You have learned to calm the mind. Now the question changes: who is the one who is calm, and who was the one who was not? This week, mostly in silence, slowly turns attention back on itself. You watch thoughts, then feelings, then the one who watches. One day is entirely silent. One night you give what you are ready to leave to the fire. You are not the cloud; you are the sky.
The journey.
Arrive
Why we cannot sit with ourselves. The silence begins by the fire.
Breath and body
Deep breathing, a body scan, music in silence.
Watching the mind
How a thought is born, and the space between two thoughts.
Feelings and the ego
The ego reacts, life responds. Feeling a feeling without its story.
A whole day of silence
No talk, no lesson. Only the bell, long sittings, and an afternoon alone in nature.
Who am I?
Awareness and what appears in it. Self-inquiry, open awareness, and at night the letting-go fire.
Return
Taking the present moment home. Gratitude, a letter to yourself, the last circle.
How a day feels.
The days get quieter as the week goes on, and the sittings get longer, but never longer than you can carry. Mornings still begin with movement and the sky; the science hour still gives each day its meaning. Every evening you can ask Safdar Sahar anything, and many people find their real question only around the fifth day.
What you’ll do
For you if
- You have done the 3-Day or 5-Day retreat
- Calm is no longer enough; you want to understand
- You are drawn to the question of the self
Not for you if
- This is your first retreat
- You are going through a fresh loss or crisis: talk to us first
Included
Stay · All meals and herbal tea · Every session · A welcome kit (retreat notebook, pen, water bottle) · 21 days of WhatsApp practice after you leave · A monthly online sitting with past participants
Silence and the few rules
Phones are handed in on arrival. Be in the hall before the bell. Keep the colour of the day. No intoxicants. Please do not pick or eat anything growing at the place. If anything feels wrong, write a note or come to the reception.
Talk freely. The first day, the last day, the circles.
Quiet, but a soft word when you need something.
Full silence. Even a nod can wait.
In every colour you can ask the teacher your questions in the daily dialogue, or write a note. Help is always one step away.
What to bring
Please bring your own personal things. We provide the stay, the food and everything for the practice.
Always
- Loose, comfortable clothes for sitting and yoga
- Comfortable shoes and slippers
- Your own medicines, with a note of the doses
- Toothbrush, toiletries and a towel
- A small torch for the paths at night
- A yoga mat or your own cushion, if you have one
Winter
- A warm shawl or blanket wrap for the sittings
- A jacket or sweater
- Warm socks and a cap
- Thermal innerwear for the early mornings
- Lip balm and moisturiser
- A hot-water bottle, if you feel the cold
Summer
- Light cotton clothes
- A cap or hat
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- A small hand towel
- Sunglasses for the outdoor sittings
Leave at home
- Books and laptops
- Valuables and jewellery
- Anything you will miss your phone for
Health notice
Meditation is not medical or psychological treatment. If you live with a serious physical or mental health condition, are pregnant, or take regular medicine, please talk to your doctor before booking and tell us on the health form. Do not stop any medicine for the retreat. Read the full notice
After you leave
For 21 days you get a short practice on WhatsApp each morning. Once a month you can sit online with everyone who has come before. And three months later, a letter arrives: the one you wrote to yourself.
The deepest of all: the 10-Day Hard Reset.