10-Day Silent Meditation Retreat

A 10-day silent meditation retreat at Karmê Chöling in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, offering formal Shamatha-Vipashyana training in a residential, tradition-based setting.

This September, Karmê Chöling will hold a 10-day silent retreat built on two things: real silence, and a place that knows how to hold it.

Most of us are carrying more than we realize. This retreat is a chance to put it down for a while — to sit, walk, breathe, and let the mind settle into something steadier than the noise it's used to. Some come with years of practice behind them. Some are just beginning. Both are welcome here, held by the same clear structure, the same quiet land, the same teachers.

Participants spend full days in silent sitting and walking meditation, supported by experienced instructors and a simple, unhurried daily rhythm — with nowhere else to be, and nothing else to do, but this.

The retreat is built around two practices, one supporting the other:

• Shamatha (Calm Abiding): Training attention to settle — steadying a busy mind and building a foundation of stability.
• Vipashyana (Insight Meditation): Practices that build on that stability to look clearly at thought, habit, and emotion, opening the door to lasting clarity.

Shamatha comes first here, as a foundation. This keeps Vipashyana grounded, rather than stirring up more than a practitioner is ready to meet.

• Noble Silence: Full silence, including digital silence, is kept for all ten days — a real chance for the mind to rest.
• A Clear Daily Rhythm: Each day follows the same steady pattern of sitting, walking, guided practice, and silent meals.
• Individual Teacher Support: Personal interviews and group instruction from experienced teachers, throughout the retreat.
• A Gentle, Respectful Pace: Nothing here is rushed or forced. Whatever comes up — old tension, grief, memory — is met with room enough to simply be felt.

This retreat welcomes both new and experienced meditators:

• Newer Practitioners: You don't need years of practice to be here. If you're drawn to a serious 10-day silent retreat and ready for sustained silence and structure, clear orientation and daily guidance will carry you through.
• Experienced Practitioners: Those with an existing meditation practice who want to deepen it within a tradition-based approach, in an environment built to support that depth.
• Anyone Needing a Real Reset: People in demanding roles, or navigating grief, stress, or change, who need to step fully away from screens and daily demands for a while.

No prior religious affiliation is required. The teachings are offered in plain, accessible language, while honoring the depth of the tradition they come from.

Karmê Chöling is a longstanding meditation retreat center on over 500 acres of forest, meadow, and organic garden in Barnet, Vermont. Here, the practice is held not only by teachers and schedule, but by the land itself — the way morning fog lifts slowly off the fields, the way silence has its own weather. The center has hosted residential meditation retreats for decades, with facilities and staff oriented entirely around silence, practice, and depth.

Karmê Chöling is easily accessible from across the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada.

• By Car: Located just off Interstate 91 near Barnet, Vermont. Drive times are approximately 3 hours from Boston, 5 hours from New York City, 2.5 hours from Montreal, and 1.5 hours from Burlington.
• By Air: Participants typically fly into Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Burlington International Airport (BTV), or Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and continue by bus, rental car, or shuttle.
• Shuttles & Support: Retreat coordinators assist in planning the final leg of travel from regional bus or train stations to the center. Detailed directions and transportation options are provided upon registration.

Is this comparable to a 10-day Goenka-style Vipassana retreat?
Yes, in its core structure: sustained noble silence, full days of sitting and walking meditation, and a formal residential container. It differs by including explicit Shamatha training and individual teacher interviews.

Can beginners attend?
Yes. Beginners are welcome and are part of who this retreat is designed for. Clear orientation and daily instruction are provided throughout, so no prior meditation experience is required — just a readiness for ten days of silence and structure.

What does a typical day look like?
Days include early morning practice, alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, mindful meals, short talks or practice guidance, and evening sessions, all held in silence.

What kinds of lodging are available?
Options range from private rooms to shared dormitories and simple group shrine-room lodging, with three daily meals included. Housing is selected during registration based on availability and budget.

How do I know if this retreat is right
If you're drawn to a serious 10-day silent retreat, want a balanced Shamatha-Vipashyana approach, and are ready to step away from technology and daily demands for a while, this retreat is built for you — whether you're beginning or deepening a practice. If you're still not sure, you're welcome to reach out — one of our meditation instructors is happy to talk with you about what the retreat and a typical day actually look like before you register.