Upcoming
Opportunities
to Do Nothing
The Simple Art
of Sitting Still
9–18 October 2026
26 December 2026–3 January 2027
21–29 March 2027 — Easter Retreat
9-day Meditation & Gestalt Therapy Retreats
The highlands of Sri Lanka
A retreat where we occupy ourselves with the profound practice of doing as little as possible.
What We Actually Do
This retreat combines meditation according to the Ānāpānasati Sutta — mindfulness of breathing — with Gestalt work. They come from rather different traditions, but point in much the same direction.
The Daoists call it wu wei — effortless action. The Hindus speak of karma yoga — doing what needs to be done without clinging to the outcome. The Buddha expressed it through non-clinging: not grasping, not resisting, and not adding unnecessary suffering to what already is.
In Gestalt therapy, we practise simply being present and allowing whatever arises to arise. In that presence, we can turn towards the unfinished business, old wounds and emotional baggage we still carry from the past.
The wisdom is rather simple: do not waste your precious energy avoiding what is, clinging to what was, or chasing what might become. Use that energy for what actually matters:
Be here.
There is surprisingly little els of real importance.
This is sacred work.
(A sense of humour is part of the practice)
The ego is remarkably creative. Even when we try to get rid of it, it quickly learns the right spiritual language, becomes very humble, and starts taking pride in its own humility. In the worst case, the ego itself becomes enlightened — or at least convinces itself that it has.
The aim is not to create a more impressive version of ourselves: a spiritually upgraded “me” with fewer faults, deeper insights and perhaps a slightly longer face.
The invitation is much simpler: to see through the whole project of becoming someone.
Because you already are.
Fortunately, importance and seriousness are not the same thing. The Buddha spoke about happiness and joy — not about becoming grumpier, more pious or more impressed with ourselves.
About the Teaching Itself
My first Dhamma teacher was not always entirely pleased with me. In fact, he eventually asked me not to teach or lead meditation retreats at all, because he feared I might lead thousands of people into further suffering.
Since my understanding of the Buddha’s teaching did not correspond with his own, I was, by definition, wrong.
Luckily, I had already tasted some of the fruit of the Buddha’s teaching before anyone tried to explain to me how it ought to taste. So when I was later told what a mango should taste like, I had already eaten one.
At times, I felt a little like an old crocodile being taught how to swim.
I cannot honestly claim that I have become dramatically wiser since then.
So I continue my dangerous career of leading people astray — not by teaching them very much, but by encouraging them not to collect too much unnecessary knowledge in the first place.
Much of what we accumulate in the mind is simply more furniture in an already overcrowded room.
So, I will teach you nothing.
And hopefully, you will learn nothing.
And if we are fortunate, we might discover that there was nothing missing in the first place.
At the very least, we will have a wonderful time together — resting in peace, happiness and perhaps even a little bliss, with a joke or two along the way whenever we start taking ourselves too seriously.
Who Is Welcome
You are welcome whether you are Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, belong to another spiritual tradition, or consider yourself a non-believer.
The same goes for gender, gender identity, the colour of your skin, and most of the other ingenious ways human beings have found to divide themselves into categories.
A history of mental-health challenges does not necessarily exclude you either. Life has given me some experience in that department myself.
I do not wish to romanticise these struggles. They can be deeply painful and sometimes profoundly difficult to live with. But neither should they automatically become a reason to exclude someone from meditation, spiritual practice or this retreat.
We are not second editions, after all.
What matters is simply that we speak openly beforehand, are honest about where we are, and agree on a few basic ground rules that support both your practice and the well-being of the group.
Behind all our different names, beliefs, histories and identities, we are first and foremost human beings.
And in the end, we are all looking for much the same thing: happiness, peace and freedom from unnecessary suffering.
About the Cost and the Practice of Dāna
For the stay: €300
A non-refundable reservation fee of €100 is required to secure your place. The remaining balance is payable 2 weeks before the retreat begins.
The €300 covers only the practicalities of keeping body and soul together (after all, the body is the vehicle for awakening)— accommodation, breakfast, lunch and a light evening meal.
As a monk, I am blessed by the monastic rules not to have anything to do with money. I must say, it is rather nice.
One natural consequence is that the teaching itself is never for sale. It is offered freely, without charge.
If enlightenment could be bought, someone would almost certainly have put it on special offer by now.
If, at the end of the retreat, you feel moved to support the continuation of this work, you are welcome to offer dāna — a voluntary gift.
There is no suggested amount, no minimum, no maximum, no discreetly hidden expectation and, happily, no exam afterwards to see whether you got it right.
The Retreat Conditions
The circumstances are very simple.
Two to four people sharing a room, no phones, no unnecessary distractions, and nine days devoted to the simple art of sitting still — with a little Gestalt work when sitting still proves insufficient.
And I am sorry, but:
No sex. No drugs. No rock ’n’ roll.
We will somehow have to manage.
Daily Schedule
(Subject to the ever-changing nature of existence.)
7:00–8:00 — Meditation
8:00–9:00 — Breakfast
9:00–12:00 — Gestalt therapy
12:00–15:00 — Lunch and rest
15:00–17:00 — Meditation
17:00–18:00 — Light evening meal
18:00–20:00 — Gestalt therapy
20:00–21:00 — Meditation
That’s about it.i
Questions?
If you have any questions or would like to participate in a retreat, contact me at
And please don’t be offended if my reply takes a little time. I am incommunicado from time to time, seriously occupied with doing nothing.
Sooner or later, I will answer. At least I’ll do my best.
Until then, may you be free from at least unnecessary suffering.
Be blessed,