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| DISCOVERING
THE SELF: A SILENT RETREAT |
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| Silence is our true nature, the space between our thoughts where we experience unbounded joy. Through silence, it’s possible to experience a deep sense of belonging and understanding of self. And the more you understand yourself, the more you understand the world. Silence is not just absence of speech but also the quietening of mental activity. Periods of silence guide us on the path of self-discovery and self analysis, revealing avenues of change required that we have not been able to identify or even realize in the bustle and noise of everyday life Besides the psychological, there are physical health benefits of being still, quieting the mind and eliminating noise. Silent retreats help guests suffering from insomnia, high blood pressure, stress, burn out and the consequences of the maladies of modern day life like irregular, unhealthy meals and lack of exercise. Shreyas introduces a 7-night Mouna Retreat
(‘Mouna’ means ‘time spent in silence’),
to help guests to step back, introspect, calm the mind and possibly
realign and reprioritize goals in life. |
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Before beginning the days of silence, guests will get a detailed Wellness Consultation regarding their health, food preferences, specific daily routines and requirements, preferred meal timings etc. A structured agenda will be provided individually to guests based on their choice of activities like yoga, mediation, nature farming, walking mediations, spa treatments, etc and will be given a preview into all of them. A suggested reading list is also given, which guests can take from our extensive library. On the first day, a guided tour of Shreyas will be conducted to familiarize guests with the Retreat. Manuals on meditation, breathing exercises, etc will also be provided to the guests. All guests will be given a “Shhhhhreyas” badge that will indicate their request for silence to the other guests. Guests will also be provided a handbook in which they can write down their thoughts and emotions during their period of silence. |
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Guests will spend Day 2 – Day 5 (4 days) in silence. The retreat will be customized to meet the comfort levels of each guest. Guests will be able to break their silence and speak to the staff when they require something, though this should be kept minimal. Guests can also use the note pad kept in the cottages to communicate any requirements or instructions. All guests during the silent retreat will be carefully looked after so that we may modify their diet or introduce certain activities to keep them balanced. Spending time in solitary contemplation can bring deep-seated emotional, intellectual or spiritual issues to the fore, and our trained staff will be there to provide any support required. The meals during the retreat are also specially customized and prepared with ingredients that are known to calm the mind and are easy to digest. The ingredients for the meals are freshly hand-picked from our organic vegetable and herb gardens, and all preparations are light and nutritious. According to ayurveda, self-imposed mouna during eating greatly aids digestion and improves overall health. On Day 6, which marks the end of the ‘Mouna’ part of the Retreat, guests will have an interactive session with our wellness consultants, to discuss any questions and share their experience of the past 4 days. On Day 6 and 7, you are welcome to spend it interacting with guests and partaking in any of Shreyas’ activities that you choose to. |
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