The Heart of Devotion - 3 day Silent Retreat

We would like to welcome you to “The Heart of Devotion”, our 3-Day Silent retreat, at the beautiful and serene Karuna Center nestled in the mountains of Monchique in Portugal's Algarve region.

This retreat is an invitation to enter the depth of Silence while awakening the Heart through meditation, devotion and sacred chanting.

Open to all levels, this retreat explores silent meditation, mantra chanting, devotional practices, Hridaya-inspired teachings, and the path of Self-Inquiry as presented by Sri Ramana Maharshi. 

The retreat includes 4 nights and 3 nourishing vegetarian/vegan meals per day.

Accommodation is ashram style: shared rooms with shared bathrooms.

Cost: 444  (deposit: 160). Low-income discounts may be available for those in need.

Through silent meditation sessions, devotional chanting, classical hatha yoga, and teachings on meditation and self-remembrance, we will cultivate a deeper connection with the Spiritual Heart.

While maintaining an atmosphere of silence and introspection, we will discover how devotional practices can naturally open the heart to the divine. The chanting of mantras offers a direct and timeless way of surrendering into stillness and love, allowing the vibration of the heart to open us to our essential nature.

We will also explore the teachings of Self-Inquiry as taught by Sri Ramana Maharshi, contemplating the essential question, “Who am I?” This inquiry invites us to move beyond our habitual identifications and concepts, allowing a deeper recognition of our true nature to emerge in the Silence of the Heart.

Drawing inspiration from traditions such as Advaita Vedanta, Yoga, Sufism, Tantra, Kashmir Shaivism, and Buddhism, we will approach the spiritual path through both wisdom and devotion—two complementary gateways to the same Truth.

Throughout the retreat, silence, meditation, chanting, and self-reflection will create a supportive environment for opening to the Spiritual Heart and discovering the depth of who we are. This retreat is suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners, and no previous experience with meditation, yoga, or mantra chanting is required.