Silent Retreat
A gentle silent retreat with meditation, yoga and nature — screen-free, silent, and eye-contact-free, with more rest and fewer hours of seated practice than a traditional Vipassana.
About this retreat
Stepping away from daily distraction to reconnect with yourself is the whole point here. For the duration of the retreat we go screen-free, silent, and skip eye contact, so the process of turning inward can happen fully.
This is a softer take on the silent retreat than most: fewer days, up to 6 hours of formal seated meditation rather than 12, more time to rest, and a mix of techniques alongside gentle yoga, pranayama, and nature walks — a holistic, kind approach rather than an endurance test.
The teaching draws on Buddhist and Yogic meditation, made accessible through talks, Q&As, and private support, regardless of prior experience — a beginner's mindset is an advantage here, not a gap to close. The format grew out of years attending 10-day Vipassana retreats in the S.N. Goenka tradition, and wanting a shorter, less rigid version that still holds real depth. This is the sixth one taught and organized this way.
A typical day
What past participants say
This is a yogalap collaboration. The retreat is mainly organised by Thomas Mathias, one of yogalap's main teachers, and is held in collaboration with yogalap. Yogalap founder Michaël Bijker will join for at least one session to share a practice and teaching. Graduates of the yogalap instructor courses will be prioritized if spots are filling.
Requisites
Alcohol, nicotine and other intoxicants should be off the table for 7 days before the retreat. Caffeine is fine in moderation and served with brunch and lunch; smoking isn't permitted during the retreat itself. You'll be asked to share openly about your physical and mental health beforehand so we can be sure the program is right for you at this stage — and it helps to start meditating daily in the lead-up.
Food & accommodation
Held at a private villa in South Portugal, on the foothills of a forest near Lagos. Food is plant-based, seasonal and local. Both private and shared rooms are available (shared rooms sleep 2 maximum). The closest airport is Faro (FAO), about 1h15 by car — Bolt, Uber and taxis run from there. Lisbon Airport (LIS) is roughly 4 hours away.
Tuition
SHARED ROOM
€750
Early bird until October 8, then €850
PRIVATE ROOM
€1150
Early bird until October 8, then €1250
Group size is capped at 12. Tuition covers food, accommodation and the full program, with 10% off for Portuguese citizens and residents. Payment plans are available. A €250 deposit reserves your spot (non-refundable, but transferable to a future retreat within 1 year if space allows) — pay the balance by October 8 for early bird, or October 31 otherwise.
You'll fill in a short questionnaire — payment details follow once it's reviewed.