Yin/Insight Yoga and Inquiry Silent Retreat

This silent meditation retreat pairs Yin and Yang yoga with partner inquiry and teachings from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Sarah Powers and Ty Powers lead it over six nights at Mandali Retreat Center in Italy. It is meant for people who already have some experience of silent retreat, or who have practiced consistently with Sarah and Ty, and who want to go deeper into quiet, heart-opening practice.

What to Expect

Days alternate meditation sessions with Yin and Yang yoga, and there is room between sessions for hiking, swimming, the sauna and rest. The retreat begins after dinner on the day of arrival and runs through six nights. Partner inquiry sessions add a spoken, relational thread to the silence, and each participant also has a private or small group session with Sarah or Ty.

The teachings draw on the seven points of Mind Training (Lojong) taught by Atisha, an 11th century Indian yogi who spent his later years reshaping Tibetan Buddhist views on compassion and awareness as they are lived in everyday life. These down to earth practices have been followed for centuries, and Atisha was nicknamed the "Sublime teacher of impulsive behavior and its results." The emphasis here is on heart-opening methods you can carry back into ordinary life.

On the final morning there are no formal teachings. Practice is self-led, followed by breakfast and check out.

Your Teachers

Sarah Powers and Ty Powers co-lead the retreat. Sarah is the author of the book Lit From Within, her second, and her recorded teachings are available to watch ahead of time. Ty also meets participants in private and small group sessions, so you can expect personal contact with both teachers during the week.

The Setting

Mandali Retreat Center offers peaceful practice rooms, scenic hiking trails, contemplative outdoor nooks and permaculture gardens. Its Body Care Centre has a sauna, a jacuzzi and an indoor heated swimming pool, all free for retreat guests. Massage and therapies are available there at an extra cost.

Rooms are single, double or triple, and are described as welcoming and cosy. Meals are vegetarian and taken three times a day, with tea, fruit and filtered water available throughout. The food is gourmet and plant based, with some dairy options. Yoga and meditation props are provided.

Guests arrive via Malpensa International Airport. Flights and transfers to and from the center are not included, so plan your onward travel in advance.

Before You Go

Prior experience of a silent retreat, or previous consistent practice with Sarah and Ty, is required. This is not an introduction to meditation or yoga. The retreat is held in English.

Included are six nights of accommodation, full board, fruit, teas and filtered water, use of the sauna, jacuzzi and heated pool, and all workshops and sessions in the program. Check in is after 2pm on the first day.

For reading beforehand, the teachers suggest Always Maintain a Joyful Mind by Pema Chödrön and Sarah's book Lit From Within.