Een helende stiltereis (healing silent retreat)

Een helende stiltereis is a Dutch-language healing silent retreat at Mandali Retreat Center in Quarna Sopra, in the Verbania province of Italy. It is led by Toña Wong Chung and is meant for Dutch speakers who want a quiet, restorative stretch of time away, held in silence rather than conversation.

The title translates as "a healing silent journey". For anyone searching for a silent meditation retreat in Italy that is held in Dutch, this is the one Mandali offers in that language.

What to Expect

The retreat is held in silence, with healing as its stated purpose. Mandali describes its retreats in general as restorative stays that offer a connection to self at a flexible pace, through movement and meditative practices. That is the setting this retreat takes place in. The specific practices, daily schedule and session times for this retreat are set by the teacher and are not spelled out here, so it is best to ask the centre what a typical day looks like before you decide.

Mandali organises its programme into three kinds of retreat: the Mandali Experience, its seasonal Special editions, and Themed Retreats led by guest teachers. Guest-led retreats like this one sit alongside the centre's own in-house programme, which runs for three to seven days.

About Toña Wong Chung

Toña Wong Chung is the teacher leading this Dutch-language retreat at Mandali. The centre invites outside teachers to lead retreats in their own language and style, and this is her retreat on the Mandali calendar.

The Setting

Mandali Retreat Center is in Quarna Sopra, a village in the Verbania area of northern Italy. The centre hosts retreats throughout the year, including silent retreats in the winter months. It has guest rooms, and its site offers travel advice for planning your arrival. This retreat takes place in the winter, when the centre runs a number of its quieter, silent programmes.

Before You Go

Because the retreat is in Dutch, it suits people who are comfortable following guidance in that language. Silence is central to the experience, so it helps to arrive ready to put aside conversation, and ideally your phone, for the duration.

Questions about rooms, meals, what to bring and how to reach Quarna Sopra are best put to the centre directly, since it handles each retreat's practical arrangements.