Welcome! If you’re curious about the silent meditation retreats, you’re in the right place. I’ve compiled some of the most common questions I receive to help you understand what to expect.

Q: What role does silence play?

A: Silence is central to the retreats. I have one core agreement: all participants honor the silence, starting on the first afternoon and ending on the last evening.

This silence creates a safe and supportive space for each participant to delve deeply into their personal journey. Even without spoken interaction, a powerful sense of connection arises from sharing this healing space together.

Q: What do you do while in silence?

A: I guide practices with loving care for the bodies, minds, and souls. You’re invited to listen to your body and choose a comfortable meditation posture—sitting, standing, or lying down.

The days include:

• Yoga sessions to start the day.
• Meditative walks outdoors.
• Breaks for reflective writing (optional).
• Meditation sessions throughout the day, totaling about 5 hours of formal meditation.

Q: I’ve never done this before, is that a problem?

A: Not at all! The silent retreats are open to both experienced and beginner practitioners of yoga and meditation. The only requirements are a motivation to spend the days in silence, a willingness to meditate, and an openness to your own process. The retreat is skillfully guided to ensure everyone feels safe and supported.

Q: Can I talk to someone if needed?

A: Yes, you can always have a short one-on-one conversation with me if you feel stuck or overwhelmed. While silence can seem challenging, it’s actually a gentle way to connect with yourself. Challenging moments will pass, and you’ll learn to be there for yourself, building a supportive relationship with the person you spend every moment with: yourself.

Q: Are the meditations guided or silent?

A: I offer a mix of guided and silent meditations. The guided meditations help you connect deeply with your body, become more aware of your thoughts, and learn to relate to them in a healthy way. They also encourage you to allow emotions to flow naturally and develop an open heart for healing.

The sequence of guidance is carefully designed to support your healing and sustainable progress. In the silent meditation sessions, you can apply what you’ve learned in the guided sessions.

Q: Will there be teachings?

A: Yes, each day includes an inspirational talk to support your cultivation of Samatha (calmness) and Vipassana (insight). I’ll explore the nature of the mind, the relationship with experiences, and how stress arises. I’ll also discuss the inner critic and how to work with humor and compassion to build a loving relationship with ourselves.

Q: Will this help me in my daily life?

A: Absolutely. A retreat experience leaves a lasting impact. Participants often share how it transforms their approach to life. Towards the end of the retreat, I’ll share practices from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) to help you integrate the experience into daily life. Think of the retreat as planting seeds in fertile soil; with care, those seeds will grow.

Q: Is this a Vipassana Retreat?

A: To understand that, let’s clarify what Vipassana really means. Vipassana translates to “seeing things as they really are.” It’s about looking deeply and honestly to gain insight and understanding about life, which can liberate us from suffering, stress, and anxiety, and cultivate acceptance, love, joy, and happiness.

It’s one of the two core aspects of Buddhist meditation, the other being Samatha. Samatha focuses on calming the mind so we can be fully present and aware of the moment. This presence is essential for cultivating Vipassana.

The Silent Meditation Retreats I offer at Live Mindfully gently and accessibly allow you to cultivate both Samatha and Vipassana.

Q: Is this the same as the 10-day Vipassana retreats of Dhamma.org & teacher Goenka?

A: While both my retreats and the 10-day retreats offered by the Goenka organization share the name “Vipassana,” they are distinct in their approach. It’s important to understand that Vipassana, meaning “insight,” is a practice that can be shared and taught in various ways, according to different lineages and teachers.

The Goenka-style retreats, with their very structured and rigorous format, including extensive sitting meditation, specific teachings, and certain restrictions, have become exceptionally well-known due to the large number of centers worldwide. This has led many to associate “Vipassana” solely with this particular style.

My retreats at Live Mindfully, however, offer a different interpretation and application of Vipassana. I emphasize a more personal, loving, and compassionate approach. I encourage participants to release expectations, unwind from the demands of daily life, and explore a gentler path to insight. By cultivating mindfulness through loving, non-demanding practices, I aim to create a space where understanding, acceptance, love, and the alleviation of suffering naturally arise. In essence, while both approaches aim to cultivate Vipassana, they do so through different methodologies and expressions of the practice.

Ready to explore the transformative power of silence?

I invite you to learn more about the upcoming retreats and join on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Read a full retreat description Come for a 5 day Silent Retreat to Spanish nature. Join now