The Hridaya Silent Meditation Retreat is structured to give you guidance every step of the way. Participants practice noble silence throughout the entire retreat, from our opening circle to our closing circle. Retreat leaders will speak during sessions to offer teachings, spiritual support and guidance in the practices but will also be in silence outside of the sessions. You are encouraged to ask written questions about your experience, the teachings or anything you need during our retreat. You’ll always be able to contact a retreat leader for support.

The daily schedule offers both structure and spaciousness for your silent process. On our three mornings together we begin practice at 7am, and we end our day around 9pm. Our meditation sessions start out shorter and build up throughout the weekend. There is a 2½ -hour break after lunch for you to go for a walk, journal, take a nap or rest. Three nourishing, vegetarian meals are offered daily, using seasonal produce which helps you have the best retreat possible, not only in your mind and heart but also in your belly. Vegan and gluten free options are available as well.

Every day we practice hatha yoga – a gentle but deep meditative physical yoga practice in the style of Hridaya, the Yoga of the Spiritual Heart. Movements and poses are adaptable for all bodies and give you access to tools that bring embodied awareness into your daily life. Hridaya Yoga engages not only the physical body but the whole being in the attitude of yoga – integrated union. Postures and practices are performed with a focus on both the physical body and inner experience, turning physical practice into blissful meditation. If flow or vinyasa is your thing, there is also space every day to do your own practice.

Every silent meditation retreat is different – even if you attend the exact same retreat multiple times. The most important attitude to have in a silent retreat is to let go of expectations. A spirit of openness to what unfolds is essential to welcoming a retreat experience.

Your retreat facilitators have over a decade of experience leading people through their personal transformation of yoga, meditation and silent retreats, facilitating a growth in spirituality. We start with the basics of meditation and concentration techniques and build your understanding and experience throughout the retreat. Practices are accessible for beginners and experienced meditators alike.

Our meditation retreat atmosphere is a safe space for you to try out different meditation and concentration practices which invite a holistic experience of yourself and discover how you want to bring these practices into your life. There’s no expectation that you do anything perfectly or that you can even sit still! We practice together by increasing the length of our meditations day by day and building up our stamina in the practice. Your humanness is welcome – exactly as you are.

You’ll have the space to share your retreat experience on the last day and we highly encourage everyone to witness each other’s process and share your experience. This is sometimes the most profound session of the whole retreat after being in silence with fellow seekers.

Silence starts with not talking…but it’s so much more.

We start with the intention to not talk or communicate once we set our container and begin the silent retreat. You are welcome to write notes to retreat leaders when you have questions or need assistance. Otherwise, we ask there to be no communication between guests, including not looking at other people’s faces, not making eye contact and not touching others. This may seem strict, but it opens the gateway to really focus internally, the whole point of a silent retreat. Once you get into the rhythm, you’ll be grateful for the space away from pleasing people or worrying about how they’ll react to you.

We ask all guests to maintain this noble silence throughout the retreat, which includes: no books, no electronics, no music, no phones or devices, or other distractions. Again, this might feel extreme. The point is to not let yourself go to any distraction from what you’re really experiencing in the present moment. If taking a few days away from social media scares you, then silent meditation retreats are the right thing for you and you’re very ready for this journey.

We do encourage journaling to assist in the processing of your experience.

Noble Silence is a common practice in retreats which offers a rare and precious opportunity to simplify one’s daily routine, quiet the mind and cultivate an inward focus of attention. There is also the opportunity to go deep in our internal world and not be distracted by the social conventions that usually turn the wheels of our mind constantly.

By observing outer silence and temporarily renouncing our usual habits of conversation, we provide a support for the cultivation of a deep inner silence. You will be asked to refrain not only from speaking, but also from using electronic devices. We will explain more and provide an opportunity for asking questions before going into silence. Be assured you will always have the opportunity to communicate by writing messages to your facilitators should the need arise. There will also be a daily Q&A session to address your submitted written questions.

Sessions will gradually increase in length from the beginning to the end of the retreat. Guests are welcomed to adjust their sitting position during sessions as needed and to use props to sit comfortably. Chairs are also provided.

No, sitting on the floor is not required – there will be seats available as needed. If you do choose the floor there will be cushions and other items for maximum comfort. We will also teach some ways to sit more comfortably. We encourage you to bring any props/benches/cushions that you know will ease your seated practice.

Absolutely! Many new to meditation begin by attending a retreat. Retreats provide a wonderful opportunity to learn skills and to dive directly into the process, building momentum and faith in meditation.

As an experienced meditator, you have the opportunity to go very deep in this retreat and start from your level of practice. The retreat is designed to give you the gift of leaving the busy-ness of life behind and concentrating for an extended period of time. You’ll also gain new meditation techniques and practices focused on the Spiritual Heart and insights to deepen your existing practice.

Hridaya Yoga is a meditative practice focused on going into the Spiritual Heart through the energy and movements of the body. It is accessible for all bodies and modifiable for any injuries or conditions. Don’t worry about whether you’re experienced at yoga or flexible.

Comfortable, layered clothing is best. Bring clothes you can sit, move and walk in. Bodies can get chilly during meditation and warm during yoga sessions. There will be opportunities to go for walks on your breaks. Bring waterproof clothing so you can go outside.

We're here to help! If you have any additional questions or need more details about the retreat, please email us at retreats@insighttimer.com, and we'll be happy to provide you with all the information you need.