Silent Retreat December

This seven-day silent meditation retreat takes place at PachaMama Eco Village & Retreat Center in Nicoya, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. It is held in December and guided by the spiritual teacher Tyohar, founder of the village, together with the PachaMama facilitation team. Experienced practitioners are welcome, and so are people who have never sat a silent retreat before. During the week the whole community enters silence together, which gives the days a quality of shared stillness that is hard to find elsewhere.

What to Expect

The week is a guided immersion in silence, meditation, yoga, mindful movement, time in nature, self-inquiry and rest. Twice a day there is satsang with Tyohar, a mix of live sessions and selected recordings from earlier satsangs. The rest of the day is built around practice: dynamic meditation or silent yoga in the morning, a breathwork session or Vipassana meditation before lunch, and a movement meditation (free dance or kundalini) in the late afternoon. The evening closes with a listening meditation after satsang.

A typical day runs like this:

- 06:00 to 07:00 dynamic meditation, or 06:30 to 07:30 silent yoga
- 07:30 to 08:30 breakfast
- 08:30 satsang with Tyohar
- 10:30 breathwork, or 11:15 Vipassana meditation
- 12:30 to 13:30 lunch
- 16:00 movement meditation
- 17:15 to 18:00 dinner
- 19:00 satsang with Tyohar, followed by listening meditation

Silence is kept until the closing circle. That means no phones, no journalling and no music. On the final day, after the closing activities and lunch, the silence is lifted in the circle and the retreat ends with a traditional sweatlodge by the river, where participants get their voice back.

Some people find the week deeply restful, others meet strong emotions along the way. The structure and the facilitators are there to support both. Feeling nervous about silence is normal.

About Tyohar

Tyohar is the spiritual guide and founder of the PachaMama village. While travelling the world, mostly in India, he found his path set in motion by a twist of fate. He leads the satsangs during the retreat and guides the week alongside the PachaMama facilitation team, who have years of experience holding silent retreats.

The Setting

PachaMama is a thriving eco-village and transformational community in the Costa Rican countryside, surrounded by jungle, wildlife and rivers. Fiber-optic internet is available across the village, though the retreat itself asks you to set devices aside.

Accommodation is booked separately. Two private options are listed:

- AC Rooms: a 20 square meter air-conditioned room for two adults with a queen-size bed, balcony sitting area, small refrigerator and private bathroom with hot shower. About five minutes on foot from the village center.
- Cabinas: a 40 square meter open-plan house for two adults and one child, with a queen-size bed, sofa bed, kitchenette, air conditioning, private bathroom with hot shower and an outside balcony. About two minutes from the village center.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served buffet-style, with vegetarian and other dietary-friendly options. Verde Restaurant and Wild Treats are on site, and the jungle shop stocks organic health foods and dry goods.

Before You Go

No prior meditation or silent retreat experience is needed, and many people come alone. All participants are asked to make a sincere commitment to the process, including keeping silence through the week until the closing circle.

The registration fee covers the seven-day program: satsangs, daily yoga and meditation, breathwork, movement meditation, the closing sweatlodge and facilitator support. Accommodation, a 13% Costa Rican tax on lodging, and travel to and from PachaMama are not included.

Plan to arrive at least a day before the opening session so you can settle in. Onward travel is best booked for the day after the retreat ends, or later in the afternoon. For the December retreat, the Who Is In? Awareness Intensive, a workshop built on the Zen koan of the same name, is recommended beforehand, and the retreat can be followed by the New Years Rock Odyssey. Lodging fills early at this time of year.

Bring comfortable clothes for meditation and movement, walking sandals or shoes, a refillable water bottle, a flashlight or headlamp, a light layer for cool evenings and your own towel. Please use biodegradable personal care products.