Saturday, April 29 thru Sunday, April 30th
an Overnight Silent Meditation & Yoga Retreat for Women
Deep Dive will be held at the Sheer Blue Artistry & Wellness Studio in Fremont.
Participants will arrive by 8am Saturday, April 29th and be ready to head for home by 12 Noon on Sunday, April 30th.
Registration is limited to 8 participants.
Participants will arrive by 8am Saturday, April 29th and be ready to head for home by 12 Noon on Sunday, April 30th.
Registration is limited to 8 participants.
Why So Quiet?
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The Vipassana, or silent retreat, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation as a path for self-transformation through self-observation in silence.
The world is a noisy place. Just think about it; there’s noise everywhere—from people, TV, smartphones, and traffic. This is the everyday stuff that we're pretty good at tuning out when we need to, BUT there’s that noise inside your head—the incessant monkey mind or inner chatterbox.
Silent yoga retreats were born from the practice of Vipassana. Vipassana is an ancient meditation technique that means “to see |
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things as they are.” Sometimes called insight meditation, Vipassana focuses on connecting the mind and the body by refraining from communication. It is a Buddhist term that means “insight.”
Though it started as a spiritual practice, people from all walks of life can benefit from it without any attachment to a particular religion, or any religion at all.
The idea behind silent yoga retreats is to withdraw your sense of communication with others so you can focus on listening to yourself and the people around you.
Though it started as a spiritual practice, people from all walks of life can benefit from it without any attachment to a particular religion, or any religion at all.
The idea behind silent yoga retreats is to withdraw your sense of communication with others so you can focus on listening to yourself and the people around you.
The basic idea is that through practicing silence for a prolonged period, you are able to channel all the energy you usually devote to communication and interactions with others, inwards.
This helps us calm the noise in our mind, recharge our batteries and gain clarity.
This helps us calm the noise in our mind, recharge our batteries and gain clarity.
The true interpretation of Vipassana includes Noble Silence, which means silence of the body, speech and mind. Therefore, making eye contact, gesturing, sign language, reading, writing, exercising, listening to music and using technology are also typically prohibited during your stay at a Silent Retreat.
Taking into consideration our short retreat duration and limited accommodations, we will will be acting with intention for the highest and best itinerary throughout our retreat, which will at times include yoga, journaling and light acoustic music.
Taking into consideration our short retreat duration and limited accommodations, we will will be acting with intention for the highest and best itinerary throughout our retreat, which will at times include yoga, journaling and light acoustic music.
What to Expect
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“A silent retreat is a gift to yourself to recalibrate, to connect, to learn about yourself in a beautiful way. In such a way that you can only get when your basic needs are taken care of and you are given the time, space, and instruction to meditate in silence.”
Through various types of sitting, guided and walking meditation practices you will experience an undistracted space for you to turn inward, truly connecting with your own body, mind and spirit.
Our Silent Retreat will also incorporate several opportunities for hatha, gentle and yin yoga sessions to help focus the mind, and move the body to help ward off any discomfort that may arise from your stillness. We will engage in several hands-on silent activities to engage your senses and continue to cultivate mindfulness in different ways. Please Note: All forms of technology will be required to be relinquished during our retreat. This includes but is not limited to laptops, iPads, Smartphones and Smart Watches.
ScheduleWe will gather in silence at the Sheer Blue studio at 8am on Saturday, April 29th and conclude our Retreat at approximately 12 Noon on Sunday, April 30th.
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There will be a 10-minute opportunity on Saturday, after our communal supper to check and respond to any important messages via text/email only. You must maintain silence, therefore no calls will be allowed. You may leave the studio number with your immediate family for emergencies. In case of an emergency that requires you to respond or even leave the retreat, we will keep our eyes on the studio line throughout the retreat and alert you of any emergent messages.
Benefits of a Silent Retreat
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How to Prepare
Embarking on a silent retreat means swapping the constant stimulation of modern living for stillness and silence, which is no easy feat. In fact, there’s a high chance that completing a silent meditation retreat might just be the hardest thing you’ll ever do! Going ‘cold turkey’ is guaranteed to make the adjustment process much harder, so it’s a good idea to start preparing for your silent treat a few weeks in advance.
To make the transition into the retreat a bit easier, use these suggestions for preparation:
- Wean off technology at least few days prior to the retreat
- Wean off caffeinated beverages - coffee will be available
- Increase your daily meditation time - Don't have a meditation practice? Start simply by sitting in stillness for 5 minutes, increasing as able.
- Nourish your body with healthy foods
- Choose and practice your preferred sitting postures to allow your body to find comfort in each
- Plan to Shower Saturday Morning Prior to Arriving at Sheer Blue
How to Pack
Please dress comfortably, in non-restrictive clothing that you can spend the day in.
- Bring a change of pajamas for Saturday evening
- Bring comfortable clothing for Sunday morning
- Bring any simple toiletries needed - toothbrush/paste, lotions, chapstick, headbands/ponytail holders, deoderants, etc.
- Sleeping bag and/or mat, pillows, bolsters for sleeping as well as positioning throughout the retreat
- Outdoor Gear - Several walking meditations are planned. Keep an eye on the weather and bring outdoor wear, as you see fit
- Scarf or hoodie sweatshirt to cover your head during meditation to minimize distractions - lightweight scarves will be available for use
- Consider using Noise Canceling Headphones or AirPods to aid in the meditation process
- Bring a favorite journal and pen
- Pack a large waterbottle and/or 2 bottles - water and teas will be available throughout the retreat. Keep your options open by bringing 2
- Pain Reliever - Advil, Aleve or Tylenol to ward off discomfort from sitting and maybe Excedrin Migraine for those pop-up headaches
- Essential Oil Rollers to keep you focussed, your immune system strong, or to help you catch some sleep
Meal Info
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Fresh foods will be available for your meals throughout the retreat. We will concentrate on a largely plant-based menu to include:
A variety of teas, water and coffee will be available for you throughout the retreat. Please feel free to pack additional snacks or beverages that you require. At this time, refrigerator space will not be available, so please plan accordingly. |
Cancellation Policy
The maximum number of participants for this retreat will be 8, with a minimum of 3 required.
The studio reserves the right to cancel Deep Dive, an Overnight Meditation & Yoga Retreat for Women due to lack of participation. Full refunds will be given to those that have booked should the studio decide to cancel. Please see our participant cancellation policy below.
The studio reserves the right to cancel Deep Dive, an Overnight Meditation & Yoga Retreat for Women due to lack of participation. Full refunds will be given to those that have booked should the studio decide to cancel. Please see our participant cancellation policy below.
Cancellations made prior to March 15th will be refunded in full.
Cancellations made between March 16th and April 15th will be refunded 50%.
Cancellations made following April 15th will result in no refund.
Thank you for understanding our cancellation policies. As a small business, we make purchases for materials needed to host the event as your bookings come in. Late cancellations make it difficult for us to return or adjust quantities of items, creating unnecessary expenditures.
We will review emergency cancellations on a case by case basis and within the guidelines above will make the best decision regarding refunds as each situation warrants.
Cancellations made between March 16th and April 15th will be refunded 50%.
Cancellations made following April 15th will result in no refund.
Thank you for understanding our cancellation policies. As a small business, we make purchases for materials needed to host the event as your bookings come in. Late cancellations make it difficult for us to return or adjust quantities of items, creating unnecessary expenditures.
We will review emergency cancellations on a case by case basis and within the guidelines above will make the best decision regarding refunds as each situation warrants.
