NATURE IS A LIVING TEMPLE
Silent Space is located along the Gardon river in the South of France near the Pont du Gard , World Heritage site of Unesco.
We practice silent meditation in the natural reserve of the Gardon Canyon, rich with exceptional wildlife (eagles, vultures, beavers….) in prehistorical caves and ancient hermitages.
Silent Space is also a supportive environment for people who wish to engage in silence and the exploration of consciousness.
Venturing into nature in solitude is one of the most ancient forms of spiritual practice, and this reserve is one of our planet's most ancient geological sites.
If you would like more detailed information or are interested in coming
for personal or group retreat, it is imperative that you read the information in this website carefully and contact the caretaker before coming.
WILD NATURE
GARDON CANYON
Silent space was created 11 years ago to provide environmentally friendly living quarters in order to preserve the richness and fragility of our natural heritage.
It is a site chartered by The Green Key which is the first international environmental label for tourist accommodation. We request every visitor to respect the terms of the charter which will be presented on your arrival.
Accommodation
You can stay in our 56 square yard yourte, or a tipi 26 feet in diameter,
or a 861 square feet dojo. We give priority to small groups
or single individuals in order to enjoy the peacefulness of the surrounding.
For futher information and photos consult:
Guest houses are available in the surrounding villages at your request if you book early.
Meals
Option 1: Kitchen available to prepare your own dishes.
Option 2: For a minimum of 5 retreatants there is the possibility
of vegetarian, vegan or raw food following Ann Wigmore’s teachings.
Human being today has cut himself off Nature’s energy because of his frenzied lifestyle. He has atrophied his senses and therefore his vital energy. All ancient traditions are based upon the forces that rule the whole universe.
Our role is to guide you into the observation, contemplation and sensory immersion in Nature to recover equanimity, the joy of being fully alive, and a symbiotic tie with Nature : cycles of the seasons, cycles of life…
Caves are exceptional shelters to live this experience far from the restlessness of the world.
All masters of wisdom have always drawn their inspiration from retreats in hermitages, deserts, mountain tops and other natural landscape.
Simplification is the way. One finds the greatest wealth in unencumbered life. Silence allows us to listen to the universe’s pulse which vibrates constantly in us ; and in this listening we humbly kneel thankful that something in alive in us. When we respond present to the call of reality, we discover this internal world with wonder.
OUR VISION
MEDIATION BETWEEN NATURE AND SOUL
MEDITATION
ABOUT US
My name is Myriam Brunel, and I am a human being like you amidst the universe and I walk upon the eternal path of awakening. I have always been very fond of wilderness and nomadic lifestyles. Trekking is my calling and I enjoy sharing and discovering nature’s beauty as a mountain guide. I have made numerous long trips to India around the sacred sites of Arunachala, the sources of the Ganges and Rishikesh.In my quest for discovery, I trained in body oriented therapies, reiki, yoga and meditation.
In my quest to live the magic and wonders of life, I encountered numerous guides who transmitted their teachings to me and this lead me to Anne Soulet who had a similar vision of the need for the Silent Space.
My name is Anne Soulet, and I was born and educated in France , then moved to England and the US where I stayed for 34 years. After obtaining my master's degree in psychology, I practiced for 10 years in a psychiatric hospital. My daily meditation and yoga practice led in 1992 to a meeting with Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the MBSR method whose program I graduated in. I also acquired structural yoga therapy (SYT) training with SYT founder Mukunda Stiles and later opened a practice teaching the MBSR method along with structural yoga therapy. In 2007, I decided to return to France to continue spreading awareness of these effective and preventive methods.
Guided sitting Meditation
1 Become aware of gravity in your body and let it settle for 5 minutes.
Become aware of the following contact points:
The parts of the body in contact with the floor.
The contact of your sitz bones with the cushion, bench or floor.
The contact of your hands resting on your lap or thighs.
The contact of the tongue to the palate.
2 Mindfulness of breathing
Observe the contact of the incoming and outgoing breath in your nostrils.
Observe the temperature variation of incoming and outgoing breath.
Observe the breathing cycle : inhale – pause – exhale – pause.
Observe the natural breathing cycles without trying to change your breath.
Don’t try to think or sculpt your breath, let breathing happen.
You then can choose to rest your attention on the breath happening either at the nostrils or chest or abdomen.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Whole day
BHAJ : (silent participation in meditation practice) 40 Wednesdays
per year from 10am to 5pm. Join us for the time that you wish to stay…..
there is no teaching and we respect the silence, price : mindful participation.
Document .pdf
Trekking and meditation in surrounding caves and hermitages. We end with a guided relaxation
or yoga nidra, and a time for silence, meditation and closure.
One Wednesday per month throughout the year from 10 am to 5 pm weather permitting
27 September 11 October 15 November 06 December 2017
Document .pdf
Residential retreats
5 Day-Yatra (silent walk) and detox in the caves and hermitages of the Gardon Canyon and detox with purifying green juice. 21-26 July
Document .pdf
Silent guided group retreats
These stays are offered to allow you to benefit for a special time for yourself while resting
and practicing far from the agitation of your daily life.
(Dates will be posted in the near future and you can also make a request if you already have a group set up) 09-10 September 29-30 October 2017 14-15 April 12-13 May 2018
Document .pdf
Individual retreats
Following the wish of retreatants to go deaper in their personal practice, we offer individual retreats based upon the wisdom of mindfulness and insight. If you already have a personal practice and want to continue deepening it, this format could be for you. Please contact us
Document .pdf
Our programs are offered throughout the year, please refer to the pamphlets below for samples of practice in different circumstances according to your needs.
The posture
Meditation can be practiced in either of the 4 positions : sitting, standing, lying down or walking.
Sitting
First learn to sit properly so that your posture allows you to be relaxed and comfortable while remaining vigilant.
You can choose to sit on a chair with the soles of your feet resting on the floor, on a cushion (zafu) or a bench or the floor, cross-legged or astride.
Sit in the position of your choice and follow the instructions:
1. Adjust the tilt of your hips so that your spine rises upright in
a relaxed manner.
2. Relax your shoulders and jaws.
3. Tilt your head by tipping your chin down slightly to elongate the back
of the neck.
OUR PROGRAMS
METHOD BASED UPON THE PRACTICE OF MINDFULLNESS
Observe, without judging, the thoughts which appear like clouds in the sky. When you become aware of being caught by a thought, gently and patiently bring your attention back to the breath or body sensations.
CONTACT US
Myriam Brunel
+33 (0)6 86 69 30 55
+33 (0)9 82 12 20 43
Anne Soulet
+33 (0)4 66 84 72 15
YOUR MESSAGE
VIDEO
© 2016 - Space of Silence