Heart Awakening
The Heart Awakening silent retreats are an immersive experience into the practice of meditation, inspired by the Hridaya Yoga format retreats.
The main focus of the retreat is the Awakening of the Heart, seen as a gateway into Self-knowledge and as the seat of Loving Awareness. Through the practice of meditation, the mind is made quiet and the Silence of the Heart is revealed.
The few days dedicated to silence are indeed a journey of Self-exploration which starts in the heart and leads back to the Heart.
The meditation sessions, the presentation of different techniques and the experienced guidance and supervision, enable the participants to turn inwards and discover possibly unknown depths of their being.
Free from dogma, the philosophy shared is based on the teachings of non-duality and the works and writings of sages and spiritual masters of all cultures and traditions. The retreats are fully dedicated to a direct experience of Truth, in a way only Silence can reveal.
Sacred poetry and readings
A huge inspiration for the practice in the retreats is the spiritual literature, left by those who mastered the path of Love, such as the masters of Sufi poetry Rumi and Hafiz, the Christian mystics , the non-dual sages (Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Papaji), and among them some of the contemporary voices of non-dual wisdom (Jeff Foster, Adyashanti, Thich Nath Hahn, Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass and more).
Non-dual philosophy
In the very core of the silent meditation retreats lies the philosophy of non-duality, also known as Consciousness of Oneness or Advaita Vedanta.
The understanding of union with all and the direct experience of existence beyond the personality is the coronation of any spiritual tradition and can be known directly through the practice of meditation.
"Silence is not empty. It is full of answers."~ Rumi
Retreat Program and Guidelines
Mauna
Mauna, noble silence, is a spiritual practice in itself, enabling us to interiorise and go deeper in retreats. This is an environment in itself leading to a gentle, yet profound transformation. Pausing the daily social interaction and all the mental noise connected to it, allows more of our time and energy to be directed towards Self-exploration and harmony. Essentially, mauna is not just a deprivation of speech, but an earnest inner attitude, honouring our essential nature, which is Stillness.
The attitude of silence, mauna, is a powerful way to experience profound rest, as well as interiorisation and self-awareness. This creates an atmosphere of sincere practice and gives real results in deepening the meditation practice and the inner states of consciousness.
Program
All Heart Awakening silent meditation retreats follow the same program, which consists of several hours of meditation daily, satsang on the non-dual philosophy found in all the authentic spiritual and mystical traditions as well as traditional hatha yoga sessions and plenty of time for rest and contemplation.
The retreats consist of 3, 5 or 8 full days in silence and follow a daily schedule. The longer retreats are always recommended, as they allow more time for the body and mind to settle and for deeper states of consciousness to be achieved.
Patience and an open mind are invited in order to make the most of your experience in such retreats. It is normal for the body to experience stiffness and for the mind to resist when we engage in proper meditation practice for the first time, but the participants are offered support all through. In the end, the profound transformation which may result, is worth the effort.
This is a unique chance for a spiritual insight, for coming close to one’s Original Self.
Click here to read the guidelines of a Heart Awakening Silent Retreat
Retreats Coming Up
See below the upcoming opportunities to Retreat into Silence
Thu, 30 JanTaupō30 Jan 2025, 5:00 pm – 03 Feb 2025, 12:00 pmTaupō, 60 Acacia Heights Drive, Acacia Bay, Taupō 3385, New ZealandSpaces still available - private or shared accommodation
Sat, 05 AprHavelock North05 Apr 2025, 7:30 am – 6:30 pmHavelock North, Puflett Road, Havelock North 4130, New ZealandA day immersion into practice
Thu, 17 AprHautere17 Apr 2025, 4:00 pm – 23 Apr 2025, 10:00 amHautere, 212 Old Hautere Road, Hautere 5582, New Zealand- Bookings now open - Early bird discount for all bookings before the 17th December
Fri, 30 MayHautere30 May 2025, 5:00 pm – 08 Jun 2025, 11:00 amHautere, 212 Old Hautere Road, Hautere 5581, New ZealandRegistration now open!
Alex G., Ukraine/ New Zealand
"I learnt to meditate along with a number of tools and a beautiful background of theory. It was so incredibly valuable to have such an opportunity to practise consistently for a solid period of time while also rolling around the theory behind it in so many different ways to help with understanding. The learning very much extended to learning about myself and the people that I can find at all times.
I learnt to understand what is ego and what is Self and to process and love thoughts and emotions that came from the ego."