Written by Leigh Marsden, Yoga Teacher
Leigh Marsden is a registered yoga, breathwork, and meditation teacher, published author, and silence advocate. She has extensive experience in silence practices, and silent retreat facilitation.
A silent retreat can be a truly life-changing experience, but it can also fall short of expectations if poorly led, or even dangerous if offered to the wrong audience. Here’s a helpful guide to help you choose wisely.
What is a silent retreat?
A silent retreat involves retreating from one’s usual day to day activities, often overnight or for longer periods, and going into Deep Silence (sometimes called Noble Silence). Here we will discuss group silent retreats. A silent retreat can also be untaken successfully individually, with good planning and support. How To Do A Silent Retreat At Home (Step-By-Step Guide) – Calming Cosmos
Some silent retreats combine meditation with other practices such as yoga and mindful eating of vegan food. Facilitators and instructors will usually talk during the period of the structured practices, but maintain Deep Silence with guests at other times. Read more about Deep Silence; what it is and how to practice it in my article, Going Deep. Going Deep – How Can I Bring More Deep Silence In My Life? (brainzmagazine.com)
How do silent retreats differ?
Silent retreats vary in duration, but are usually a minimum of 24 hours, up to the popular 10 or 30 day Vipassana silent retreats that are offered worldwide Vipassana Meditation (dhamma.org).
Some group silent retreats maintain Deep Silence for the duration of the retreat. This is an entirely somatic, or body-based experience, where the focus remains on the sensations of the body and of the breath throughout. Somatics: Definition, Exercises, Evidence, and More (healthline.com) Other retreats invite participants to spend specific periods in Deep Silence, then come back to communicating with others in talking circles to help process what has arisen. This creates a balance between ‘bottom-up’/body-based experience and a ‘top-down’/talking experience. Participants often select their silent retreat experience based on what suits their personality. For example, those who enjoy solitude generally tend to prefer the full silence experience, as it reduces expectation of social interaction and allows time for reflection and a deeper connection. Why Silence Is So Powerful for Introverts | Introvert, Dear (introvertdear.com) More extroverted people, on the other hand, may prefer the balance of focused periods in Deep Silence combined with sharing and relating with others.
Who hosts silent retreats?
Silent retreats can be facilitated by yoga teachers, meditation teachers, spiritual organisations, or other individuals and groups with personal experience in Deep Silence. They have skills and experience in helping others prepare for meditation, in sharing Deep Silence techniques, recognising unsafe situations, and in supporting others towards best practice. In addition, facilitators ideally have experience in creating the frame for a fulfilling and safe retreat, which requires detailed planning, scheduling and time management skills, as well as the ability to ‘hold space’ for participants.
How do I know if a silent retreat is going to be any good?
It's a great idea to check out the credentials of any facilitator or organisation prior to signing up for their retreat. Some questions you may wish to consider:
Does this person or organisation’s intention and energy align with yours? Check out past social media posts, website, testimonials and gauge the feeling. If possible, attend a regular weekly yoga or meditation session with the facilitator in advance so you can experience their teachings. Trust your intuition when choosing your silent retreat experience as it’s important that you feel safe and supported when taking Deep Silence for extended periods.
Can you find evidence of the facilitator’s experience with Deep Silence and is retreat information thorough and readily available? Is the facilitator contactable during regular business hours to answer your questions prior to the retreat?
If you’re booking a long way in advance, detailed retreat information may not yet be available. However, is someone via email or phone to answer your questions? When will retreat information be ready?
Are important details readily available and understandable? For example, payment plans, refund policy, dietary information, accommodation information, qualifications of retreat staff if applicable. Not every retreat guest will feel they need answers to all these questions, but for others the ability to lay a solid foundation pre-retreat makes all the difference in being able to drop into Deep Silence with confidence.
Silent retreats aren’t for everyone
Your Deep Silence experience will be very personal. While a retreat facilitator should do their utmost to prepare the framework and provide nourishing practices that support physical, emotional, mental and spiritual growth, they cannot guarantee that it will be the right experience for you right now.
Some people may want to prepare very carefully and consider whether going on a silent retreat is a good idea at this time in their life. Some conditions and situations that may prevent a positive silent retreat experience:
Severe anxiety/depression/other mental health conditions in which prolonged introspection or the sense of isolation may be detrimental.
Chronic or acute physical health issues that may prevent longer periods of sitting in meditation. (Check with your retreat organiser as alternatives to floor sitting may be available.)
PTSD/Complex PTSD, where people may experience flashbacks or other negative effects because of the practices.
If in doubt, be sure to discuss your plan to attend a silent retreat with your healthcare providers. In addition, it’s a great idea to notify your silent retreat facilitator of any background information that is important prior to arriving on retreat so that they can offer advice and be prepared to help you.
Leigh Marsden, Yoga Teacher
Leigh Marsden is yoga teacher and a leader in the silence movement, offering enriching silence practices within her yoga teachings along with multiple silent retreats and events each year. She is passionate about helping others find more silence in their lives.
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