Silent Retreat
At
Zoetic
NOTHING TO DO
NOTHING TO HAVE
NO ONE TO BE
Taking the time to explore the energetic dance of the mind and body on retreat has never been as important as it is today in our age of constant distraction, where the prize everyone is fighting for is your attention. If you aren’t actively choosing where to rest your attention in the moment, someone else is choosing for you. Zoetic’s Silent Retreat focuses on learning to listen actively to your body and its ever changing energy, in the moment. In this way it is possible for space to be cultivated between the stimuli of the world and your reactions to those stimuli.
We have lost touch with our original nature, ego has us under the illusion that we are the things that we have been taught since birth. As a result anxiety, depression, purposelessness, co dependency, and narcissism plague huge numbers of us. What were we before we were taught to be, do, want , or have anything? Silent Retreat may help you begin to answer that question for yourself.
The company you keep on the path of transformation can make all the difference. The team at Zoetic is but a source of education about the implementation and practice of the tools science has shown us are useful in this age of, as E.O. Wilson says,”…Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions and godlike technology.”.
On silent retreat you are encouraged and guided to slow down and observe your energy, observe what stimulates you and why. The experience brings a knowledge I’m unable to convey with words. On Silent Retreat the felt sensation of true freedom comes from regularly sharpening your most useful tool: your mind. And it feels really good.
Diving deeply into the meditative arts doesn’t have to be about sitting on the floor in stillness for hours. Our program is serious, but it’s also full of the joy of discovery.
Explore the True Nature of Reality with Silence
Through the use of specific guided meditations, sessions of simple mindful movement, breathing exercises, nature based discovery sessions, art games and experiments, and other practices that are drawn from ancient teachings around the world, whose veracity is well-established by institutions such and Yale, Brown, and the Mayo Clinic. The science behind these practices has been documented and confirmed.
Meditation, it’s simple, but not always easy. During this deep dive the small team of cooks, guides, teachers, and speakers are here to enhance and inspire your experience at Zoetic by keeping your schedule, so that you can begin to hone your focus on self discovery.
The retreat encourages participants to engage fully with the present moment, cultivating a sense of peace and clarity that extends beyond the retreat experience.
Each element of the program is carefully selected to build upon the previous elements to enhance your overall experience by eliminating distractions and providing ideal conditions for the meditative state to be arise. Following the schedule is highly encouraged.
One thing that makes Zoetic unique is that the support team is on retreat with you. All team members operate under functional silence and only speak when required to by our role in the program, or to support you in a time of physical or emotional need. In this way we are all generating the energy of continuous mindfulness together.
Your retreat experience is notably enhanced by Zoetic’s indoor and outdoor pets (8 miniature goats, 1 giant house bunny, 2 friendly cats and 2 sweet outdoor pups)
In addition to the core mindfulness practices, Silent retreat is also a digital detox that we all need. The 5 day 4 night program offers sessions of simple movement, and sessions of guided in silence stillness, evening educational talks, guest speakers, art and nature immersion experiences and 3 healthy vegetarian meals a day. Also included are: a small notebook, a robe, a safe for your phone, a small backpack, an eye mask for blackout evening soundscape sessions, and a few more surprises. Really,
BRING NOTHING, AND RETURN WITH EVERYTHING
Also though, bring comfortable clothes to sleep, stretch, and stroll in, any medication you normally take and special toiletries you can’t do without, something to swim in (a suit, shorts, or yoga clothes). If you have a sit cushion or Zafu that you love, we have many but bring your special one anyway.
Truly you will need NOTHING else here. We have thought of everything and we have it covered.
Our aim is to create a safe and nurturing space for individuals to relax, and to be inspired to explore the true nature of reality, in silence, with mindfulness.
Whether you are seeking to reduce stress, enhance creativity, or simply find balance in a world that wants to distract you from the things that matter, Zoetic offers a sanctuary for growth and transformation.
Disclaimer: Silent Retreat is truly a unique and intense experience. If you are in the throes of a deep depression, or life crisis of extreme proportions, this may not be the right time for you to come on silent retreat. There is no need to rush into this. If you have any questions on this matter, please feel free to reach out and inquire. Every question is worth asking, no matter how small. Reach out.
You are Sincerely Invited
… to participate in every opportunity, practice, excursion, game, activity and event we have carefully curated for your comfort and growth, but everything is always optional. This is your time to explore, knowing that the team of facilitators and guides at Zoetic are standing by with flashlights to point the way out if you need that, or to point the way in.
Your mind can be your most melodic instrument and the sharpest tool in your toolbox, with a little Practice. Come grow your knowledge of yourself and learn techniques to better understand and master your best instrument. Learn how to wield and care for the invaluable tool you have in your mind.
All people, of all ages, backgrounds, and dispositions are welcome. You must bring with you enough Kindness and Curiosity to share with others. If you are in short supply you are still welcome but invited to explore the definition of Active Listening.
This retreat will be a cozy group of 5 sincere people who have come together to explore what is to be known in five days in silence, in nature, resting in our awareness.
If you wish to know more about the retreat, or if you would like to attend the next retreat in Oct, please contact us to reserve your space. We operate on a sliding scale, pay-what-you-can system. If we can’t fit you in this one we will make sure you have a spot in the next.
What am I?
Am I the bulb that carries the light,
or am I the light
of which the bulb is a vehicle?
-Joseph Campbell
Zoetic’s 2024/25 Silent Retreat Schedule
5 day & 24 Hour
2024
October 16-20
November 2
November 30
2025
January 8-12
March 26-30
April 9-13
May 14-18
Sept 10-14
October 1-5
November 1
Zoetic Mindfulness Retreat will hold two more Silent Retreats this year, and approximately one a month beginning in 2025.
Your time on Silent Retreat will be focused on turning inward with guided mindfulness practices and aims to create a space for you to demonstrate to yourself what we now know for a fact, through science and our own experiences, to be true: there is joy, relief, pleasure and more, to be found in regularly sharpening your most useful tool: your mind.
Zoetic aims to provide a secluded, safe and supportive environment to foster mindfulness practices and other forms of modern and studied meditation methods, for individuals who are interested in expanding their toolbox, or those who need help choosing their first tools. If you are standing in the doorway of transformation, if you even have a sense that there is a doorway in the first place, we are here to support you taking the first step.
‘I cannot imagine, nor would I want to live, a life without mindfulness. That is how precious the practices are to me, and also how effective I’ve found them to be in helping me deal with anxiety and depression. A side effect that was equally valuable was that my connection to myself, and the world around me, grew incredibly strong. This increase in connection has had far reaching effects in my life. Perhaps that will be true for you as well.
I know the practice works because I actively practice, every day. Sometimes formally, sometimes not, but as much as is necessary, because for me, it really works.
If you also have challenges around anxiety and stress, if you struggle with connection, self-love and compassion, co-dependency, depression, addiction to screens or substances, Silent Retreat is for you.
Some of those were challenges I carried with me when I arrived at the doorway. The strategies we encourage on silent retreat at Zoetic helped me to step through the door into a life where joy and true presence are available.
Mindfulness meditation has taught me that when I am very still, the moments nature is to continually engage me to experience physically the energy of my original nature. You don’t have to do anything too special, just paying attention to the moment, on purpose, non judgmentally.
I was able to make significant improvements in my own health and well-being through a serious and kind commitment to a mindfulness practice. Sharing the best of what I have learned over the last 20 years with others who may need to pause themselves is one of the reasons Zoetic exists.
If those are not familiar struggles, but changing your habit patterns and making better choices based on your values and beliefs is of interest to you, then also please reach out and reserve your space.
-Dara
This is an example of the schedule for the full days of silence. Your retreat schedule may look slightly different, but essentially this is the format for 3 of the 5 days on every silent retreat Zoetic hosts. Please look carefully at this example before you reserve your space.
