bystander. Maybe you feel at a crossroads not knowing which way to turn. Or perhaps you are successful and active in the world but are still searching, looking to deepen and become further resourced in an increasingly challenging world.

Imagine feeling that you are truly alive and awake – resilient and confident in your ability to navigate the dramas and difficulties of life. You feel a real connection with, and acceptance of, who you are and you are clear at last on what you can offer to the world. Above all you are passionate about making the most of what life gives you every day. That is what we want you to take away from The Journey.

15 years ago, we created The Journey for just this and since then we have seen thousands of people pass through the gates of Embercombe, an ancient landscape, now a learning centre and the heart of a highly respected rewilding project.

The Journey is an invitation to become active and present in your life and to step into your full potential. It is a reconnection with yourself, with the earth, with your spiritual being and, most importantly, with your purpose. And with that, an opportunity to gain clarity on what is in your heart and how you can turn that into outward action in the world.

Wherever you are on your own personal journey, whether slumbering, awake, or deeply present to your potential, this profound experience will enrich, enliven and lovingly challenge. For some it will be an initiation, for some a homecoming, for some a radical deepening. 

Over the course of a week, amidst this ever faster world, we invite you to step away from your everyday routines, to reflect, re-evaluate and find new perspectives. You will be held in a supportive facilitated space, immersed in nature, and alongside others.

How Does The Journey Work?

The Journey is a 5-day residential programme drawing together people from all walks of life. Journey participants are people of all ages, social groups and experience. The common ground you share is a deep desire to truly be yourselves in your lives, and to make a powerful contribution to the world – one that is aligned with your gifts, passion and experience.

What exactly happens on The Journey has remained a closely-kept secret. Why? Because we firmly believe that creating expectation takes away from the power of the experience. 
The Journey’s transformative power comes from four key elements:

1. A carefully curated programme which includes time in solitude and with others, time on our land and time spent indoors, breathwork, storytelling, coaching and an introduction to ancient practices.
2. Activities led by skilled & experienced facilitators:
3. The land, here at Embercombe – part of an ancient landscape of temperate rainforest and river valleys, we are adopting rewilding principles in order to restore nature and rediscover a balance with the wild. Containing woodlands, wild flower meadows, an orchard, gardens, a spring and lake, where thousands of people have attended programmes, sown their prayers, dreams and intentions over the last 25 years.
4. The people who make each Journey unique. Alongside your other Journey participants, who form a powerful and supportive community – you’ll be surprised how quickly!  – alumni from previous Journeys return to support. Alongside our chefs preparing delicious, nutritious meals and the wider Embercombe team you’ll find yourself in the heart of a strong community.

Why This Matters?

We see people as powerful beings, all with unique gifts, all with the potential to have meaningful impact in this life. However, modern lifestyles have made us forget. We are distracted, overwhelmed and disconnected. There is a creeping passivity among us, we have become bystanders, observers –  very few of us have a sense of the fullness of the agency we could have in the world. 
And this really does matter. 
We need to remember what it means to be human, to become active and find presence in this time of profound planetary change.
During the week there are three questions we will consider:

• What do I most deeply and profoundly love?
• What are my deepest and most profound gifts?
• What are my deepest and most profound responsibilities?

'Back Row' on The Journey

The Back Row is an integral part of The Journey and a willingness to return to offer this to other Journeyers is much appreciated. If you have previously attended The Journey and would like to return to Embercombe as part of the Back Row, in service of others who are embarking on The Journey, please sign up here.

TIMES: Arrival between 1pm and 1.45pm for a 2pm start. Departure at 2pm.

MEALS: You will be provided with 3 meals a day as well as plenty of snacks, from our plant-based kitchen, using organic and locally sourced ingredients where possible. Special diets are adeptly catered for. Please indicate if you require this on your ticket booking form.

PRICING: 
£1,195 Subsidised Ticket
£1,345 Regular Ticket
£1,495 Supporter Ticket

Please consider purchasing a Supporter Ticket if your finances allow it, to subsidise participants who can’t afford the full price.

Limited bursary places are available for £717 on application here.

BOOKING: To book and pay for your place, please select the tickets on this Booking  Form. 

BALANCE PAYMENTS:  If you first purchase a Deposit Ticket and are looking to pay the balance of your ticket in full, please follow this link. If you would like to split your balance payment into monthly instalments, then please register for this here.

ACCOMMODATION: Accommodation as standard is in shared yurts. If you would like to book a single occupancy yurt, follow this link to pay the surcharge.

SLIDING SCALE: We ask that you read about our ticket pricing model here and reflect on your financial situation before choosing which ticket to purchase.

Read our Booking Terms & Conditions here.