A meditation retreat is an extraordinary situation (although meditation is actually perfectly normal). A group of people must live together in very simple conditions, while relating to each other in a completely new way. Here, we relate through the common experience of meditation, with all its pains and joys, discoveries and frustrations. During the retreat our lifestyle is built around a common purpose rather than the more self-centred purposes promoted by the world today. To accomplish this in harmony, we must agree on certain conventions. The most important are mindful silence, giving way to others, sticking to the schedule, and following instructions.

This retreat is arranged as a serious opportunity for aspirants who wish for a very special retreat experience. Please approach these guidelines with this frame of mind, with openness toward protecting and supporting this atmosphere through your own agreement and cooperation. If you, at first glance, feel that the guidelines are too strict or too difficult for you, first consider your own state of readiness to participate. If you do indeed feel ready, then inspire yourself with the understanding that this retreat lasts just a few days in the big scheme of life!

Mauna is compulsory. The period of mauna will begin on Friday morning, with the consecration of the retreat, and will end after the last meditation on the last day of the retreat. Absolutely no talking by participants will be allowed.

Much energy and ego goes into our speech. This not only makes the world noisy, it makes our own mind noisy. If there is nobody to talk to we just chatter away to ourselves, in our own heads, without even realising. In meditation, this can be an annoying hindrance. So we keep silent by not speaking or passing notes to each other during the retreat, in order to quiet our mind and maintain a quiet, peaceful environment for everyone. This can be difficult at times, but most people find it a powerful and wonderful experience. Even training ourselves to walk, move, and do things quietly leads to a calm and graceful experience.

Retreat participants are asked not to use any electronic equipment including cameras, phones, kindles, mp3 players, laptops, etc. for the duration of the retreat. Thus, there is to be no listening to the news or music, checking email, watching movies, etc.

No use of mobile phones is allowed during the retreat. It is recommended they are turned off for the duration of the retreat. Participants should make a firm commitment not to use the phone for conversations, text messages, or surfing the internet for the duration of the retreat.

Reading is not allowed, not even of books of a spiritual nature. Please agree not to read during this retreat. Through the retreat practice, we aim to focus inward as much as possible, and reading can lead us away from strong interiorization, diffusing our efforts and experience in the process.

Unless you are an experienced faster, in order to maintain a high level of vitality and energy for meditation fasting is not recommended for the entire duration of the retreat (although your own tapas of a weekly fasting day is okay).

It is recommended that you aim to cultivate a state of experience resembling solitude by agreeing not to: look at others, touch, hug, kiss, say hello (even nonverbally), smile at each other, etc. At times, this can feel alienating and lonely for people who are very sociable and miss such simple human contact, but it will drastically help your experience of interiorisation. In addition, the opening of the soul will offer you the opportunity to communicate in a much subtler way, through the language of Love. Your friends will still love you at the end of the retreat, maybe even more…

No drugs, alcohol, or smoking of any kind is allowed during this retreat.

It is recommended that participants record their meditative and daily experiences in a notebook. A retreat journal can help you not only to push through any challenging moments, but can serve to inspire you and provide a point of reference for your growth during the retreat period. A meditation notebook helps us to objectify our experiences and what we understand during meditation. It can bring inspiration to us even after the retreat. Reading it after the retreat is over can be a powerful support in daily life.

Please agree to join all sessions and activities of the retreat .The schedule we follow is very moderate compared to some meditation retreats that start the day before dawn. It is important never to leave a meditation session other than for extreme circumstances.

Everyone must be on time for all sessions as lateness is very disruptive and latecomers will not be allowed to join until the next session. Please plan accordingly.

If you find yourself late for a meditation session, please be considerate and wait without any undue noise, meditating outside the hall during the session and entering only during the next break.