Hridaya Silent Meditation Retreat
in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico
Click for retreats in Tulum,
or Mexico City
3, 6 & 10-Day Hridaya Silent Meditation Retreat
With Sasha Medvedovskaya & Kyle Brooks
Dates in 2025:
March 21 - 1
April 17 - 28
May 11 - 18*
August 21 - Sept 1
Nov 22 - 29*
Dec 18 - 29
*6 days only
Dates in 2026:
Jan 2 - 13
Feb 5 - 16
March 5 - 16
April 9 - 20
May 14 - 21*
Retreats at Hridaya Family Retreat Center, in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico
The Revelation of the Spiritual Heart
This retreat offers practical and accessible spiritual teachings and practices that seek to reveal the true nature of the self. Based on:
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Advaita Vedanta - An ancient Indian philosophy of Non-Duality, dating back to the first centuries of the Common Era.
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Classical Yoga - The early roots of modern yoga, found in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, a foundational text considered the backbone of yoga philosophy.
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Shaivist Tantra (Kashmir Shaivism) - A revolutionary non-dual tradition that embraces the body, mind, and world as expressions of the divine essence of being.
You Will Learn:
🧘 Simple meditation techniques to introduce the basic principles of effective and enjoyable meditation practice.
📜 Practical, personal, and relatable perspectives on ancient spiritual philosophies, drawing from decades of dedicated practice.
🔎 How to effectively practice Self-Inquiry, inspired by the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi.
🤎 Techniques for opening the heart as an organ of knowledge, developing intuition, sensitivity, and transforming stuck emotional energy.
🤸 A simple yet profound, meditative approach to the postural practice of Yoga.
Retreat Testimonials
This retreat seeks to create conditions similar to that of a solitary environment.
We do this because in the temporary absence of:
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Distracting social interactions,
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Electronic devices
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Other forms of sensory stimulation
We may more easily develop an intimacy with ourselves and begin to experience life more deeply than the second hand narratives of the conceptual mind.
What Does a Silent Meditation Retreat Entail?
Participants are required to refrain from:
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Talking and other forms of communication (including eye contact and written notes to other participants)
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Use of cell-phones, tablets, kindles and other electronic devices
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Reading books
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Use of caffeine, nicotine and any other stimulants, including consciousness altering medicinal plants
Each day all participants are requested to adhere to a set schedule of:
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Meditation sessions, broken up by short breaks
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Hatha Yoga classes, where you will practice meditation while moving the body
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Themed talks to support our understanding of the practices in which we are engaged.
What is Allowed During A Silent Meditation Retreat?
During a retreat, outside of mandatory scheduled retreat sessions, participants are welcome to:
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Rest - it is very common to be more tired than normal and to takes naps during the day as the body adjusts to a new rhythm.
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Journaling - It is quite common that insights, creative inspiration, clarity on problems you face or have faced may come to the surface during a retreat and it can be inspiring to make notes of these.
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Gentle exercise - especially stretching and anything that can help loosen up the body and remedy tightness that may be caused by sitting for longer periods than you may be used to.
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Walk in the forest - We have a beautiful pine forest that starts on the property with various trails for walking and enjoying nature.
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Your own spiritual practices - Many people come to retreats with their own personal Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or various meditation practices.
We do not require you to give these practices up during your retreat, so long as they are quiet and do not disturb others. However, we do ask you to practice what we are teaching during the scheduled meditation sessions.
Why Go on a Silent Meditation Retreat?
Alright, so you might be wondering: Why would anyone go on a meditation retreat, especially a silent one? Well, it turns out there are some pretty powerful reasons people feel drawn to this experience. Here are some of the biggest ones:
✅ Deep Inner Peace & Clarity
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Life is noisy, and it feels like there’s always something demanding your attention, so you feel stressed and tired, perhaps unfocussed.
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Silent meditation retreats offer something rare and precious: actual mental quiet.
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With the world on mute, you can finally hear the gentle voice of clarity within. That peace you feel? It’s real, and it’s yours.
✅ Self-Discovery, Personal Growth & Breaking Free from Societal Expectations
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It’s easy to feel lost or overwhelmed by societal expectations, social conditioning, and everyone else’s opinions about who you should be.
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Silence creates the space to strip away all that external noise, giving you the freedom to explore who you truly are and discover what actually matters to you.
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The result? A deeper sense of clarity, alignment with your authentic self, and a renewed sense of purpose that feels genuine and lasting.
✅ Spiritual Awakening & Seeking Deeper Meaning
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You feel a nagging sense that there’s something more to life. That the surface-level experience of daily existence just isn’t enough.
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Silent retreats create the perfect environment to turn inward, seek answers within yourself, and connect with a truth that feels real and personal.
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Discovering a sense of meaning, purpose and profoundly meaningful inner guidance that aligns ou life with your deepest longing.
✅ Deepening an Existing Spiritual Journey
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You’ve been exploring meditation and/or yoga through apps/YouTube or casual classes, and you feel there's something there for you.
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A silent retreat offers a focused, distraction-free environment that allows you to deepen your practice and explore the deeper aspects and implication of the teachings in a coherent and practical manner.
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Make the shift from casual interest to developing a strong practice as a backbone of your life.
✅ Reinvigorating Your Spiritual Search
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You’ve been on your spiritual journey for a while but feel stuck, uninspired, or like the fire that once fueled you is starting to die out.
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A retreat provides a fresh perspective, renews your inspiration, and helps you break through spiritual plateaus.
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Reigniting your passion and sense of connection, like adding fresh wood to a fire that’s been struggling to burn brightly.
✅ Stress Relief, Emotional Healing & Mental Reset
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Modern life is relentless, leaving you feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or emotionally drained. Silent retreats give your nervous system the deep rest and healing it craves.
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Without distractions, unresolved emotions and mental clutter naturally surface and get released. It’s like hitting the 'reset' button for your mind and emotions, allowing you to process and heal.
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Leading to A clearer, more emotionally balanced you, with sharpened creativity, focus, and resilience for whatever life throws your way.
✅ Detox from Technology & Social Media Influence
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Phones, emails, social media... it’s all just so much noise.
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Breaking away from the digital world helps you reclaim your attention, reconnect with what truly matters to you, and feel present and alive again.
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The present moment becomes vibrant, alive, and surprisingly peaceful.
So, if you’re feeling that pull toward something deeper — something real and lasting — a meditation retreat might be exactly what you need. It’s not just a break from the world; it’s a journey back to yourself. Ready to experience it for yourself?
Cost Breakdown
10-Day Retreat:
Course Fee: 8,940 MXN
Meals: (3/day per 10 days + dinner on the arrival day) - 4,780 MXN
Accommodation per 11 nights:
Option #1: a single bed in a dorm (1 bunk bed - max. 2-4 people per room): 5,940 MXN
Option #2: a single bed in a twin room/triple spacious cabin with a private bathroom &terrace:8,580 MXN
*Check below for the Low Income discount
TOTAL:
Option #1: 19,660 MXN
Option #2: : 22,300 MXN
6-Day Retreat:
Course Fee: 6,720 MXN
Meals: (3/day per 6 days + dinner on the arrival day) - 3,585 MXN
Accommodation per 7 nights:
Option #1: a single bed in a dorm (1 bunk bed - max. 2-4 people per room): 4,130 MXN
Option #2: a single bed in a twin room/triple spacious cabin with a private bathroom &terrace:5,670 MXN
TOTAL:
Option #1: 14,435 MXN
Option #2: 15,975 MXN
3-Day Retreat:
Course Fee: 3,780 MXN
Meals: (3/day per 3 days + dinner on the arrival day) - 2,390 MXN
Accommodation per 4 nights:
Option #1: a single bed in a dorm (1 bunk bed - max. 2-4 people per room): 2,760 MXN
TOTAL:
Option #1: 8,930 MXN
* ! LOW INCOME DISCOUNT !
If you current income is less than 1300 USD/ month and your savings are not more than 5000 USD (we count very much on your honesty) we are happy to offer you a special Price for the 10-Day Retreat so you can join us : 14 350 MXN (about 700USD). Please, fill out this form to apply for the scolarship.
You can also find us on Bookretreats.com
“I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God.”
- Rumi
Schedule
The daily Hridaya Silent Meditation Retreat schedule is split into two parts:
A morning session (07:00-13:00) and an afternoon/evening session (15:30-21:30).
07:00-09:00 Meditation
This meditation will begin in smaller segments (for example, with short hourly breaks), building to one continuous, deep meditation session.
09:00-10:00 Breakfast
Breakfast available in the Hridaya Yoga Center Dining Room at 09.15.
10:00-12:30 Q&A and Relevant lecture teaching
12:30-13:45 Hatha Yoga
Practice of techniques, especially those that facilitate the revelation of the Spiritual Heart: a simultaneous (class-like) group practice.
13:45-14:15 Meditation
The revelation of the Spiritual Heart.
14:15-16:00 Lunch and rest
Lunch available in the Hridaya Yoga Dining Room.
16:00-18:30 Meditation
This meditation will begin in smaller segments (for example, with short hourly breaks), building to one continuous, deep meditation session.
18:30-19:30 Dinner
Dinner available in the Hridaya Yoga Dining Room from the 18.15.
19:30-21:15 Spiritual discourse lecture and final evening meditation
A single, gentle bell-ring will mark the end of each meditation or other period, and will signal a short break. A series of bell tones will indicate that the next meditation or other period will begin within two minutes and that it is time to take your seat and cease movement in the hall. A final, single bell will signal the start of a new session. Please do not enter the hall after the final bell has rung.
Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
― Lao Tzu
FAQ's
Is it Safe to Travel to Mexico/to Your Centre?
Mexico’s reputation regarding safety, while not entirely untrue, is often exaggerated by the news media, especially in neighbouring countries where opposition to Mexico/Mexican people supports political agendas and dramatic media coverage drives clicks, views etc. There are certain areas of Mexico where there is a high rate of crime. These areas are thus less safe for foreign travellers. However, millions of travellers and holiday makers pass through Mexico each year without incident. This particular area had seen a little instability in 2024, surrounding the presidential elections in Mexico, however the situation has stabilized considerably and the area is generally safe. A huge movement by local authorities has recently removed hundreds of known cartel members from the area and made big steps in increasing general safety in San Cristobal de Las Casas and Chiapas in general. Additionally, our centre is nestled in a mountain valley outside the historic city of San Cristobal de Las Casas, an area protected by native peoples and indigenous laws. Regarding travel here, we have a long standing relationship with a particular taxi driver and his brother. They provide safe and reliable airport and local shuttle services for guests coming/leaving the centre.
What is the easiest most direct way to get to the retreat?
There are generally 2 main airports that you can fly into. Of these, by far the most popular is MEX Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México (Mexico City airport). The other is CUN Cancún International Airport. (There are other international airports in Mexico, into which you may find cheaper flights from your specific location from time to time, but these are the most convenient and common) From either of these airports you can catch a connecting flight to TGZ Aeropuerto Internacional Ángel Albino Corzo. This flight takes around 1.5hrs from Mexico City. From this airport we can arrange a taxi to pick you up directly from the airport and bring you either directly to us, or to San Cristobal de Las Casas (around 1000MXN). Or you can take an airport shuttle (you will need at least some basic Spanish) into San Cristobal de las Casas (around 300MXN). Either option takes around 1.5hrs From San Cristobal de Las Casas, we arrange a shuttle to our centre on the day that your retreat is schedule to begin, at 13:30. The cost of this suttles service is 150MXN per car, shared between however many people are in the car. the ride is about 20 minutes to arrive at the centre.
I have previous experience with Yoga &/or meditation will this retreat be to basic for me?
Years of feedback from participants have shown clearly that this retreat is well adapted to suit both beginners and experienced practitioners. The first few days will start slowly, and if you have quite a bit of sitting/retreat experience you will find this to be a gentle warm up and lead into longer sitting. You will also likely find that the attitude towards and theoretical aspects of the practice of meditation to be quite fresh and very profound. While the retreat embraces the visions of classical yoga, Advaita Vendanta and early Buddhism within it’s philosophical framework, our approach to practice draws heavily on the tantric traditions, in which an incredibly all-embracing and embodied approach to spiritual practice is emphasized. For experienced meditators this comes as a very welcome, complimentary and sometimes evolutionary deepening to their practice.
I’m new to yoga &/or meditation will I be able to keep up?
We start the retreat at a very beginner friendly level. We start with shorter sittings and build up over the first couple of days, we have found that even the most restless of people are able to adapt to the sitting practice after about 3 days and that many/most of the beginners that come for retreats both appreciate this graduated approach to learning to sit, and are surprised that within a few days they can sit for an hour without struggle. We have also found that our approach to teaching meditation, which is quite practical with guidance offered during the first 10-15 minutes of each practice sessions before we transition to simple silent sitting together, plus our emphasis on an attitude of acceptance and simplicity during meditation both make great conditions for learning, even if you have never sat before.
I have some physical injuries, will I be able to join the yoga/sit for meditation?
The style of yoga that we practice is primarily meditative and therefore very gentle physically. We emphasise awareness of the body/sensations and eventually the flow of subtle energies within the body. For this to be effective we must be able to find a balance of effort and relaxation in the poses, which means we generally keep them quite simple and therefore accessible to beginners. Advanced practice here refers more to the subtlety of attention and capacity to feel than it does to complicated postures. If you have any physical injuries please let us know in advance and we will adapt the practice sessions to suit your ability.
I’m Interested in this retreat primarily for psychological healing, will the contents and practices be appropriate for me?
Generally speaking, meditative, contemplative and spiritual practices can be incredibly beneficial for psychological health, stability, well being etc. This is especially true when those practices and teachings are body oriented and encompassing of a life guided by a genuine spiritual search and longing while living a well adjusted life in society, including making money, having relationships, jobs, projects, families etc. The teachings and practices of this retreat fit 100% in that category of spiritual teachings and practice. (This is certainly not always the case as many approaches in spirituality directly emphasise or are drawn from a cultural context in which genuine spirituality is seen as something incompatible with such a lifestyle. In such cases the practices and teachings may be entirely unhelpful, even damaging to someone seeking to heal deep traumas and psychological disorders). If you are passing through a difficult moment in life, like a loss, breakup or major change in life direction and circumstance, or if you have a history of trauma or psychological disorder that is well managed through therapy and previous personal development work, we know from experience that this retreat can be massively beneficial. Having said this, this retreat is not specifically designed to address people or situations of extreme psychological need. While everyone is welcome here, regardless of background and psychological state, if you are actively seeking to heal from traumatic life events or seeking alternative forms of treatment for diagnosed psychological disorders (such as bipolar, schizophrenia etc.) we would not recommend you attending this retreat. The reasoning behind this is that while we can help (Sasha is a licensed and practising psychotherapist and we both have years of experience working with people in quite extreme situations), in the context of this retreat (which is silent and by definition avoids direct personal contact and interaction between participants and/or facilitators) we are not able to provide the specific 1:1 support that is required in such delicate situations.