A meditation retreat in noble silence for full introspection.

An invitation to take a break from the outside world to explore your inner reality.

Today, we – our bodies and minds – are in constant move. As we transmit from one emotion and experience to another, we are at every moment encircled by different energies from our surroundings. We are constantly receiving impression from the outside world, from our interactions with other humans, books, music, or various news channels. We seek external explanations for our emotions and guidance on what we should do and how we should be.

But how often do we take the time to stop and really listen inwards, without any external distractions?
The time to open the door to our internal world, to truly understand ourselves, our own thoughts and emotions, when we are no longer exposed to outside. Time to give ourselves courage to experience our own inner reality simply by observing what we will experience when everything around us is till and we are alone with our own voice.

During these four days, I invite you to disconnect from all the external connections, daily activities and responsibilities that usually occupy your attention. I invite you to enter the world of complete silence for introspection, to observe yourself, your physical and mental structure. You will give yourself the chance to completely focus on the techniques of meditation as your only guidance. You will let go of the control of time and other commitments in order to focus solely on your journey of self-observation. Throughout your days you will be guided by a gong that will lead you into the next part of the programme.

Who is the one behind the gong? I encountered true silence during my first Vipassana sitting almost a year ago. Prior to that, I have been practicing both yoga and meditation daily for years. But it was not until I spent ten full days in complete silence and with full dedication to the techniques, that I began to understand the nature of my mental and physical structure and began to create deeper interconnection between them. Just by observing the reality as it is, not change it or. With time I also started to cultivate a greater sense of mental balance and equanimity in life. It has gifted me with an understanding of the importance of creating a space of silence that I occasionally visit to recharge, find balance and to deepen my connection with myself in between the busy social life I otherwise live. Now I would love to share the experience with you.

What you can except to experience during this weekend

Anapana Meditation: You will be introduced to meditation in its most basic form, Anapana, which in the ancient Buddhist language of Pali means: “Mindfulness of Breathing”. A technique in which you observe the breath in its natural form, paying your attention to the sensations of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. It is not a breathing exercise where you try to regulate your breath or recite any mantras. Instead, are training your brain to focus for hours on a single object, your breath, without reacting or controlling whatever arises.

• During the meditation sessions, you will most likely experience how restless, dull and easily occupied the mind can be, wandering from one thought to another. Continued practice of Anapana will hopefully help you to develop mastery over your mind by training it to remain focused on the breath and to tune out distractions. Over time, it will help to improve your concentration and focus in general and in your daily life by sharpening the mind. Hopefully you will gain mental mental balance and reduce anxiety and stress. After a period of continuous practice, you will notice the effect it has on your quality of your life, being able to be more present, more aware and with a greater perspective of live. Hopefully, this will help you to accept reality instead of reacting to it, and to remain balanced in the various situations that arise in life.

• Noble Silence: an important part of the journey to be able to fully immerse yourself in introspection without any external distractions.
• Yoga: Yin yoga for all levels: to deepen the connection between the body and the mind.
• The nature: we are surrounded by a serene natural environment that provdes a peaceful setting for our inner exploration and tranquility.
• Mediation: It is common to experience physical discomfort during meditation and difficulty maintaining concentration during the one hour meditation sessions.

I encourage you to attend all the meditation sessions, but please listen to your body and attend as many sessions as you feel comfortable with.

• When you first enter complete silence and devotion to meditation: emotions may arise that you were not aware of before. Thus, be aware that it is perfactly normal and part of the journey.
• Writing: There will be times when you can write down your thoughts.
• Meeting with the instructuor: Once a day you will have the opportunity to meet with the instructor for you comfort and guidance.
• Experience: No previous experience of meditation or yoga is required. It will be suitable for all levels.
• All meals during the day: breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. It will be healthy vegetarian food.

Day 1 Intro and arrival

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Lecturer
Rukhsar Hadaf moved to Stockholm from Southern Sweden, Lund, years ago. With roots in Afghanistan, she speaks serval languages and has passion for different cultures and self-development. The last decade she has been working as a leader and manager in Finance and Tech, two fast-paces industries. She thrives well in challenging and stimulating environments, simultaneously, in calm and peaceful ones for writing, reading or painting. To balance and strengthen her body and mind she has been practicing yoga and meditation daily for years, until she found her heart in Ashtanga yoga and Vipassana meditation. She believes that life is about complementary forces, as she lives both a very social and silent life, to recharge and for introspection. Her great interest in both mental and physical health started at an early age when she was diagnosed with a chronic disease, Endometriosis, as she was searching to find the roots to the inflammatory in her body and adjust her lifestyle accordingly. The engagement for the interconnection between the body and mind deepened during her recovery from severe Anorexia nervosa.

The house
Framgångsgården consists of two properties with a one-minute walk between them. In the main building you will find a lecture hall, living room, dining room and 10 bathrooms with toilet and shower. There is also access to a training/meditation room for those who wish to carry out their own activity. We eat all meals together in the common dining room

The accommodation
The price includes accommodation in shared, multi-bed rooms. If you want your own room, write it at the time of booking and we will solve it on the spot for an extra cost of SEK 2,000. Showers and toilets are shared.

The food
Gluten-free, vegan, nutritious and healthy food is served, where all meals are prepared by Framgångsgården’s own chefs. (In case of possible allergies: write it when you book, and we will adapt your meals accordingly.)

The price includes:
♥ Three dinners
♥ Three lunches
♥ Three breakfasts
♥ Three nights in a shared room
♥ All lectures, workshops and activities
♥ Coffee, tea, fruit and Framgångsgården’s Smoothie bar
♥ Goodie bag worth 1000 kr

All activities are voluntary. You only do what you are comfortable with and feel good about.

Getting here by train and bus
End station is ”Hävla Affär”. The entire train journey by bus can be booked with SJ via sj.se. It is a one-minute walk to the main house from the bus stop. We have also created a Facebook event where you can offer and find carpools and keep in touch with the other participants.

Do you have an electric car?
Charging stations can be found in Finspång, Katrineholm and Norrköping, among others.

What do I need to bring?
Towel, swimwear, bedding, comfortable yoga clothes and warm clothes for being outdoors. Yoga equipment from Yogiraj will be on site.

If you get prevented from coming
In case of illness or other sudden event, a place on another retreat is offered. Let us know as soon as you can!

Age limit is 16 years.

If you wish to divide your payment you can to so with Klarna when you book the retreat.

A warm welcome to invest in your health and give yourself an experience that will elevate your life and personal development!

Looking forward to see you!