Ten-Day Chan Meditation Retreat

The Ten-Day Chan Meditation Retreat is an intensive silent meditation retreat held in person at the Chan Center Hartovski Vrh in Hartje, near Zagreb, Croatia. It is for people who want to practice Chan (the Chinese Zen tradition) at the pace of a monastic retreat, and who are ready to keep a fixed schedule and a full silence for the whole ten days.

The aim of the retreat is stated plainly: over ten days, to bring the mind into a state of continuous focus, or one-mind. From that kind of deep immersion, the practice opens toward seeing one's own nature, which is what Chan points to.

What to Expect

The structure of the retreat comes from a long tradition. It depends on a set of supporting conditions: place, group, teacher, rhythm and methods. Together they help the practice go deeper than it usually can in daily life. It is called intensive because its pace matches that of monastic retreats.

Life during the retreat is regulated by a series of rules:

- The day begins with waking at 5am, and rest is at 10pm.
- The whole day is given to meditation.
- The main rule is silence, which includes digital silence. Participants are asked to leave their mobile phones and similar gadgets behind.
- The daily schedule cannot be changed.

The organizers are direct about this: if you know you cannot keep these conditions, please do not apply. The format asks for commitment, and it gives back the continuity that a shorter weekend cannot.

Participants are expected to arrive on the first day, a Friday, by 4:30pm, so the group can settle in before the practice begins.

The Setting

The retreat takes place at the Chan Center Hartovski Vrh, in the Hartje area of Kostanjevac, in the countryside outside Zagreb. The center is a place built for practice, and everything happens on site. Participants stay in modern shared dormitories and have the use of all facilities at the center. Meals are balanced, carefully prepared vegetarian food.

Before You Go

Because the retreat is silent and the schedule is fixed, it suits people who can commit to the full ten days and who are prepared to be without their phones. Plan to arrive on time on the first afternoon.

The suggested donation depends on membership status with the organizing community, and it covers the vegetarian meals, dormitory accommodation, use of the center's facilities and organizational expenses. Teaching is not part of the donation. The number of places is limited, and a spot is reserved once the suggested donation is paid. Information about arrival and about staying at Hartovski Vrh is available from the center.

For anyone looking for a silent meditation retreat near Zagreb that follows a traditional Chan format, this is a rigorous and clearly defined option. Its rules are few, but they are not negotiable, and that is part of what makes the practice possible.