The retreat lasts five days.

We start and end the day with silent meditation and mantra chanting. We draw on proven mindfulness techniques, the four anchors of mantra chanting and do simple exercises on citta (heart mind), breath, body and voice.

The coaching process gives you impulses and tools suitable for everyday use for dealing with your reactive patterns and returning to your embodied presence.

You will receive guidance and have time for individual reflection. You will do this both indoors and outdoors in dialog with nature.

There is the opportunity to exchange ideas in the group and to talk to Sibylle individually.

In the middle of the retreat we spend 24 hours in silence.

From Sunday August 24 to Thursday August 28, 2025 The retreat starts on Sunday at 14h and ends on Thursday at 11h.

The retreat takes place at the Hôtel-Pension Beau-Site in Chemin-Dessus aboveMartigny in Valais. The journey from Bern takes about 2.5 hours by public transport.

There are many things in this world that we cannot influence. In this coaching process, we consciously focus on the smallest and most effective area of influence we have in life: our ability to return to our body presence and from there to see, feel, decide and create.

We make a simple distinction between the state of presence and the state of reactivity. In the state of presence, we encounter life and other people with openness and curiosity and are eager to learn. From the state of presence, we experience clarity, insight, connectedness, trust and playful creativity. In a state of reactivity, we are closed to life and other people, defensive and eager to be right. We feel threatened, criticize ourselves and others, try to control the course of events and seek recognition and security on the outside. Both states are normal, deeply human - and very familiar to us all.

We work with everyday tools that help us to recognize our own reactivity and turn towards our defensive parts in a friendly and compassionate way. And we practise our ability to return to body presence - over and over again.

As part of this coaching process, you will receive impulses and instructions for individual exercises. These exercises can take place both indoors and outdoors in a natural setting.

By chanting mantras, we can experience ourselves in a deep presence in the present moment. Mantra chanting is a form of meditation that serves to collect the mind and to practice a friendly inner attitude towards one's own self and all life. It is also a wonderful way to experience yourself as an individual with unique expression in communal and universal resonance. In this retreat we will practise our mantra practice using the four anchors:

Citta (heart spirit): We shape our mantra practice through our inner attitude. The intention of mantra chanting is to move the heart. We name our inner attitude and align our mantra practice with it. We open ourselves to the freedom and connectedness that can flow within us through citta.

Breath: The power of mantras lies in the breath. Our breath is non-judgmental. It connects us with the rest of the world. The sound of our voice is transported through the breath. In mantra chanting, we consciously use our breath so that body and voice come into harmony.

Body: The relaxed body is a wonderful resonance chamber. By singing, we make it vibrate. Our posture and articulation help us to create conscious vibrations. In this way, we come into contact with previously unexplored spaces in our body and beyond.

Voice: Our voice is the deepest expression of our being. Our presence, but also our learned patterns of behavior, can be heard and experienced in our voice. Mantra singing is an invitation to listen to ourselves in all kindness and to be touched by our own voice and mood.

Breathwork helps us to shape our body presence in the present moment through targeted breathing techniques. Depending on the state of our nervous system, we use Breathwork to increase or relax our body presence. Through the various breathing exercises, we can collect our mind, process emotions and experience a deeper connection to our own body. Active Breathwork techniques can enable us to achieve deep states of consciousness.

During these five days, we enjoy the freedom of being offline. All electronic devices will be switched off on arrival and until the day of departure. As part of this retreat, we will also spend 24 hours in silence. This means that during these 24 hours we will chant mantras but not speak to each other and also refrain from other communication as far as possible. Silence is an invitation to entrust ourselves to the power of silence. We create an opening to listen from within. Silence invites us to connect with the essence of our being, to remember our foundation beyond words. During the time of silence, as well as throughout the retreat, you will be held by the community and the daily rhythm of mantras.

May vary from day to day, this is an example:

• 7:30 Gong, light refreshments

• 8:00 Silent meditation, simple exercises for body, breath and voice, mantra chanting

• 10:00 Brunch

• 12:00 Coaching impulse and guidance for individual exercises outdoors or indoors

• 14:00 Free time, snacks

• 16:30 Breathwork

• 18:30 Dinner

• 20:00 Evening program (chanting, fire ceremony, dancing, silent meditation)

No prior knowledge is necessary to participate in this retreat. Spiritual beliefs are not required. You do not need to be able to sing.

You are willing to be offline during this retreat and turn off all electronic devices. You are also willing to respect the silent time periods during the retreat. You will be given a contact number for the retreat leader so that you can be reached by your loved ones in an emergency.

You are interested in recognizing your own personality patterns. You are ready to work with your own body, breath and voice.

This retreat will be held in German and English. You can do all individual reflections in your own mother tongue.

Cost of the retreat in a single room: CHF 1,540

Cost of the retreat in a double room: CHF 1,390

Cost of the retreat in a shared room: CHF 1,290

The price includes accommodation, all meals and seminar services. Transportation to and from the conference venue and insurance are not included.

Places will be allocated and confirmed in the order of registration and receipt of payment.

Subsidized places are available for this retreat. This offer is designed for people with limited financial means. Please note when registering if you are interested in the retreat but the costs exceed your current means.

Until April 30, 2025, you will be refunded the full seminar costs minus CHF 100 processing fee.

From May 1, 2025 to August 15, 2025: If your place can be filled again (i.e. if there is a waiting list for the seminar and a person wants to move up or if you can register a replacement person), you will be refunded the full seminar costs minus CHF 100 processing fee. If your place cannot be filled, you will be refunded 50% of the costs minus a processing fee of CHF 100.

As of August 16, 2025: There are no refunds. You will be charged the full cost of the seminar if you cancel or do not attend part or all of the seminar.

It is recommended that you get a annullation insurance.

The Hotel-Pension Beau-Site in Chemin is a historic hotel dating back to 1912, nestled in the heart of nature at 1,200 meters above the town of Martigny in Valais, Switzerland. Beau-Site is known for its enchanting atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of the city and its panoramic view of the mountains. Sound travels easily in this old building, so earplugs (or similar) are recommended for sensitive sleepers. The cuisine at the Beau-Site is vegan.

Born in 1977, meditation practice since 1996 with various teachers, in particular Thich Nhat Hanh and Sylvia Wetzel. MA in Political Science (CH) and Post-Graduate Diploma in Peace Studies (UK). 2003 - 2012 Stay in the Middle East (Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt), working for international political and humanitarian organizations, setting up a local NGO in Lebanon. 2012 - 2023 Self-employed as Conscious Leadership Coach in Bern, Switzerland. Since 2012 body-oriented voice work and vocal improvisation with teachers from the Centre Artistique Roy Hart and An Chen. 2019 Co-founder of Kirtan Bern, choir director and breathwork facilitator. I live in a patchwork family with my partner, three teenagers and our dog Kahlo in Bern and the Engadine, Switzerland. 

You can find the somewhat longer story about me here.

Registration is closed.