Silent Meditation Retreat

A silent meditation retreat creates the ideal conditions for revealing and experiencing the peace of the Heart. This is an invitation and opportunity to connect with the joy and simplicity of Being.

You can book a space in a shared twin room on our website. If you are staying in a shared twin room, you will be sharing with another retreat participant of the same gender. If you wish to enquire about private room availability, please contact us via email.

Spending time in silence, watering seeds of love and wisdom, is a precious gift for you and for all of existence.

‘Your own Self-realisation is the greatest service you can render the world.’
Ramana Maharshi.

The Kalyan Yoga silent meditation retreats are inspired by the Hridaya Yoga format of retreats.

Each meditation practice is shared free from dogma and on the basis of non-dual philosophy or ‘advaita vedanta’ in Sanskrit. Known as the pearl of Indian philosophy, advaita vedanta has influenced virtually all schools of Indian thought.  At the core of this philosophy is the understanding that there is no separation between anyone or anything. There is a shared consciousness that lies beyond the realms of the mind and personality and this can be experienced directly through the practice of meditation.

Through consistent practice, (as well as other yogic practices), we can start to touch deeper and more subtle aspects of our being. Meditation is an experiential exploration of the fundamental questions of life – ‘Who am I?’, ‘What is this Existence?’.

These days dedicated to silence, are a profound journey of self reconnection.

Each retreat is fully guided by our teachers. We present the yogic philosophy underlying each meditation and offer Q&A (by way of written questions), so you can gain the best possible understanding.

We guide and supervise all meditation practices, creating safe and supportive conditions for you to go deeper into your practice.

Gentle hatha yoga sessions are provided each day to balance and invigorate the energies of the body.

Every aspect of our retreats are fully dedicated to creating the best conditions for the revelation of our true essence and the awakening of our hearts.

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The four night retreat consists of three full days of silence and two shorter days (one to arrive and settle and one to integrate and depart). Whereas, the seven night retreat consists of six full days of silence.

This format of retreat provides a great introduction to the practice of meditation for beginners and can also serve to enrich and refresh the practice of experienced meditators.

We follow strict guidelines in order to create a silent, sacred container together, supporting each other throughout the retreat. Please review the guidelines below before registration.

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Mauna (Noble Silence)

The entire retreat, (including breaks and meals), will be conducted in silence, or ‘mauna’ as it is termed in Sanskrit.

Mauna means not only to refrain from speaking, but also from gesturing and any other kind of communication. (Urgent needs and pertinent questions can of course always be expressed in writing to the retreat leaders).

The observance of mauna is fundamental to creating the proper conditions to allow us to go deeper in our practice of meditation. Pausing social interaction allows the mental energies connected with communication to cease and be redirected to the practice of self exploration.

Training ourselves to not speak for a few days, (or even more), is a powerful way to purify the mind and develop a greater awareness of speech.

Tapas (Self-discipline)

The term tapas originates from the Sanskrit root tap, which means ‘to give off heat’ and is often used to mean self-control or self-discipline.

Tapas is a yogic practice of making a commitment to perform a practice or observance for a specified amount of time. The commitment to keep silence is a very powerful form of tapas and can be deeply transformative.

It is important to mention how challenging a silent meditation retreat can be. You may face some discomfort, physically, energetically, emotionally or mentally.

Through the practice of self-discipline, an inner friction is created or resistance. Friction creates heat and heat creates an inner fire. It is this inner fire that purifies and transforms our body, speech and mind. This process can feel blissful but it can also feel uncomfortable.

‘If a man gives way to all his desires, or panders to them, there will be no inner struggle in him, no ‘friction,’ no fire. But if, for the sake of attaining a definite aim, he struggles with the desires that hinder him, he will then create a fire which will gradually transform his inner struggle into a single whole.’ ~ Ouspensky

When there is so much friction, so much heat, the conditions are ripe for surrender.

As we become more familiar with the art of letting go, through an act of surrender we are able to transcend the lower impulses of our being associated with separation from the whole and experience the peace of the Heart.

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Sacred Teachings

Throughout the retreat we will share sacred poetry and spiritual literature of saints, sages and mystics across the ages. We turn to these masters for the words that explore the greatest questions of this life and ignite the fires of our soul.

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Well-being and Silent Retreats

Meditation retreats can be very nourishing; however, as they require sustained meditation practice, they also need some stability of psychological health. If you have recently (within the past year or so) experienced significant trauma or psychiatric illness, or if you are currently experiencing acute emotional distress such as serious depression or anxiety, it may not be the best time for you to participate in a retreat. The teachers might not be able to give you the kind of individual psychological care you need at this time. A setting with more opportunities for interpersonal engagement may be more appropriate.

• If you are currently under the care of a mental health professional, please discuss your attendance with them. You should be in a relatively stable period of mental well-being and have adequate psychological resilience.
• If you have any questions about this, please contact us.