Silent Vipassana retreat
4 Days in Naot Smadar 2024
At this time we cherish the opportunity to gather, to find relaxation and comfort in the deep practice of the retreat and to strengthen the forces and connections that sustain us in these challenging times. We invite you to a time of healing, grounding and connection that develops under the benevolent wings of the road.
This is an opportunity for a benevolent observation of what is happening in our consciousness, the stormy emotions that plague us and the strengthening of the internal resources available to us at this time.
The retreat takes place in the peacefulness of the magical beauty of Navot Samdar and the desert located in the zero alert zone, so that we will have the opportunity to experience the combination of silent meditation practice with a stay in nature, in good conditions with comfortable and pampering rooms.
At the retreat there will be optional yoga classes in the morning with Odalia who is a senior Vijnana Yoga teacher. The proper area of Samdar is a safe and quiet area. This period has special payment and cancellation conditions. No previous experience is necessary for this retreat. A list of rides to the retreat will come out.
About the Workshop
Silence offers a meditative space of practice and introspection, to develop the possibility of strengthening inner resilience and connection to ourselves. The desert offers us silence, beauty, a starry sky, inner and outer silence in a space of zero alerts. Participating in a vipassana retreat is a rare opportunity to disconnect from the complex daily life during this period and turn the gaze inward, to cultivate deep self-awareness and insights into the nature of the soul, suffering and liberation from suffering. By temporarily distancing ourselves from the noise and stress of this complex period, we create an ideal environment for inner work. The silence helps quiet the mind and allows us to observe thoughts and feelings without the surrounding stress. The retreat practice gives us insights into our thoughts, feelings and behaviors, and a better understanding of ourselves and our behavior patterns. The practice cultivates acceptance, compassion and stability, which allow us to remain balanced in the face of life’s challenges.
The retreat also provides a supportive community and guidance from veteran and experienced teachers. It is a transformative experience that promotes awareness, self-discovery and inner peace. The retreat will take place in silence, and will include study and practice of sitting, standing and lying meditation, with meditative walks in the desert silence, lectures on Buddhist spirituality, meetings with the teachers in small groups and personal meetings.
Each day there will be a morning yoga class of your choice with Odalia who is a senior Vijnana yoga teacher.
Cell phones are deposited at the retreat and the production backs up the retreat with an emergency phone that will be given to everyone for messages from home when necessary and will help any participant with a request or help to get to the retreat to relax, practice and heal their soul.
At Retreat, delicious vegetarian and vegan food will be served by the Naut Smeder kitchen team, a coffee and tea corner open all day for you.
There is no need for previous experience in this retreat and a list of rides to get to and from the retreat will be provided. We are here for any question you may have, we will be happy to help.
Neot Smadar
The retreat takes place in the Naut Samdar hospitality center, which offers the tranquility of the magical beauty of the desert inside beautiful and pampering ecological rooms with green corners, lovingly cared for and a connection to the powerful nature that surrounds the place. The quiet space of the desert together with the beauty of the hospitality center greatly support our ability to put aside the stresses of everyday life and free ourselves to listen and look inward and outward. The beautiful conditions of the place, surrounded by a vast desert, are ideal conditions for an intimate and clear encounter with ourselves, with our deep powers and resources, and with the wellspring of strength, wisdom and love that exists within us. The kibbutz is in a zone of zero alerts. And it has a standby class and an army nearby.
Kibbutz Naut Samdar – Located in the southern Negev above the Arava, the kibbutz was established in 1989 with the intention of creating a learning community where questions about the human condition in the world will be examined in practice through relationships, action and observation. Naut Smeder was established out of a fascinating journey of research and observation, and is tested every day in the common life and joint activities of friends who live permanently and volunteer. The workshop complex is located next to the kibbutz itself in a secluded and quiet area overlooking the magnificent Adom mountains. The trip from Tel Aviv is about three hours without stopping. There will be a list of rides to the workshop to share the ride together.
The retreat teachers
The teachers
The oldest potholes in Israel for mindfulness, Buddhism and freedom. Practicing and teaching for 25 years, a teacher at the ‘Tovna’ association, at the ‘Center for Mind-Body Studies’ and other settings. She lived a celibate life for 7 years and practiced in an ashram for yoga and meditation in the United States. Sandia practiced for long periods in the USA, Europe and the East. Emphasizes the connection between the practice and everyday life, the investigation of the authentic personal experience and the possibility of living an awake life in every moment. Believes that we all have the ability to love, to be compassionate, to be generous and to wake up.
Practicing meditation and yoga and researching the dharma since 1997. She teaches at the Tovna association, the center for mind-body studies and in other settings in Israel and around the world. Years of practice and observation showed her that life itself is a wonderful partner for flexible and alert learning, and that practice and being in nature almost always support us. Odalia is a senior Vijnana yoga teacher with a senior yoga teaching certificate from Wingate College and a student of Orit San Gupta and has had the privilege of studying for extended periods with wonderful teachers of Dharma and the Buddhist tradition. Odalia lives and teaches in the Elah Valley.
TEACHERS’ “DANA” – the Buddhist heart economy. According to Buddhist traditions, teachers do not receive a salary or a fixed income, but allow each student to pay their tuition at the end of the retreat in a way that takes into consideration customary prices for such workshops in western society, as well as your financial abilities and generosity. ‘Dana’ is a term originating in the East, meaning ‘giving’. Giving is an integral part of spiritual practices: when we give ‘dana’, we practice charity and generosity in our lives, articulating the deep bond and solidarity among all living things. From the times of the Buddha and until today, teachers have been offering their teachings to us unconditionally, regardless of gender, class or the financial state of the student. Supporting our teachers expresses the solidarity and nourishing bond between giving and receiving, between teacher and pupil.
‘Neot Smadar’ room selection
Accommodation prices include three nights in Naot Samdar, production and meals for the duration of the stay and VAT.
During this period there are special payment and cancellation conditions, details further down the page. A business invoice will be issued for a professional workshop suitable for the self-employed and professionals if necessary.
Twin/Double Room:
The accommodation buildings combine local mud, the solar electricity system. The room has air conditioning, toilet and shower, with 2 single beds. (The picture is for demonstration only)
PRICE PER PERSON: 2680 NIS
Private Room:
The room is made of the local bricks and includes air conditioning, private bathroom facilities and a double bed
PRICE: 3,280 NIS
A special and large yurt cabin for 3 or 5 participants
A spacious ecological mud hut, air-conditioned, with a large balcony overlooking the desert and the Red Mountains. with shower and toilet and single beds.
At the price of a yurt for 3: 2,400 NIS
At the price of a yurt for 5: 1,980 NIS
Register for the workshop at the bottom of the page
Payment and registration terms
To register the workshop, click on the registration form and fill it out, and we will send you a link to pay, your place will be reserved for a few days until the payment is closed. You can pay up to 5 interest-free payments until September and after that 4 payments. or by bank transfer.
If you have comments or questions, you are welcome to write at the end of the form and we will get back to you with answers by email.
Cancelation policy
During this period, in the event of the cancellation of the retreat by the production, the payment will be returned to the participant immediately, less registration and cancellation fees of 100 NIS per participant or the possibility of participation on a new date in case of postponement.
In light of the period, we have made the cancellation policy more flexible: cancellation of participation up to two weeks before the retreat at a cost of 200 NIS, two weeks to a week before the retreat 900 NIS,
Cancellation of participation between a week and two days before the retreat half of the amount. Two days before and until the start of the retreat the full amount.
In case of a personal or family emergency until the start of the retreat, a full refund minus the registration fee of NIS 200,
The possibility of finding a participant in your place at any time, (for production consideration only), we will know quiet days until then.
Retreat registration Form
Silent Vipassana retreat “Naot Smadar”
November 20-23 – Wednesday to Saturday 2024
Please fill out the forms and an email with a link to a payment page will be sent to you shortly (according to your room selection). Please note that this form does not guarantee your reservation. Reservations will be finalized upon completion of the payment. Thank you.