Samādhi Writing Retreat
Silence. Stillness. The Source of language.
A Silent Writing Retreat for Academics and Long-Form Writers
You are working on your book. You’ve read too much, thought too much, been pulled in too many directions. You need quiet. You need depth. You need time.
This retreat is for academics and long-form thinkers who seek not productivity hacks but a deep re-alignment with their own voice. Led by F, a writer and academic herself, the retreat is built around the rituals of scholarly solitude: silence, attention, structure, and the courage to face the blank page.
This is a silent retreat. We withdraw from external stimulation to reclaim our inner alertness. There is no internet, no phones, no music. Laptops are allowed, but only for writing—and they are locked away outside designated writing sessions. Conversations will be allowed only in designated times — dinner and lunch, workshops, peripathetic walks, and dream sessions.
Instead, we offer you:
Boredom, as a gateway to creativity
Silence, as a source of language
Spaciousness, as a fertile ground for emergence
Nature, not as an escape, but as a source of inspiration
Reconnection, with your thoughts and body
Rooted in the Sanskrit concept of samādhi—“to place together completely”—this is a retreat into your own mind, your manuscript, and your deeper creative current. To write in this way is to allow language to emerge rather than be forced. To write with full presence.
Where We Gather
We will be hosted in a rustic house deep within the Casentino National Park, in eastern Tuscany—a forested landscape where St. Francis of Assisi once walked, prayed, and wrote parts of his Canticle of the Creatures.
The retreat space itself is:
✔ Off-grid, elemental, and beautifully spare
✔ Set amid old-growth forest and winding trails
✔ Equipped with shared and private rustic bedrooms (the latter subject to availability)
What makes this retreat different
Silence is default: no idle conversation, no music, no digital noise
F is an academic herself, attuned to the mental rhythms of long-form thought
Dream Sessions, outdoors, by fire and guided meditative writing sessions to bypass resistance and connect with intuition
One-on-one creative walks with F
Dream journals to capture what arises beyond logic
total attention reclamation: restricted laptop use, no internet or book-reading
What is the reason for this structure?
Our daily rhythm is designed to support deep creative focus while gently expanding your range of attention. Each day alternates between structured writing sessions and manual or embodied activities, allowing you to engage both mind and body. This balance is intentional: we believe that writing doesn’t just happen in the head—it ripens through movement, stillness, and touch. Practices like guided meditative writing and dream sharing help soften the grip of overthinking and unlock the unconscious, where creative insight often hides.
Why are we offering extra/optional stuff?
Guided Offerings (Optional)
Peripatetic Walks with F — one-on-one, 45 minutes
Pottery session – 1.5 hours
Foraging walk with Nicolas
Soil & garden work – grounding the body, clearing the mind
Two-day walking excursion – meditative movement through landscape
Dream Sessions
A ritual held only twice: at 04:00 on the first and last day.
Led in silence, outdoors, by fire. Only F speaks.
These are dreamlike states of altered consciousness to soften the ego and allow the deeper voice to emerge.
Tools for the Journey
Small dream journals, specially designed to record traces from the subconscious
No books: we encourage the absence of external voices
Limited access to devices: only during writing hours, to protect your focus
Day 0 - Arrival
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 12:30 – 15:00 | Arrival and check-in |
| 15:30 – 17:00 | Welcome gathering with coffee & cake |
| 17:00 – 18:30 | Opening workshop: The Horror of the Blank Page |
| 18:30 – 19:30 | Dinner |
| 20:00 onward | Settle in, enter silence |
Daily Rhythm (Days 1–7)
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 04:00 (Day 1 & 7) | Dream Session (outside, silent, with fire) |
| 07:00 – 07:45 | Yoga or meditation |
| 07:45 – 08:00 | Silent walk |
| 08:00 – 08:45 | Breakfast |
| 09:00 – 12:00 | Writing Session 1 |
| 12:30 – 13:15 | Lunch |
| 13:15 – 14:00 | Nap or walking break |
| 14:00 – 18:00 | Writing Session 2 (cake at 16:00) |
| 18:00 – 19:30 | Outdoor activity (offered, not required) |
| 19:30 – 20:30 | Dinner |
| 20:30 onward | Free time (in silence) |
Day 8 – Return
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 04:00 – 05:00 | Final Dream Session |
| 08:00 | Breakfast |
| 09:00 – 09:30 | Ceremony to exit the silent state |
| 09:30 – 11:00 | Workshop II: Reflections on Practice |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Group Discussion: What Worked, What Didn't |
| 12:30 | Shared Lunch (talking allowed) |
| 14:00 | Departure |
Where We Gather
We will be hosted in a rustic house deep within the Casentino National Park, in eastern Tuscany—a forested landscape where St. Francis of Assisi once walked, prayed, and wrote parts of his Canticle of the Creatures. The stillness of this land is not incidental. It’s part of the practice.
The retreat space itself is:
Off-grid, elemental, and beautifully spare
Set amid old-growth forest and winding trails
Equipped with shared and private rustic bedrooms (the latter subject to availability)
Who Leads This?
F is a published academic and writer who understands the pressures and pace of scholarly life. This retreat draws from her own practice of writing not just about silence and attention—but within them. She holds space with gentleness and clarity, not as a guru but as a fellow traveler.
What’s Included
7 nights lodging at XXX
All meals (vegetarian, local, seasonal)
Two writing sessions daily
Yoga/meditation each morning
Dream sessions + closing rituals
Guided meditative writing with F
1-on-1 walk with F
Dream journals
Off grid location
In the midst of a national park
with these views
