Satsanga Retreat

Satsanga Retreat is family-run retreat centre and guest house , with a friendly staff mostly employed from the local village. We are situated in the village of Verla Canca, located between Anjuna Beach and Mapusa in Goa, India. We offer an array of yoga retreats, workshops, yoga teacher trainings and yoga holidays with renowned teachers from around the World. Satsanga Retreat, which many guests say feels like a “home-away-from-home,” provides a relaxed, intimate community setting. The centre features two beautiful yoga shalas with wood flooring, swimming pool, tropical gardens for gathering as a group or relaxing solo. We have 15 warmly furnished guest rooms, all offer private bathrooms with solar hot water, mosquito nets & ceiling fans. View photo gallery

What to look forward to on this retreat…

A week of Self-exploration and transformation – in the nurturing arms of the “Mother Land/India” – the birthplace of Yoga. Embrace the magic of noble silence through yoga, guided meditation, healing sessions, rest, reflection, profound teachings, life-transforming rituals, scrumptious vegetarian home-made food, amidst like-minded people – surrounded by nature – a gift to Oneself. First day is open communication – sharing humble stories, teachings and techniques that help us understand how the mind works and how to overcome the fluctuations and clutter that stop us from going deeper into the practice. At night time, a fire ritual will be conducted to ease into that beautiful space of noble silence. We will chant out loud to build that inner healing vibration, purifying all aspect of our self – connecting to pure consciousness. Silence begins…

Who should come?

Anyone who…

• is simply tired of suffering (physically, mentally or emotionally)
• need more positivity, clarity & love in their life
• want to learn meditation; unable to quiet their mind in meditation or…
• wish to deepen their spiritual practice and experience the true nature of their Soul

Why silence?

In today’s world, we are continuously bombarded and stimulated by worldly thing such as: TV, music, internet, phone and so on so forth. We fill every minute of our day, rarely taking any time away from it all to evaluate what we need, to live a healthier more peaceful life. The gift of Silence is an opportunity to see clearly beyond that busyness, beyond that everyday noise that create stress & imbalances for us. “In silence, we hear the unspoken ~ we feel the unseen.”

Your Retreat Includes

• Retreat Content & Material (plenty of meditation cushions)
• Full Room & Board /3 veg meals day + tea
• bed linen, pillows, towels

Your Retreat Does not include

• Flights
• Transfer to and from airport (can be arranged)
• Yoga Mats (Bring your own)

Arrival & Departure details Check in by: 23 Feb First class: 24 Feb Silence Week: Sun 4 Mar-10 Mar Graduation: After lunch on the 10 Mar

More about the retreat

Various topics of discussion…

• The nature of the mind: overcoming the fluctuations of the mind.
• Karma: understanding the benefits of good thoughts, good words, good actions.
• The hindrances that keep us away from unconditional love: the difference between conditional and Divine love.
• The path to peace: “if one wishes for world peace, one has to willingly find peace within ~ only then can he influence the world.”
• Greed, the root cause of suffering: 3 types of greed (material, lust, power)
• Surrendering to the Divine ~ A pathway to Joy.
• Faith and Devotion: the greatest devotion is the one with Love.
• The wisdom of Silence: different ways to practice silence and connect with our true Self.
• Difficulties are a blessing: suffering makes a person search for the real solution; it leads to wisdom and transformation.

Meditation in Motion/Asana/Chi Quong In order to sit for long periods of time, one needs to loosen the body and keep it strong, flexible and healthy.  In the modern world, many treat their body as a machine, pushing it to its limits, never getting in touch with their physical body. Even if they pay attention to their body, they do not “feel” it. Meditation in motion is the art of slowing down: practicing yoga and or chi gong in slow motions.  This technique allows better observation of the physical body, the mind and the emotional body. This process enables a deeper understanding of Yoga – connecting soul to pure consciousness.

Meditation Techniques

Styles of Meditation

• Mindfulness Meditation: (awareness of the breath) a technique used to create awareness and insight by practicing focused attention, observing, and accepting all that arises without judgment.
• Vipassana Meditation: (awareness of sensations) overcoming bodily sensations by method of scanning the body parts by parts and taking mental notes as the mind identify objects that take our attention away from the part being scanned in that present moment.
• Primordial Sound Meditation: silently repeating a mantra which helps to slip into that place below the noisy chatter of the mind, and into stillness and pure awareness.
• Metta Meditation: expending the energetic field of loving-kindness and compassion to oneself, others and the world.

Working Meditation Formal meditation (sitting and walking) are more traditional and essential for all. However, sitting for 5 to 6 hours a day is not always possible in our everyday life. One should understand that meditation and life are not two separate things. Life is meditation therefore, meditation is life. Common activities such as cleaning the dining hall, sweeping the path, gardening, preparing food, cleaning the yoga room and the meditation hall are all forms of working meditation that can also translate to “selfless service” – being of service to others. Therefore, it also teaches us kindness, metta and patience.

Q&A/Interviews…

There are 2 types of discussion. The first type is about the personal problems of the meditator. Such problems are discussed personally with the teacher in an interview. The student can then better understand and overcome his/her difficulties and go deeper into the practic The second type is group discussion (Q&A), where we discuss a problem or an experience common to everybody. In these sessions, priority is given to experiences, not necessarily to knowledge. Often, theoretical questions are simply asked to break the noble silence. Hence information given in books or by teachers gets second priority in these discussion periods.

Chanting/Devotion

Chanting – silently or out loud is another tool that helps us concentrate and quiet the mind. When focusing on the lyrics of the chant, the mind stops wandering and remains focus in the present. Furthermore, when devotional chanting comes from the heart, individuality disappears and collective confidence, collective joy and a shared rhythm set in, extending its positive vibrations to the whole Universe.

Yagam/Fire ritual Fire rituals are very special. Everything in life is made up of a combination of the elements, including our body. It is known that when illness comes or when there is disharmony in the world, it is due to an imbalance of the elements. Yagam contains all 5 elements, hence attending such ritual, give us the opportunity to reset and harmonize those elements – first, in our body, in the surrounding area and onward to the world and beyond. In addition, fire has always been a purification agent. Where there is light, there can be no darkness. Light represent clarity and darkness, ignorance. Therefore, fire burns away negative forces such as anger, lust, jealousy and greed, that hold us back on our journey – making space for more Light to shine through, illuminating the path to wisdom.

Food & Other Services

Vegetarianism will be practiced on this retreat, not as a debate on right versus wrong but on the concept of non-violence and friendliness towards all living beings. As Lord Buddha once said “I am more careful about what I put out of my mouth than what I put in my mouth.” More details on the services offered at Satsanga including: massage, laundry, internet, special diet requirements, etc, can be found following this link: http://www.satsangaretreat.com/services/

Visa & How to get there

A visa is required to travel to India. 30 days E-Visa is available for many counties. It is easy and can be acquired in the comfort of your own home. For longer period of stay, follow this link: www.satsangaretreat.com/travel

Silent Retreat Timetable

6:00-7:00	Group Meditation
7:00-7:30	Tea
7:30-8:30	Yoga/Meditation in motion
8:30-9:30	Karma Yoga/Working Meditation
9:30-10:30	Breakfast
10:30-11:30	Talk/Philosophy
11:30-12:30	Group Meditation
12:30-1:30	Lunch
1:30-3:30	Rest & Reflection
3:30-5:00	Meditation & Chi Gong
5:30-6:30	Yagam
6:30-7:30	Dinner
7:30-8:30	Walking meditation, Q & A or Healing