Silence Retreats

Why Silence?

A silence retreat is a unique way in which to experience the world.

Come and join us for 3 days of meditation and awareness practice. Learn the "how" of what you do vs. the "what." Take the time to hear that quiet inner voice that so often goes unheard in the hustle and flow of daily life. Reconnect with your spirit.

We ask that you follow these simple suggestions to get the most out of this experience. We don't  read, write, listen to music/audio recordings or doing anything that distracts from being fully present in the moment. Phone calls are not allowed and communication with anyone (except in an emergency) is discouraged. Although we do acknowledge each other's presence by pressing the hands together in "gassho, "which means "my heart and your heart are one," we have no other contact with retreatants, observing only how and when we seek eye contact or communication with others.  We spend time with ourselves, noticing, without judgment, when we drift off into thinking, what we are thinking about,  and how thinking keeps us from experiencing the present moment.  We learn to listen to our own thoughts without attaching to them.

What to Expect?

Nothing. Be open to whatever comes up.

This is a laboratory of sorts - a privileged environment where we have the opportunity to see when we slip out of the moment and into the past or the future. We practice staying aware of this moment, slow down the chatter in our minds, and become aware of what we tell ourselves about what's happening. With patient observation, looking and listening without judgment, evaluation or interfering, we expand our awareness to include our more subtle thoughts and behaviors.

The spiraling process of observing our thoughts and behaviors cycles its way into a deeper and more profound understanding of our habits and conditioning - revealing the beliefs that fuel them. As this process unfolds during the course of the weekend in the most ordinary of circumstances at the retreat, we become aware of the deeply held assumptions that we have about ourselves and about others  - beliefs that keep us from experiencing the unlimited potential of the present moment.

During the retreat, as we become more aware of our thoughts and have moments of quiet presence, we begin to see choices that have never occurred to us before - choices that are the path to freedom from conditioning. It becomes possible for one to choose an action that takes into account the circumstances of the very moment in any given situation - and doing what best serves life. As we notice and relax our minds, life becomes easier as necessities become preferences and we soften our hold on how we think things should be and move more towards accepting things just as a they are in the moment.

You'll then find yourself observing things objectively, flowing from moment to moment with a richness and texture that you never knew existed or paid attention to before. This is awareness practice.

How can I get the Registration Forms?

Click here to go to the registration forms page.

What should I bring to the Spring, 2008 Silent Meditation Retreat?

Here's the link to our recommendations for the retreat.