4th – 7th February 2021
Blue Karma Hotel, Ubud
4-Day Freestyle Vipassana with Jeff Oliver
This is a precious opportunity to join Silent Meditation Retreat guided by an experienced ex-monk master in Bali. The teacher will be giving Vipassana guidelines online while you are invited to live and practice in the retreat center with the most appropriate conditions, timetable and food.
Vipassana is an ancient profound practice that allows one to perceive all things as they truly are. Vipassana meditation comes from the teachings of Siddharta Gautama, The Buddha. It is much more than just a breathing or sitting meditation technique – it is a more vivid and rich life changing experience.
The principle of Vipassana meditation is to be mindful of any mental or physical process that naturally arises in the present moment with a view to gaining insight and wisdom, leading to mental strength, balance, peace and harmony.
This observation may be practiced in formal postures and also in daily life in any situation so that insight may arise. The ultimate skill is to understand the true nature of the mind and thus life, and apply this wisdom to everywhere we go and everything we do as much as possible.
Freestyle Vipassana has its roots in formal Vipassana of which there are many varying styles. Although we offer techniques, freestyle means that there is no particular form or place or time that this must be practiced. It is applicable to whatever is unfolding in reality in this moment, Here & Now.
Disclaimer: This is NOT the strict and formal 4-day silent retreat by Goenka, the approach is much milder and subtler, yet very deep and profound.
BENEFITS
➢ Increased awareness and concentration
➢ Empower resilience, non-judgment and detachment
➢ Improved mental and physical health
➢ Mind and digital detox
➢ Rest from communication
➢ Cultivate inner peace
➢ Discover true, unconditional joy
➢ Live in the present moment
What makes this Freestyle Vipassana retreat SPECIAL?
Vipassana is one of the deepest mind practice known to humanity. Through this technique Siddhartha Gautama himself got the enlightenment and showed this way to others. For 2500 years it serves all beings who search for inner peace, wisdom and freedom. To make this ancient knowledge more accessible and easier to practice in 21st century, Freestyle Vipassana had been created.
Freestyle means without specific form or posture but refers to mindfulness in everything we do as much as possible. Also, this is for anyone and everyone of any race, culture, religion or any belief system. Young or old, healthy, sick or weak, happy or depressed, it’s for anyone who wants to know their own TRUTH.
This retreat has also been designed so that you can rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit through a program designed for self-care and natural healing.
Noble Silence
Noble Silence does not mean that we are not allowed to talk. It means that we don’t have to talk, we have no obligation to talk during that period of the day or night. Silence becomes Noble when it is an Inner Silence. The mind is calm and at ease. Noble Silence helps us practice real presence – both in the world around us and inside ourselves.
Puravedic Food
PuraVeda is the food system we use to nourish you whilst simultaneously connecting you back to yourself, your body and the land. We have taken ancient Ayurvedic practices and created a purer version of them. Hence the name PuraVeda. By consuming Puravedic food you will be energized and cleansed to achieve alignment of mind, body and spirit.
Farm to Table
We source the vegetables directly from our gardens. Most produce loses its nutrients within 24 hours after harvesting. By sourcing locally, we can get the ingredients quicker while at peak freshness and full of nutrients. You get food that not only tastes exceptionally better but is packed full of the natural vitamins that promote better health.
Bio-Metric Evaluation
The term biometrics originally means “measurement of life”. You will get a biometric evaluation on your physical, emotional, and mental state. With this evaluation, you will find out about your energy levels and other aspects of your health in details.
Tea Ceremony
A tea ceremony is a great way to meditate as you relish in the calm and stillness of simply having a hot cup of tea. A tea ceremony is a silent meditation, as you focus on the tea and yourself. As you drink tea, you also meditate and relish in the calm and stillness.
Spring Water
Spring water provides much needed oxygen to the body and the brain, aids in good digestion, helps us maintain a healthy weight, and tastes great. Spring water never tastes flat or boiled. It makes for an excellent drinking experience and one that does wonders for the body.
Programs
DAY 1 – INTRODUCTION
On the first day we will be introduced to Nirmana’s mindful, pure, holistic lifestyle & Freestyle Vipassana Practice.
To start, you will arrive in a beautiful green lush venue which allows you to connect with nature and recharge your mind, body and soul. You will be introduced to Nirmana’s core values of purity, sustainability and healthy lifestyle. Afterwards you will have your health evaluation check through our bio-metric program. You will also start detoxing your body through high vibration Puravedic food.
The teacher, Jeff Oliver will be introduced to you via online session. He will explain basic techniques of Vipassana Meditation, provide you with some guidelines for the retreat and invite you to a Noble Silence.
DAY 2 – Deepening
Our second day will start with a body practice, following meditation. After puravedic breakfast, you will be introduced to a deeper meditation practice and more guidelines by Jeff.
Throughout the day you will be practicing proposed techniques to deepen your mindfulness and observation. You will have a personal and group walking and sitting meditation, as well as practice of mindful eating and daily activities.
At sunset we will have a meditative tea ceremony experience. In the evening Jeff will provide you with deeper understanding of Vipassana practice and its benefits for your day to day life.
DAY 3 – MAXIMIZING
Our third day is all about maximizing your awareness in all kinds of activities. We will apply a meditative approach to every aspect of our day, whether it is movement, stillness, silence or eating. Jeff will give a morning talk to strengthen your Vipassana practice and give some practical advice on how to apply it constantly.
You will be provided with the possibility to write down your questions to the teacher and the answers will be highlighted at the evening session with Jeff.
DAY 4 – INTEGRATION
After a profound Vipassana practice you will be introduced to methods to apply to your life outside of the retreat. Advice and guidelines will be provided by Jeff to enrich your mindfulness in the day to day life. Noble silence will be lifted by midday.
We will finalize the retreat with Nirmana knowledge on beneficial and healthy approaches to life and have a sharing circle. You will be ready to return to your life with new tools to enrich your life and make it more peaceful.
Retreat Guidelines
The teacher will be giving all techniques, practices and guidelines via online Zoom sessions. The retreat will be conducted as Vipassana retreats around the world in accordance with BUDDHIST MONASTIC CONDUCT and behaviour. All food is healthy Puravedic vegetarian.
Five Virtues will be practiced:
- No harming living beings
- No stealing
- No sex / physical contact
- No harmful speech
- No alcohol or drugs.
A Vipassana retreat is a time of intensive practice so that we may fully understand how being present, here and now, creates insight and wisdom into the true nature of our body and mind, the world around us and life as it is. This
wisdom leads us to harmony and balance.
There will be guided and instructed meditations in various forms. Different topics will be explained and practiced, such as forgiveness, self love, loving-kindness meditation, acceptance and karma. The practice will be silent during the day.
Men and women will sleep separately as well as lovers, close friends and family members. This is an intensive retreat designed for individual spiritual growth. We invite people who willing to practice seriously and want to understand the meaning of existence, it’s not a holiday, it’s a serious practice
Please ask the teacher or assistant for advice if necessary.
No late arrivals, everyone begins on the first day.
Please, do not leave the retreat property without permission from the retreat teacher, he is responsible for everyone’s safety, health and wellbeing. Everyone is free to leave but must inform the teacher first.
WHY COME TO BALI?
The island of Bali is one of the few natural health and healing centers in the world
Tens of thousands of people travel to the Island of the Gods every year for detoxification. Bali is one of the few precious places left on earth where an ancient, nature-based culture and a community of health and awareness thrives to support and nourish you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
Accommodation
Blue Karma Hotel, Ubud
Find rejuvenation among the lush green view of rice paddies, the hanging banyan trees, and mountainous surroundings of Ubud. The small town named after the Balinese word “ubad”, which means medicine, is a spiritual and cultural center of the island, and might also be dubbed as the world’s capital of spiritual retreats. Famed for its healing powers, people have been coming to Ubud for centuries to cure their ailments. Find the healing you’ve been looking for at the Blue Karma Hotel Ubud. As one of the best Ubud boutique hotels for those who desire peace and relaxation on their holidays, Blue Karma Hotel Ubud provide a delightful and rejuvenating experience with massage, yoga shala, unmatched closeness with nature, and a view that feels like paradise.
Vipassana Teacher
Jeff Oliver
Jeff Oliver was born on the Central Coast of Australia. In 1992 he found Vipassana meditation and soon ordained as a Buddhist monk in the Theravada Tradition in Myanmar (Burma). In 2002 he disrobed to explore and experiment with
life. Since then he is an international lay teacher of Mindfulness and Insight Meditation, Forgiveness and Unconditional Love and authored books on these topics. Jeff holds regular classes, beach meditations, workshops and retreats,
locally and internationally.
Jeff’s motto is LIVE, LEARN, LOVE and LAUGH!
Jeff devotes his life to his own practice and to the service of others and does not charge a fixed price but lives by the generosity of those who appreciate his service and offerings.
Price
Details
Dhamma is FREE for all beings. You will be charged payment for Retreat Venue facilities and operational expenses only. The teacher is giving a practice on a donation basis up to your budget and generosity. So after the retreat you will be free to share donations to the teacher in a traditional manner to sustain his willingness to share Vipassana Practice to all beings. Recommended donation to the teacher is >$100.
Private Room
(Queen Bed)
max. 1 person
Rp 3,000,000 per person
Shared Room
(Twin Bed)
max. 2 people
Rp 1,500,000 per person
Testimonials
Venera Vathkhullina
With Jeff Oliver, my first journey into silence and a deep experience of living with my fears happened, which unexpectedly manifested from childhood in the form of a panic attack and strange sensations of expansion and weight of my body. In meditation, I managed to go into this fear, experience it and feel great grace. Now this transcendental sensation is my instrument for connecting with my spirit.
Alex Fedorov
Vipassana is one of the most powerful technique for mindfulness in my life. And I really appreciate how Jeff Oliver clearly gives the technique and support during the practice. I really recommend this retreat to everyone. May all Beings be safe, happy and healthy!