Nestled in the serene beauty of the Valais Alps, near Martigny, AHYMSIN Switzerland held its very first Meditation and Silence retreat. The proximity of the majestic mountains and tranquil forests made everyone feel uplifted and supported by nature’s presence. Our home for the retreat was a 200-year-old guesthouse, where stillness seemed to emanate from the very walls. Its spacious, quiet seminar hall provided the perfect setting for our sessions. Each day, the family who runs the hotel lovingly prepared fresh, delicious organic vegetarian meals, adding a nourishing touch to our retreat experience.

The retreat unfolded over four days. The first full day was devoted to an introduction to the core practices of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition, while the second became a full immersion into silence. The daily rhythm resembled that of the ashram—intense and structured, yet deeply nourishing. Meals were recommended to be taken in silence, and during the opening evening, participants were reminded to listen to their own capacities and allow themselves moments of rest whenever needed.

Each day began at 5:30 a.m. and concluded at 9:30 p.m., framed by the sacred chanting of our ashram prayers. To our delight, nearly all participants chose to join both morning and evening chantings, engaging in their own ways—some reading, some listening, others chanting with heart. Gentle Hatha Yoga classes in the mornings and evenings, guided by Anna and Maria, invited breath awareness and prepared body, breath, and mind for meditation. Morning meditations were teacher-guided, while evenings meditations were experienced in silence.

On Friday morning, John offered an insightful philosophy class, exploring the purpose and practice of mantras in meditation within our Tradition. To those who asked about the “meaning” of the So-Ham mantra, he shared that a mantra cannot be reduced to a translation into words: its true meaning is the state of consciousness it leads us into—something to be experienced, through the practice.

John also introduced the Four Brahma Viharas, describing them as “emotional postures”: Maitri (friendliness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (joy in the personal and spiritual progress of others), and Upeksha (the capacity to choose not to become involved in the negativity of others). These are not merely outward behaviors but ways of being, which can naturally express themselves in our actions.

A simple yet profound reminder was offered: “Be a mother to yourself.” Just as a mother lovingly wipes the soup from her child’s face, while the little one is still learning to eat, we too must meet ourselves with patience and tenderness on this journey of self-transformation.

That same day, Anna guided a foundation class for newcomers, emphasizing the importance of breath and posture—not only for meditation, but as fundamental pillars in daily life.

Saturday, our day of silence, was marked by subtle body practices including tension-relaxation and 61-points relaxation with John, and an introduction to contemplative walking with Maria, who invited participants to explore the practice in their own way with gentle awareness of body and breath.

Of especially beautiful significance was the presence of our dear friend Axel Bayer, who was kind enough to provide an evening session expanding upon Christian meditation from an ancient text of Saint John the Solitary.

Some words we contemplated together:

“Do not imagine, brother, that prayer consists solely of words, or that it can be learnt by means of words. No, the truth of the matter, you should understand, is that spiritual prayer does not reach fullness as a result of either learning or the repetition of words. For it is not a man that you are praying, before whom you can repeat a well-composed speech: it is to Him who is Spirit that you are directing the movements of your prayer. You should pray therefore in spirit, seeing that He is Spirit.”

“Thus there is a silence of the tongue, there is a silence of the whole body, there is the silence of the soul, there is the silence of the mind, and there is the silence of the spirit. The silence of the tongue is merely when it is not incited to evil speech; the silence of the entire body is when all its senses are unoccupied; the silence of the soul is when there are no ugly thoughts bursting forth within it; the silence of the mind is when it is not reflecting on any harmful knowledge or wisdom; the silence of the spirit is when the mind ceases even from stirrings caused by created spiritual beings and all its movements are stirred solely by Being, at the wondrous awe of the silence which surrounds Being.” – John The Solitary

Seventeen seekers joined us, traveling from Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. They came without knowing each other—some experienced practitioners, others first-timers—yet quickly formed a circle of harmonious companionship. As the days unfolded, we witnessed their attentiveness, openness, and quietude deepen. The calm and loving presence of Lea and Alan offered all participants a sense of warmth and support, while little Jim and Lea brought smiles to our faces with their playful cheerfulness, reminding us of the importance of not taking ourselves too seriously even while practicing silence.

Each, in their own way, played a fundamental role in the retreat and carried home a sense of serenity and stillness.

We are profoundly grateful to the Guru lineage of the Tradition, for giving us the opportunity to offer this retreat. Without their guidance and inspiration, none of this would have been possible.

On behalf of AHYMSIN Switzerland
Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation
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