Silent Meditation and Yin Yoga Retreat in the Hills of Monchique

The retreat runs for seven days and six nights at Karuna Retreat Center, a venue that has hosted meditation retreats for twenty years, many led by Tibetan masters. The main house is a traditional stone building from 1950, renovated in 2019, with a simple, ashram-like feel. The center is surrounded by eucalyptus forest in the Serra de Monchique, about an hour inland from Faro, and the hills are quiet and serene, with mountain springs running through the property. Most rooms have views over the southern coast of the Algarve.

Each day includes four blocks of one-hour-forty-five-minute meditation sessions, a mix of seated zazen and walking kinhin. Beginners are expected to attend at least three of the four blocks, though all are welcome to do the full schedule. The morning begins with a 90-minute Yin Yoga class led by Helen, a teacher with over 35 years of practice and 17 years of teaching, who draws on Sivananda, Yin, and Restorative traditions. The yoga is specifically chosen to prepare the body for long periods of sitting.

In the afternoon, after lunch and rest, there is a silent meditative walk in the hills. The trail passes through eucalyptus trees and leads to a clearing with boulders where the group pauses to contemplate a panoramic view of the ocean on the horizon. Following the walk, the teacher gives a 50-minute dharma talk, followed by a Q&A period. This is one of the few times the silence is broken, and it offers a chance to explore the teachings of the day.

The retreat is led by Hamid, who has been teaching meditation since being ordained as a monk in 2000 and authorized to teach in 2011 by his master, Japanese Zen Master Ryotan Tokuda. His style blends Zen practice with Western psychology — he studied philosophy under Jacques Derrida and completed psychotherapy training in Nice. The retreat also features teachings from Annetje (Jikai), a Dutch Zen teacher in the White Plum Lineage, and Helen for the yoga. The combination means the retreat is grounded in traditional Zen practice but framed in a way that's accessible to Westerners.

What's included

- 6 nights accommodation in shared twin or triple rooms - 3 daily vegetarian meals (vegan available on request) - 4 daily periods of silent Zazen meditation - Daily 90-minute Yin Yoga class - Daily meditative walk in the hills of Monchique - Daily dharma talk followed by Q&A - Water, tea, and coffee throughout the day - Parking - Pre and post retreat support from our team

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Transport from and to the airport (pickup and drop-off available for €15 each way) - Additional treatments or activities - Towels