Seven-Day Chan Meditation Retreat

This seven-day Chan meditation retreat is an intensive silent meditation retreat at the Chan Center Hartovski Vrh in Hartje, near Zagreb, Croatia. It is meant for people who want to practice Chan, the Chinese Zen tradition, at a monastic pace and who are ready to keep to a fixed schedule and a full week of silence.

The organizers describe the week as especially valuable. Over seven days the mind can settle into continuous focus, or one-mind, and that depth of immersion opens the way to seeing one's own nature, which is what Chan practice points toward.

What to Expect

The structure of the retreat comes from a long tradition. It rests on a set of conditions: place, group, teacher, rhythm and methods, each supporting the effort to deepen practice. It is called intensive because its pace corresponds to that of monastic retreats.

Life during the week follows a clear set of rules. The day begins with waking at 5am, and rest is at 10pm. The whole day is given to meditation, and the daily schedule cannot be changed. The main rule is silence, which includes digital silence. Participants are kindly asked to leave their mobile phones and similar gadgets behind. Anyone who knows they cannot meet these conditions is asked not to apply.

Arrival is on the first day, a Saturday, by 4:30pm. The retreat closes the following Saturday around noon.

The Setting

The retreat is held in person at the Hartovski Vrh Retreat Center, in Hartje near Kostanjevac, outside Zagreb. Accommodation is in modern shared dormitories, and participants have use of all the facilities at the Center. The center also offers further information on arriving and staying at Hartovski Vrh.

Before You Go

This is a demanding format, so be honest with yourself about the early rising, the full days of practice, the silence and the absence of your phone before you apply.

The suggested donation varies by membership level (patron, full member, associate member or non-member). It covers accommodation, use of the Center's facilities, organizational expenses and vegetarian meals, which are described as balanced and carefully prepared. The meals listed are lunch and dinner on the first Saturday, and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. Teaching is not included in the donation.

The number of places is limited, and a spot is reserved once the suggested donation has been paid.