Silent Retreat

Silent retreats are held once or twice a year with Hannah Marsh and other facilitators, currently online via Zoom.

Our MBSR Graduates are also welcome to join us for our MBSR Silent Saturday/Day of Mindfulness retreats.

See the Calendar for upcoming dates.

For our silent retreats, we invite MBSR graduates and other meditators to join us as we develop and deepen our practice. The retreat facilitators will guide you through the day, leading meditations in stillness and in movement (i.e. body scan, focussed awareness, walking meditation, mindful movement).

Please arrive in silence, up to 15 minutes early, so we are all in place and able to begin promptly.

What is Noble Silence?

The day will be spent in noble silence. This is an opportunity to spend time with your own noble self. It means no speaking, as well as no eye contact; the intention here is mutual respect, giving each other the opportunity to turn inwards. Noble silence also means limiting external stimuli: no screen time (other than Zoom), reading, or journalling.

Near the beginning of the day, there will be time for you to ask questions. At any point, you’re welcome to privately chat with the facilitators if needed. We will dissolve silence in the afternoon with time for discussion.

If possible, we encourage you to begin noble silence at bedtime the night before. We suggest you turn off your phone and the car radio, skip the newspaper and your computer in the morning, as this will help set the tone for the day.

What You’ll Need

  • A retreat space that allows for privacy and room for mindful movement

  • A lunch and/or snacks - to limit distractions, we suggest preparing food in advance and having it in your retreat space

  • You may want a few options for sitting: a chair, a pillow or meditation bench

  • A yoga mat/blanket to cushion the floor (for movement and lying down meditations)

  • Anything else you need to be comfortable: extra pillows, layers, blankets, water, tea

Technical Requirements

To use Zoom, you’ll need a high-speed internet connection and a video cam (built-in or external). We also suggest an audio microphone (built-in or external) for after we dissolve silence.

Registration

Please contact Hannah at hannah@mindfulnessinstitute.ca to register with a brief description of your background with meditation.

This retreat is offered by donation (dana). We’ll send information on how to contribute by e-transfer closer to the retreat. We greatly appreciate all donations, which help cover costs and support the continued running of our silent retreats.

MBSR Graduates

If you’re missing the Silent Saturday/Day of Mindfulness, this retreat will count towards your certificate of completion. Please let us know when registering that you’d like your certificate.

Last Thoughts

We invite you to notice how you feel about this upcoming retreat. Excitement? Trepidation? The invitation is to view this experience with open curiosity and self-compassion. Know that you are welcome at any point to approach us if you need some extra guidance or support.

Please contact Hannah at hannah@mindfulnessinstitute.ca with any questions. We look forward to sharing the day with you.

Brad Stewart - with permission

Brad Stewart - with permission