Mandali Retreats

Mandali is a not-for-profit retreat centre in Quarna Sopra, in the foothills of the Italian Alps, offering meditation retreats, yoga and conscious movement classes. It describes itself as a point of light for anyone on a quest for mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Its address is Mandali Retreat Center, Via Belvedere 2, 28898 Quarna Sopra (VB), Italy, about 75 minutes by car from Milan Malpensa International Airport.

Mandali grew out of a personal turning point for its founders. In a letter on the centre's About page, they write that their first silent retreat in India in 2009 changed their lives. They were both thirty and had found success organising large-scale dance festivals, yet felt unsatisfied and always in search of more. In India it took a couple of days to slow down, and then they felt a deep inner silence and contentment emerging. They discovered silence, self-understanding, meditation and yoga there. Mandali was established in 2017 as a not-for-profit centre that reinvests all revenue into its mission and the upkeep of the space. It is open to teachers and guests from all backgrounds, traditions and lineages.

Mandali offers three types of retreat. The Mandali Experience is the centre's ongoing in-house programme, a restorative retreat of three to seven days that offers a connection to self at a flexible pace through movement and meditative practices. Included are morning and afternoon yoga classes, guided meditation twice a day and a themed open session. Silent editions of the Mandali Experience are also held. The Mandali Experience Special adds a creative layer in seasonal editions, with workshops exploring music, movement or connecting with the elements. Themed Retreats, led by guest teachers, go deeper into a single teaching, from the Path of Love to Non-Duality to Buddhism. Retreats are held in English unless stated otherwise. Some are offered in German, Dutch and other languages, and no translation is provided. The centre's blog also carries teachers' writing on practices such as loving-kindness (metta) meditation and on keeping up a meditation practice after a retreat.

The centre stands above Lake Orta, in the Quarna villages. Its grounds include a growing permaculture garden, a library, a silent terrace with wide views, and a temple that can be seen from the garden-view rooms. The Body Care Centre has an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and an outdoor jacuzzi with views. Many guests use it to settle in on arrival. Rooms range from premium single rooms with lake views, a copper bathtub or a sunrise view over Monte Mottarone, to twin rooms, shared dormitory rooms and four-person Hermitage studios with kitchenettes. Meals are a vegetarian buffet with daily gluten-free and lactose-free options. There is no Wi-Fi in the rooms, to encourage guests to disconnect, but it is free in the library. The team is made up of locals from the Quarna villages and beyond.

Mandali says its cohort of teachers creates a welcoming space for everyone, whether they have meditated for years or are stepping into a first retreat. Guests come as individuals, couples or groups of friends. The founders' stated hope is that people leave behind what they no longer need and receive what helps them return to their heart.