Accepting change and living in the flow of change: a silent retreat on the principle of impermanence
Everything is subject to change, nothing remains constant. We can observe this everywhere in nature, as well as in ourselves. However, this change often causes us suffering. Because we want to preserve and hold on to: the good times, the pleasant feelings, everything we are used to. It is not always easy for us to open ourselves up to change. In particular, we tend to escape the ultimate change in our lives, death, until it is imminent. However, coming to terms with transience, especially our own transience, can help us to change our perspective on our own lives and live more consciously.
What you can expect
We start on Thursday at around 4.30 pm. You can arrive earlier and take a walk in the beautiful forests of the Schorfheide around Klandorf. After dinner together, we will clarify everything important in the evening so that you can sink safely into the silence and completely into yourself for two full days.
Until Sunday morning, we will wrap ourselves in noble silence and focus entirely on introspection. Looking inwards. Listening. There will be brunch on Sunday and we will end our time out together around lunchtime.
Basically, you can expect a medium-intensity meditation practice that is also suitable for people with little experience: we sit together in silence for a maximum of about 25 minutes at a time and about 4-5 times a day, sometimes also as a guided meditation.
My own meditation practice, and therefore my guidance, is strongly influenced by Buddhist practice: I often like to lead a variant of Vipassana meditation, and we also practise Metta (the meditation of loving kindness) on almost every retreat. Without meditation on the breath (samatha meditation), nothing works anyway: it usually helps us to focus the mind and find more peace at the beginning of every retreat.
In addition to meditation practice, not least for physical balance, but also to prepare for sitting, we practise yoga, especially yin yoga, but I also like to incorporate simple exercises from hatha yoga, which we do slowly and mindfully, almost therapeutically. If you expect fast flows or dynamic power yoga, you will be disappointed. (However, you can practice on your own at any time).
Finally, the program is rounded off with short impulse talks, stories or food for thought, contemplations, often journaling sessions, walks together and always an integration exercise at the end.
At this retreat, there is also the opportunity to sweat it out in a wood-heated outdoor sauna on Saturday and - if conditions permit - we make a campfire.
Community & Karma Yoga (assistance)
An essential part of the retreat is the idea of community. The nature house creates community through its architecture and furnishings alone: the house is only there for us as a group, has an open kitchen and shared bathrooms. In the spirit of a lively community, participants are asked to help out (approx. 1 hour a day), as is often the case on (silent) retreats. The tasks range from chopping food to washing pots and will be clarified and distributed on the first day.
This is what a former participant says about my retreats:
"The weekend in silence was a highlight for me this year and the after-effects will hopefully stay with me for a long time. Despite the usual Christmas stress, I am already approaching many things a little differently, meditating every day and writing something in my diary in the evening. It was such a great weekend that I would like to experience again in the future and how lucky we were with the group! Thank you again for your fantastic introduction to stillness, yin yoga and so much more." ---- Marisca M.
Your course leader:
Regina is a meditation teacher, psychological yoga & breath therapist and philosophical practitioner. Since 2020, Regina has been supporting people as a trainer for conscious being to move from doing to being and thus lead a more joyful and peaceful life.