This 7-night Mouna Retreat ('Mouna' means 'time spent in silence') was designed to help you to step back, introspect, calm the mind and possibly realign and reprioritise your goals in life. Silence is not just the 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 that we have not been able to identify or even realise 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. Our silent retreat in India helps guests suffering from insomnia, high blood pressure, stress, burnout and the consequences of the maladies of modern-day life, like irregular, unhealthy meals and lack of exercise.
Before beginning the days of silence, you will get a detailed wellness consultation regarding your health, food preferences, specific daily routines and requirements, preferred meal timings, etc. The retreat will be customised to meet your comfort levels, and a structured agenda will be provided based on your choice of activities. A suggested reading list is also given, which you can take from our extensive library.
On the first day, a guided tour of Shreyas will be conducted to familiarise you with the retreat. Manuals on meditation, breathing exercises, etc., will also be provided, and you will be given a 'Shhhhhreyas' badge that will indicate your request for silence to the other guests.
You will be provided a handbook in which you can write down your thoughts and emotions during your period of silence. You will spend Days 2 - 5 (4 days) in silence but will be able to break your silence and speak to the staff when you require something, though this should be kept minimal. We suggest that you also use the notepad kept in the cottages to communicate any requirements or instructions.
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. During the silent retreat, you will be carefully looked after so that we may modify your diet or introduce certain activities to keep you balanced.
The meals during the retreat are also specially customised 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, you will have an interactive session with our wellness consultants to discuss any questions and share your experience of the past 4 days. On Days 6 and 7, you are welcome to spend time interacting with guests and partaking in any of Shreyas's activities that you choose to.
