Days
Hours
Mins
Cultivating the Joy of Silence
July 31 - August 04, 2026
Jayne Gumpel, LCSW
Michael G. Burbank
David Gumpel M.A
A Four-Night Silent Retreat at Menla Retreat and Dewa SpaIn a world filled with urgency, noise, distraction, and endless stimulation, silence becomes a radical act of returning.Cultivating the Joy of Silence is a four-night immersive retreat rooted in the philosophy of Cultivating JOY: that suffering is part of the human experience, and that presence, connection, mindfulness, creativity, and compassion can help us remember the beauty of being alive.This retreat offers a gentle and supportive container for deep rest, reflection, and renewal through silence, nature, meditation, poetry, sound, and creative expression. While grounded in the traditions of Vipassana and mindfulness practice, this is not a rigid monastic retreat. Instead, it is a living exploration of silence as nourishment, silence as healing, silence as creativity, and silence as joy.Participants will engage in guided sitting, walking, standing, and lying-down meditations, alongside contemplative practices that include poetry, creative writing, sound, art-making, and mindful presence in nature. Meals will be held in silence, and noble silence will be maintained throughout the retreat except during designated guided practices and experiential offerings.Together, we will slow down enough to hear the subtle movements of the heart. We will practice listening beneath language. We will explore what emerges when we stop performing, stop fixing, stop explaining, and simply allow ourselves to be fully present with life as it is.Limited to 16 participants, this intimate retreat is designed for individuals seeking renewal, spaciousness, creativity, contemplative practice, and a deeper connection to themselves and the living world around them.Whether you are new to silence or an experienced meditator, you are welcome.Retreat Details:Schedule:Friday. July 31
ABOUT THE TEACHERs
Jayne Gumpel, LCSW
Jayne Gumpel, LCSW (she/her/hers) is a psychotherapist, trainer, and teacher with 30 years of experience working with couples, individuals, and groups in New York City and Woodstock, NY. Jayne is a professional clinical trainer in Psychedelic Integration Psychotherapy, is a membe...
Michael G. Burbank
Michael G. Burbank has been a student of Robert Thurman and HH the XIV Dalai Lama for over 25 years, since his undergraduate years studying Eastern religions and cultures at Columbia University in the 90s. In February of 2002, he was invited to help the Thurmans and Tibet House s...
David Gumpel M.A
David Gumpel, Co-founder of Relationship Resources, is an Integral Master Coach and a qualified teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through UMASS medical school. He completed his MA in Psychology at The New School for Social Research. David is the co-founder of...
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