Navaratri

Mantra Yoga

Retreat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mantra Yoga Retreat

March 6th to 14th

“ El Silencio” Sadhana Kutir, San Carlos-Uruguay

Regular repetition of a mantra as a meditation technique is called Japa. This meditation technique is considered one of the most effective and powerful methods for developing deep concentration and awakening the divine potentials of the mind.

The Mantra contains a “Shakti” or dormant power that is activated only after much repetition over a period of time. Many people practice Japa for a short period each day, but generally, this is not enough to awaken the Shakti of the mantra, unless done very regularly over an extended period.

 This leads to many people who start meditating with a mantra to get discouraged and abandon the practice when they don't see immediate results. 

However, if we do a retreat, where we temporarily set aside all daily concerns and can immerse our minds fully in the mantra for an extended period, the Shakti of the mantra will be more easily awakened, producing a rapid expansion of the mind, revelation of knowledge in an intuitive form, activation of the mind’s dormant potential, and finally, the “Darshan” or direct vision - communion with the Deity of the Mantra.

When done with full concentration and bhava (feeling), Japa is a truly powerful technique worth experiencing.  For this reason, we are offering this retreat to deepen the practice of this highly efficient and yet simple technique, suitable for all levels of aspirants, regardless of their previous experience.

      

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In the practice of Japa, several yogas are included:

 Bhakti Yoga, or the yoga of devotion and divine love. Japa is a way to constantly remember and pray to God, invoking Him by His names.

Raja Yoga, the yoga of concentration, meditation, and control of the mind. Japa is a powerful tool for developing the capacity for deep, continuous mental concentration.

Nada Yoga, the yoga of sound and its effects on the mind. Mantras produce specific vibrations in our physical body as well as in the subtle or astral body, activating the various nadis and chakras of our psychic system, which leads to the activation of dormant areas of the mind.

Everyone can benefit from the practice of Japa.

It is said that Saint Valmiki was a criminal and completely ignorant until he was initiated into the mantra of Sri Rama. Through this practice alone, he achieved holiness and self-realization, and thus wrote the famous epic Ramayana, one of the most well-known and popular scriptures in India.

 Course Practices:

 ·      Three daily meditation practices with a mantra, with each session progressively increasing in duration according to personal capacity. There will be some guided group practices and others done individually in the silence of nature.

·      Daily class on asanas, pranayama, and relaxation.

·      Study of what a mantra is, how it works, and how to choose a personal mantra for daily meditation.

·      Correct pronunciation and intonation of mantras.

·    Analysis and teaching of the meditation technique with a mantra.

·      Practice of kirtan (group chanting of various mantras).

·      Likhita Japa – writing the mantra.


  

 

 

Costs:

 If you register before February 1st, the total cost of the retreat is $800 USD (only for those who pay the non-refundable deposit of $300 USD before February 1st, no exceptions). Take advantage of this opportunity—it helps us plan in advance.

After February 1st, the cost is $1008 USD.

Accommodation:

Accommodation is in shared rooms for two people.

If you prefer a single room, there is an additional 60% cost, subject to availability.

You can stay in a tent if you bring your own.

The bathrooms and showers are individual but shared by all.

Dates:

Start: March 6th at 2 PM. Participants coming from abroad may arrive on March 4th at no extra cost.

End: March 14th at 2 PM. Foreign participants with early flight times may stay the night of March 14th and depart on March 15th at no extra cost.

For extra nights: $80 USD per day, including meals.

Registration:

By paying a deposit of $300 USD (non-refundable), you secure your place. The remaining balance is due in cash upon arrival at the Ashram or you can pay by credit or debit card online via PayPal or Prex card. Payments via PayPal incur a 10% extra charge.

To register:

Please contact us at info@yoga-elsilencio.com, and we will send you the details for the non-refundable deposit of $300 USD to reserve your spot.

 We provide sheets, blankets, and two towels per person.

 

Special Event and Invitation: March 16th

On March 16th, we will be holding a special celebration of the Ashram's 25th anniversary, a Homa or fire cremony, praying for world peace.  

It will be a beautiful reunion of people who have been coming and supporting the Ashram over the years, and anyone who has never been is also welcome to participate. 

We invite everyone to stay those two days, and there is no fixed cost, but if you can make a voluntary donation to support the Ashram it will be very welcomed

Payment methods
Cash, If you pay with credit card (online only) we'll charge you an extra 10% because that's what it cost to us.

  • Accommodation
    There are 14 beds available total within the main house and cabins, those are in shared rooms.
    If you want to keep your privacy, please bring your own tent. There is plenty of tenting space available in beautiful natural surroundings.
    Beds in dormitory’s or cabins are only available to the first people who request them. After that there will be only tent space.
    We have a couple of tents available, only for those who request them first. If you don’t want to travel with your own tent, let us know immediately to reserve one for you if they are still available.

    Rules and regulations
    El Silencio is not a hotel or hostel . It is a family house where we follow the ancient and traditional "Gurukula" system, where the students live for a while with the teacher, like a family. That´s why we don´t have a housekeeping service. Each person should take care of cleanning his/her own space and we will share the cleaning of common areas like toilettes, kitchen, class room , etc. During the course and stay at "El Silencio" , we ask you to observe the following rules, to help maintaining a Sattvic atmosphere in the place and mind:

    * Do not smoke, drink alcohol, or take any drugs, meat or fish
    * Very important: It is mandatory (unless is an emergency) to keep complete silence between 22:00hr and 05:00hr. No talking, chatting or listening to music during this time, to respect all the people that is already in bed
    * Observe ahimsa or non-violence towards anybody in body, action, speech and thought
    * Do not hunt, kill or harm any animal
    * Do not pollute the place by leaving garbage of any sort
    * Respect and keep silence as much as possible, avoid shouting, screaming or loud music
    * Please participate in the practices as much according to your physical capacity and follow the instructions of the teachers explicitly only
    * Do not light any fire, incense nor candles in the whole property including tents or bedrooms
    Only authorized staff will be in charge of incense and other fire related items.

    What to bring
    • Yoga mat (if you are flying here, we can give you one)
    • Notebook for taking notes and for mantra writting
    • If you are going to stay in a tent, please bring your own sleeping bag or blankets
    • Boots. If you like to walk in the wild nature it is useful to wear boots to prevent thorns and mud especially if it rains
    • Toiletries items
    • Flashlight
    • Bathing suit (there is a river in the property)
    •Proper clothing: During this time the weather is usually warm and pleasant, but nevertheless it can be cool sometimes in the early mornings or evenings, so make sure you have some warm cloths for those times.

    How to reach the place
    We are 21km away from San Carlos city, Maldonado state, 40km from Punta del Este city and around 160km from Montevideo, capital of Uruguay.

    If you are flying to Uruguay:

  • Arrive at Montevideo city's Carrasco international airport (MVD) and from there take a bus to San Carlos (2 hours long). From San Carlos there are buses that will leave you 1km away from "El Silencio", we will be there waiting to pick you up if you let us know in advance. . You can also come from San Carlos by taxi. After you register for the course we will send you more detailed information about the transportation and a map and bus schedule to see which one fits your connections best.

    If you are coming from Montevideo

  • By car: We will send you a map with detailed instructions on how to reach us. It's quite simple.

  • From "Tres Cruces" bus station: There are many daily buses from Montevideo to San Carlos. From San Carlos there are buses that will leave you 1km away from "El Silencio", we will be there waiting to pick you up, if you let us know in advance. . You can also come from San Carlos by taxi. After you register for the course we will send you a map and bus schedule to see which one fits your connections.

    • Register in advance!! Limited capacity