3-Day Silent Retreat

Take some time away from the hustle and bustle of the city to enter a meditative state and immerse yourself in a relaxing oasis of trees, open sky, water, and crisp air at Elohee Retreat Center in North Georgia. During this 3-Day Silent retreat, Monk Tenzin Lama will guide you in the practice of Samatha-Vipassana Meditation. This experience is an invitation to dive inward, silence external noise and distractions, and truly allow yourself to witness and experience the bareness of being and identify your inner sanctuary. Monk Tenzin Lama only makes the journey to Georgia once a year, so this is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in his practices and kickstart or continue your healing journey under his guidance, compassionate love, and healing and calming approach.

What is Samatha-Vipassana Meditation?

Samatha means “peaceful abiding” or “tranquility.” Also called mindfulness or concentration meditation, Samatha is an important introductory practice that leads to the practice of Vipassana, or insight meditation.

The purpose of Samatha meditation is to stabilize the mind by cultivating a steady awareness of the object of meditation. The traditional practice of Samatha uses different kinds of supports or anchors for our practice. Eventually, this leads to practicing without supports and meditating on emptiness itself in an open awareness. For this particular practice, the instructions will be for Samatha meditation using the breath as the focus of our practice.

Samatha meditation allows us to experience our mind as it is. When we practice Samatha, we are able to see that our mind is full of thoughts, some conducive to our happiness and further realization, and others not. It is not extraordinary that our minds are full of thoughts, and it is important to understand that it is natural to have so much happening in the mind.

Over time, practicing Samatha meditation calms our thoughts and emotions. We experience tranquility of mind and calmly abide with our thoughts as they are. Eventually, this leads to a decrease in unhelpful thoughts.

When we experience stable awareness, we are then ready to practice Vipassana, in which we develop insight into what “mind” is by investigating the nature of thoughts themselves. In the Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism, the ultimate goal is to practice calm abiding and insight in union, which opens the door to realizing the true nature of mind.

Location:

Elohee Retreat Center – Thanksgiving House – 81 Hobart Lane, Sautee Nacoochee, GA 30571

The Thanksgiving House is a warm and spacious house located on the top of a hill, with six bedrooms, four bathrooms and it sleeps up to fourteen people. It has a kitchen, living room, dining room, meditation room, stone patio & outdoor fireplace and it is situated just next to the Waterfall Canyon.

To learn more about the Thanksgiving House, please visit: The Thanksgiving House – Elohee Retreat Center

 For more details on how to get to Elohee Retreat Center, please visit their website: Directions – Elohee Retreat Center

3-Day Silence Meditation Schedule:

Friday, December 9th

9:30 am – 10:00 am Check-in and welcoming the group

10:00 am – 11:30 am Meditation Session

11:30 am – 12:00 pm Break

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Meditation Session

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Break

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm Walking Meditation

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm Tea Break 

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Meditation Session

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Dinner & Break

8:00 pm – 9:00 pm Discourse

Saturday, December 10th

7:30 am – 8:30 am Meditation Session 

8:30 am – 10:00 am Breakfast Break

10:00 am – 11:30 am Meditation Session

11:30 am – 12:00 pm Break

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Meditation Session

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Break

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm Walking Meditation

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm Tea Break 

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Meditation Session

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Dinner & Break

8:00 pm – 9:00 pm Discourse

Sunday, December 11th

7:30 am – 8:30 am Meditation Session 

8:30 am – 10:00 am Breakfast Break

10:00 am – 11:30 am Meditation Session

11:30 am – 12:00 pm Break

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Meditation

5:30 pm Check-out

Investment Options by Room: 

The En Suite Bed and Bath

Room Capacity: 2 People, Amenities: 1 King Bed + Bathroom, Type: Double Occupancy, Investment: $1,652, Early Bird: $1,500, Investment Per Person: $826, Early Bird Pricing Per Person: $750

Single Occupancy available, and adjusted for one less food fee. Investment: $1,512, Early-Bird: $1,360

The Patio Room

Room Capacity: 2 People, Amenities: 1 Queen Bed, Type: Double Occupancy, Investment: $1,562, Early Bird: $1,420, Investment Per Person: $781, Early Bird Per Person: $710

Single Occupancy available, and adjusted for one less food fee. Investment: $1,422, Early-Bird: $1,280

Forest Room

Room Capacity: 2 People, Amenities: 1 Queen Bed, Type: Double Occupancy, Investment: $1,562, Early Bird: $1,420, Investment Per Person: $781, Early Bird Per Person: $710

Single Occupancy available, and adjusted for one less food fee. Investment: $1,422, Early-Bird: $1,280

Sun Trail Room Full Bed Occupancy*

Room Capacity: 3 People, Amenities: 1 Full Bed, Type: Double Occupancy, Investment: $1,442, Early Bird: $1,310, Investment Per Person: $721, Early Bird Per Person: $655

Single Occupancy available, and adjusted for one less food fee. Investment: $852, Early-Bird: $720

Sun Trail Room Twin Bed Occupancy*

Room Capacity: 3 People, Amenities: 1 Twin Bed, Type: Single Occupancy, Investment: $716, Early Bird: $650

*The Sun Trail Room has 1 Full Bed and 1 Twin Bed. The Full Bed option must be booked for two people. The total occupancy of this room is 3 people.

Woodland Room

Room Capacity: 2 People (2 twin beds), Amenities: 1 Twin Bed Per Person, Type: Triple Occupancy, Investment Per Person: $766, Early Bird Per Person: $695

Note that retreat reservation and payment will be taken over the phone. Please call us at (404) 378-6288!

To learn more about Elohee Retreat Center Rooms please visit: The Thanksgiving House – Elohee Retreat Center

What is Included in the Registration?

• Participation at the 3-Day Silent Retreat
•  2 nights stay in Elohee Retreat Center
• 6 vegan meals (2 Breakfast – 2 Lunch – 2 Dinner)
• Transportation is not included

Important information:

This group is held in strict discipline/schedule. Please make note of the following rules:

• Group will be in complete silence.
• No cell phones
• No internet
• No book reading
• No pen, no paper or writing
• No eye contacts

 Let your family/friends know that you will be out of touch for these 3 days. In case of an emergency, they can contact Elohee directly. (Contact information will be provided upon registration)

Anyone with any of the following conditions should not apply at this time:

• Testing positive with Covid-19 virus or direct contact with someone who tested positive
• Close contact with someone that has been tested Covid-19 positive
• Experiencing any of the following Covid-19 symptoms
  • New or worsening cough
  • Mild or moderate difficulty breathing
  • Fever, chills, or sore throat
  • Vomiting or diarrhea
  • Headache or body/muscle aches
  • Sustained loss of smell, taste, or appetite
  • Fatigue

Everyone coming to this 3-day Silent Retreat will be screened for the above conditions at the time of their arrival. Anyone with any symptoms of Covid-19 or other serious communicable illnesses will be asked to return home immediately.

• You must be physically fit to participate and follow the schedule.
• f you are sharing a room, we require you to be respectful of your roommates.
• Do not participate if you have a serious mental disorder or emotional upheaval.
• You are requested to commit to the whole process, partial participation will disturb you and others.
• Consumption of alcohol, intoxicants, and smoking is not allowed.

What to bring

• Toiletries and personal items – You will be a little remote so please make sure you have the items that are necessary to you.
• Hiking shoes to walk around the property
• Slip on shoes (makes getting around the training a lot easier)
• Sweater, warm jacket and/or shawl. Please check the weather before you leave.
• Modest Bathing suit if you wish to get into the waterfall. One piece for women is highly recommended.
• Do not stop any medications you are already taking
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray

What do not bring

• No shorts, tank tops, tights or revealing clothing.
• Any forms of plant medicine, marijuana, THC, alcohol, or recreational drugs on the property.

For more information contact Decatur Healing Arts

Email: dha@decaturhealingarts.com Jacqui Hinkson or Nataly Baiz

Phone: (404) 378-6288

About Decatur Healing Arts

Decatur Healing Arts (DHA) is a nearly 20-year-old wellness center that provides healing-based therapies and life enhancing offerings.

Our mission at DHA – through our therapies and their inherent benefits – is to help our clients maintain an internal balance between the four elements: air, earth, water, fire; to ensure physical as well as psychological well-being.

We are well known for our signature offerings including Massage, Reiki, Gong Bath Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi and now Salt Therapy.

DHA’s success is rooted in our knowledgeable and experienced practitioners/instructors, and our loyal community who are committed to a healthy and mindful lifestyle.

Check out our Guest Information FAQs here: https://elohee.org/retreats/guest-information/.