Inner Joy silent retreat with Vipassana meditation
A ten-day journey towards inner joy and peace of mind
Dharma Mountain during winter time offers a unique atmosphere for a silent retreat. The snow, the silence and the night sky embraces us and invites us to go within and find silence and peace.
During these ten days you will get a thorough introduction to meditation and have your own personal experience with it. Vipassana meditation is the main ingredient in the retreat, and it will be introduced and guided along the way.
In the intimate, silent atmosphere of Dharma Mountain meditation can happen in a natural way, by giving it time and by doing it together as a group. It is a unique experience; it can go deep and give precious insights for your life.
The retreat is open for everyone, but we recommend to have some experience with meditation from before.
Wondering if this retreat is for you?
“It was my first silent retreat. I loved it!!! My whole body and mind became much softer. I felt that the whole arrangement was very human-friendly. I felt very safe and that you would be there for me if I needed help in some way.”
Participant, Inner Joy
Program
Retreaten starter med innsjekk lørdag 17. februar kl. 17:30 etterfulgt av middag kl 19:00, og avsluttes med lunsj kl 13:00 tirsdag 27. februar.
We have full silence from the first morning after arrival day.
There will be possibilities to share during the retreat, about what you are experiencing and what is coming up for you - things you may need support with. There will be at least one group sharing. You can also ask for an individual sharing with one of the facilitators.
The retreat is held in English.
Daily program*
07:30 – 08:30 Morning meditation
08:30 – 09:30 Breakfast
10:30 – 13:00 Vipassana meditation with Vipassana walk
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 16:30 Time for rest, walk by yourself in nature, sessions, space for creativity, individual sharings and sauna (sauna on some days).
16:30 – 17:30 Afternoon meditation (optional)
18:00 – 19:00 Vipassana meditation or other group
19:00 – 20:00 Dinner
20:00 – 21:00 Evening meditation
*changes in program may happen
Prices
Saturday February 17th - Tuesday February 27th:
15.538 NOK for program, all meals and shared room or attic space, in a shared cabin
18.448 NOK for program, all meals and single room in shared cabin (with 1-2 others)
Bedlinen and towel is available for rent (NOK 250,-) or you can bring your own.
If you have any questions, please contact us by mail.
For our cancellation policy click here.
What is Vipassana meditation?
Vipassana meditation is an ancient technique of meditation. It came from Gautama Buddha more than 2500 years ago. It is very simple – we sit in silence, relax the body and just watch the breath coming and going. There is no effort involved in the breathing. At the same time we take distance from everything that is happening - physical sensations, emotions and thoughts, and simply watch them without getting involved. In this way we can gradually become more silent, relaxed and present – enjoying just resting and being with ourselves.
In Dharma Mountain we have a soft and friendly approach to Vipassana, without bringing effort or force into the practice. It is not about having the perfect sitting position – you can sit in a normal chair if you like. It is not about forcing the body to be still, or managing to stop the mind. Meditation is more an accepting of whatever is here. By accepting, we can relax and find that we have everything we need right here and now, and let ourselves be nourished and renewed, without any external reason.
You don’t need previous experience with Vipassana to join the retreat, the technique will be introduced and guided.
Vipassana means to see things as they really are..
Morning - and afternoon groups
The program includes soft movement, soft yoga and active meditations to prepare and support the body for sitting.
There will also be free time for walks in nature, sauna (some days), sessions etc. and a room will be available for creative expression – writing, drawing or painting.
Become part of the silence
To be in a silent retreat in Dharma Mountain doesn’t mean just practising a technique, it’s a whole experience of silence and meditation. Here, meditation has been practised for more than 20 years, and everybody working here has meditation as a part of their lives.
Nature: See yourself – and the milky way
The nature around Dharma Mountain is an important part of the experience - it creates an atmosphere that invites us to go within. In wintertime it is a special experience - the snow and the night sky remind us to stop. There is almost no light pollution here, so you may see the Milky Way.
From previous participants of Inner Joy:
“Wonderful in all ways. The sessions, the food, the people working here, the nature.”“It has been lifegiving and opening days for me. I feel well taken care of, good with all the structure, good with the pauses”
«It was magical. Very professional, I felt safe and taken care of. ”
Why ten days?
There is no rule saying that exactly ten days are needed to learn Vipassana meditation and to receive the benefits from it. Meditation is a journey of a lifetime. But a ten day retreat may give us the time we need to go through layers that prevent us from experiencing the silence and peace that is there naturally inside of us, so we can have a deeper experience.
Our experience has shown that the first two-three days are spent on learning the technique and getting into the practice and settling here. During the following days we face ourselves, our thoughts, sensations, feelings and moods. For some this phase might be easy, maybe even relieving to just be with oneself - for others maybe challenging.
It is normal to experience restlessness, resistance and uncomfortable feelings. With patience and with the structure of the retreat, everything is invited to arise, and also to pass in its own time.
After these days of going deeper, things start to settle - just like sand in water, which takes time to settle in the bottom. Thoughts and challenges may still be there, but little by little we get a distance to them.
By giving ourselves as much as ten days, the silence will be more integrated and we can more easily bring the quality of silence into our lives.
Meditation – the natural way
For us at Dharma Mountain, meditation is not only a technique - it is the very presence and connection with the deep peace we all naturally have in ourselves. In a society where our attention is constantly pulled outwards and where all focus is on achieving and performing, many of us have lost the connection with the natural and peaceful place inside. Meditation techniques are available to help us and allow us to practice coming back to the peace which is always there.
We can bring meditation into everything we do – into our work and interactions with others. It is a resting place inside, a source of nourishment, no matter what is happening on the outside.
“The whole art of the beautiful technique of Vipassana meditation is to come back to your breath. Be on guard, don’t get lost in your thoughts. Don’t disappear with them, bring yourself back into the moment, again and again, a million times. Just come back into your heart. Into your breath. Become aware of the sounds of nature around you, anything that is happening in the moment. Then you burn through every bond that holds you. Then peace will be there. Silence will be there. And in that silence, there is bliss. There is rest. There is consciousness. There is freedom. There is happiness.”
Vasant Swaha
7 benefits of meditation
- More calmness: Meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn lowers the heart rhythm and blood pressure.
- Less stress: Meditation reduces the amount of stress hormones and makes us more capable of handling stressful situations.
- More joy: It is no coincidence that we call the silent retreat "Inner Joy". Meditation affects signal substances in the brain, making it produce more of the "happiness hormone" Dopamine. Meditation also reduces anxiety and depression.
- More presence: Senses are sharpened when you meditate. The practice of being present allows you to feel, taste and smell more fully the world around you.
- More clarity: Science shows that meditation makes the brain sharper and more capable of remembering and learning. Since meditation is a practice of being in the moment and creating distance to our thoughts and emotions, it becomes easier to see everything more clearly.
- More creativity: Many experience a boost in creativity when they start meditating. This is partly due to activation of a part of the brain related to creativity, but also due to more relaxation and less self-criticism.
- More energy: Meditation is known to recharge the body. Excessive thought activity and stress requires effort and energy, and by letting go of this we get more energy. We also become more aware of the body's natural needs, and thereby find a more healthy balance between rest and activity.
(Various sources)
Facilitators
Prem Lee is a trained medical doctor and has studied traditional acupuncture. She has been leading groups in self-discovery and meditation in Norway and Brazil for over 15 years. She also has a background from Osho Risk Therapist Training. Prem Lee has a caring and loving presence.
Vimal is a trained medical doctor and has been practicing meditation and self-discovery for more than 20 years. He has been involved in running Dharma Mountain since 2006. Vimal likes to bring sensitivity and playfulness into exploring himself.
From previous participants of Inner Joy:
«Just wanted to let you know that all in all it was an amazing experience, the surroundings and the different types of practices fit me very well :-)»
«A wonderful opportunity to break through old armour and stir up whatever needs to be stirred up for further healing and growth. It was a mirror for reflecting on my very own being.»
«A special, magical, powerful place – the special love for Mother Nature.»
«Incredibly positive that so much of the food was homemade. And it was served in such a delicate and delicious way. The taste was excellent.»