You don’t need any meditation experience to be able to take part in the silent retreat. Each day will begin with a guided meditation which serves as guidance to get you started. I will also share various self-inquiry and other methods throughout the retreat that you can choose to practice during the silent sitting sessions.

If you’re familiar with meditation and longer periods of silence, you may find the retreat a bit easier at times and more familiar. You also may not! No experience is necessary.

It’s very normal to be nervous! Nervousness is a feeling that will come and go, as all feelings do. In silent sitting you’ll have the opportunity to become more acquainted with what’s always here when nervousness, and all feelings, ebb and flow.

It’s really impossible to say what’s typical in a retreat like this. In my experience, a lot transpires and it also sort of feels like nothing transpires. You may experience periods of time when your mind is very busy and times when it’s very quiet; you may feel uncomfortable at times and you may also feel extremely peaceful and full of gratitude at times. Sometimes people experience emotions they’ve been innocently trying to avoid. There will likely be tears as well as spontaneous laughter throughout the week. Any and all temporary feelings are fair game. We are the capacity for all of them.

I will be available to support you as needed. The group will be quite small so there will be plenty of opportunity for one on one time as necessary.

That said, the tone of the retreat is about each of us seeing that we are capacity for anything that arises. In general, we need far less support than it may seem. Emotion is natural and healthy. You’ll be in a safe space to experience anything that wants to move through.

My recommendation is to not consume outside content during retreat. That said, everyone is different. Some people enjoy reading during the breaks and it’s always wise to follow your own intuition and do what feels right for you. I would definitely recommend limiting such content.

There are many areas to take nature walks or longer hikes around the retreat grounds on our breaks. You might be in nature, go for a walk, take a yoga mat outside (or inside) for some stretching, gaze at the incredible mountain views, take a nap… The purpose of the week is to be still and go “within”. You’ll likely find that you don’t have the desire to fill your time with highly active, entertaining, or distracting activities. The silence and stillness begins to call to you more than activity and entertainment.

You can keep your phone with you during the retreat and wifi will be available. I will ask that phones are stored away and completely silenced (not on vibrate, which is easily heard in silence!) throughout the week.

The extent to which you use your phone is up to you. You’re strongly encouraged to eliminate or limit technology and talking during the retreat and it will pay off to do so, but of course you’re free to do what feels right to you.

I would recommend bringing comfortable clothes you can wear in layers (including warm socks) and shoes that are easy to take on and off as we will leave our shoes outside the meditation room.

Yoga mats and blankets will be provided but they are in limited supply. If you’re driving to the retreat and have the ability to bring your own mat, blanket, or meditation block, that would be very helpful. (If you have the ability to bring any to share, that would be very appreciated!)

I would also recommend bringing your own refillable water bottle. Water and tea will be available throughout the day. There is no food or drink sold on-site.

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.