5-Day Silent Meditation Retreat

An immersive 5-day retreat in the Vermont hills for sustained practice, mental clarity, and the qualifying silent retreat prerequisite for MBSR and other mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) teacher training pathways.

Held at Karme Chöling, this program offers a spacious and carefully structured environment devoted to mindfulness practice, quiet reflection, and deep restoration. It is designed for people who want to extend their practice beyond the pace of daily life, as well as for mindfulness professionals and teachers who need to complete a formal silent retreat requirement.

Mindfulness Teachers, Meditators, and Trainees

This retreat may be a good fit if you:

• Want to go deeper than a daily meditation routine or app-based practice.
• Are a mindfulness teacher, clinician, or professional needing a qualifying 5-day silent retreat for MBSR or other MBI teacher training.
• Want extended silence to support greater steadiness, clarity, and attention.
• Appreciate a structured and supportive environment with time for uninterrupted practice.

Why Silence and Structure Matter

The retreat is organized around noble silence, which means participants step back from ordinary conversation and digital distraction so attention can settle inward. Within that quiet container, the days are shaped to support continuity of practice, bodily ease, and a more direct relationship to your own experience.

A silent retreat can be especially helpful because it removes many of the small interruptions that fragment attention. Without constant conversation, planning, or screen-based distraction, participants have more room to notice thought patterns, settle the body, and experience mindfulness in a sustained way over several days.

The immersive format provides:

• A clearer view of habitual mental patterns through sustained quiet.
• More continuity between sitting, walking, eating, and resting.
• A consistent setting for exploring mindfulness in a focused way.
• A practical framework for understanding how practice unfolds over time.

Because mindfulness practice has been shown to support stress reduction and emotional regulation, a 5-day retreat offers the opportunity to explore these benefits in a direct and sustained way with the guidance of experienced teachers.

What the Retreat Rhythm Looks Like

The schedule is fully structured so you can settle into practice without needing to plan your day.

• Morning: Guided sitting and walking meditation to begin the day in silence.
• Mid-morning: Gentle movement practice to support comfort and embodied awareness.
• Early afternoon: Time for personal practice, walking on the land, and personal reflection.
• Mid-afternoon: Group practice in silence and small group meetings with teachers.
• Evening: A short mindfulness talk followed by a final guided meditation before night silence.
• Meals: Simple, nourishing meals shared in silence.

Janet Solyntjes and Rebecca Eldridge are senior mindfulness teachers with decades of personal practice, formal MBSR training, and deep grounding in Buddhist study and practice. Janet has been a student within both Tibetan Buddhist and Shambhala lineages for 40 years and is a senior teacher and teacher trainer for Shambhala International. Rebecca is a senior student of Pema Chödrön’s and has been featured giving meditation instruction in courses taught by her. They bring a steady, practical approach to retreat life and help create a container that is both supportive and clearly held.

Their teaching style is grounded, accessible, and oriented toward helping participants practice well in extended silence. The retreat draws on both contemporary mindfulness-based approaches and the insight meditation traditions from which they emerged. The retreat is managed with care so participants can focus on practice rather than logistics.

A Mindfulness Teacher Retreat and Professional Development

Mindfulness teacher-training pathways recognize that effective teaching grows from sustained personal practice. This retreat provides an opportunity not only to fulfill training requirements, but also to deepen the experiential understanding that supports teaching, clinical work, and professional practice.

This program is designed to meet the 5-day qualifying silent retreat prerequisite required by major MBSR and other MBI teacher training pathways. It also supports professional development for mindfulness instructors, clinicians, therapists, and healthcare professionals seeking a silent retreat for mindfulness professionals that goes beyond the basics.

The curriculum includes guided silent meditation, somatic movement, and small group check-ins with teachers within a format that aligns with established mindfulness training standards. If your training organization requires a letter of completion, Janet or Rebecca can provide that on their letterhead after the retreat. Please request this at registration.

Practical Details and Expectations

Do I need extensive meditation experience?
No. The retreat is open to anyone who is willing to engage sincerely with the practice. The structure supports both newer and more experienced meditators.

What does noble silence mean?
Noble silence means participants refrain from conversation and unnecessary social interaction during the retreat. Teachers and staff remain available, and small group check-ins provide a place to ask questions about your practice.

Is this a Buddhist-informed retreat?
The retreat is offered in a contemporary mindfulness format that is accessible to people of all backgrounds and does not require adherence to any religious tradition. At the same time, participants will encounter practices and teachings that reflect the Buddhist roots from which many mindfulness-based approaches emerged. For mindfulness teachers interested in understanding how those roots inform contemporary practice, this retreat offers a meaningful opportunity to explore that connection directly.

What if I am unsure about five days of silence?
That is completely normal. The retreat is designed to help you meet silence gradually and with support, so you can discover its effects through direct experience.

What about phones and technology?
Participants are encouraged to step away from regular digital use during the retreat. The structured environment naturally supports a break from emails, notifications, and habitual screen checking.

Does this satisfy my MBSR teacher prerequisites?
Yes. The retreat is structured to satisfy the 5-day silent retreat requirement for major MBSR and other MBI teacher credentialing pathways. Janet or Rebecca can provide a letter of completion on their letterhead for participants who need documentation for a specific program — please inquire at the time of registration.

Friday, please arrive 3:00 - 6:00pm for registration.
Dinner will be served at 6:30pm.
The program will officially begin at 7:30pm.

On Wednesday, the program will finish by 12:30pm with lunch afterwards. You are warmly invited to stay for lunch.

Visit our Directions and Transportation page to see different options for traveling to Karmê Chöling including our Rideshare board.