SOME IMPRESSIONS FROM THIS YEARS RETREAT

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We arrived at the chalet in the early afternoon on the 3rd of DECEMBER 2017.

We had to start with getting up the mountain in deep snow. Fully packed with yoga equipment and food for the week we managed to get to the hut on the winding forest road thanks to some courage and the great car. A sip of Schnapps was served there and the stove was fired up. Little by little the others arrived until everyone had moved into his room. The days were clear and cold, the snow grew from day to day higher until our car and every step in the snow was completely covered. We were away from the noise and stress of everyday life and let the peace and quiet flow into us. There is no telephone reception and Internet here. Our days started with yoga, we spent the afternoon with long walks in the deep snow, letting the sun shine in our faces, cooking together and deepening into the matter of yoga, silence and meditation.

There was plenty of time for rest and silence, to marvel at the beauty of nature, breathing fresh air and relaxing. In the evening we continued to practice yoga and meditation together. In traditional Satsang (the gathering and reflection, talking about theme-relevant aspects of yoga and meditation) Michael Ende's book "The Never-ending Story" has inspired us and reminded us of our capacity for transformation. Each time again this place in the mountains and the experience of silence is healing and a very special experience.

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Now I would like to share with you some more voices from the participants of the last years:

Petra H.:

"It is difficult to describe the silence retreat in words, as it was about "being without words" so often. Which is why I just wish everybody to make such an experience on their own. It was beautiful!

The silence retreat was a marvellous mix of practical exercises and theoretical background that where all aimed at getting to know myself better.

The retreat caused a positive change in me. It sounds exaggerated, that only 8 days should have an impact on a personality that had been growing for years, but it is simply true. The cottage, the surroundings, Barbara, the colleagues, food, yoga, meditation, hiking, the room, yes, even the weather were perfect. The only pity is, that also this beautiful experience had to come to an end. For me, the most beautiful frame to prepare yourself for one of the big topics in life: letting go."  

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Elisabeth Z.:

"This week did me a lot of good and brought me a bit closer to my "core", my "true self". Above all, it was important and significant to be concentrated in silence on myself, to recognize certain patterns of behaviour and thinking, and in doing so, to detect sensations, feelings and beliefs that come again and again, which I am otherwise often not aware of. The times of yoga and meditation together were a good "school" for me: to learn, according to Barbara's instructions, to have patience with me, not to "push" me, to stay with me and not to be tempted to look at the other participants and to compare me - to recognize my uniqueness and thus also to learn to love and be unique. Meditating and concentrating on the breath - initially started with fear, whether I would even be able to "sit still and become still" - was also a special experience for me, because I was able to recognize and feel that 1. sitting is possible for a longer time and 2. with this "method" also the thoughts, the thinking and here above all the abundance of inner "brain storm" can be tamed (even if still mostly for a short time!).

Barbara's way to accompany and guide us was characterized by determination, knowledge and above all by a lot of loving attention! The mixture of yoga, meditation, background information and many good thoughts of different spiritual masters, mystics, philosophers and writers was also very stimulating and beneficial for me. Many thanks again for the times of reading aloud, which led me to my childlike side and did me good.

I am now also at home in the "yoga and meditation flow" and intend to stay there, because it does me good and opens me on the physical level as well as internally for new/old things. That's how it is!"

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