Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, in Bali’s Ayung River valley, is launching a monthly seven-day silent retreat designed for solo travellers. It will be led by the resort’s resident wellness mentor, former Buddhist nun Ibu Heny Ferawati. 

The first retreat will begin on 23 May and will encourage guests to disconnect from modern life and rediscover inner peace. The programme features a range of local spiritual traditions and a digital detoxification programme that includes meditation, Kundalini yoga, chakra balancing and spa rituals – such as a crystal reiki treatment.

Bali’s New Year, Nyepi, is known as a day of silence. This retreat offers an extension of the annual celebrations of silence, which is seen as sacred. 

Phones, TVs and Wi-Fi are removed from the accommodation to remove distractions and encourage self-awareness.

Vipassana meditation

Ibu Heny Ferawati is a former Buddhist nun who was ordained in Myanmar and is experienced in Vipassana meditation. This is an observational form of meditation where practitioners abstain from speaking, writing, gestures and eye contact in order to immerse themselves in introspection.

While the silence is designed to promote mental clarity and emotional healing, the psychological experience can be extremely intense. Research and personal reports from some silent retreats have included cases of dissociation, emotional distress, physical pain or illness during long seated sessions and re-traumatisation from delving into subconscious material.

The Four Seasons retreat will be less strict, allowing for journaling, guided meditation, a three-hour tour of local cultural sites and talks reflecting on life and mindfulness.

When asked about how a silent retreat complements the human need for community and connection, rather than conflicting with it, Luisa Anderson, regional director of spas APAC for Four Seasons, told Spa Business: “Silent meditation retreats offer profound mental, emotional and physical benefits by removing daily distractions, allowing for a deep nervous system reset and fostering self-awareness. 

“People usually experience reduced anxiety, enhanced mental clarity, emotional healing and greater connection to self and nature – often with the awakening that we are not separate from nature,” added Anderson. “Possibly the most profound shift is the cultivation of compassion and perspective about what truly matters.”

“The immediate absence of conversation, eye contact and small talk can feel awkward, lonely, and counterintuitive to social needs,” said Anderson. “For many, connection is habitual and verbal and not very meaningful. 

“By reducing external noise, participants often become more attuned to their own emotions and, consequently, more compassionate and empathetic toward others upon returning to daily life. 

“The silence encourages a shift from 'doing' (talking/doing) to 'being,' which can lead to more meaningful, authentic connections. So, in summary, silent retreats build capacity for deeper emotional, empathetic and present-moment connection. After all, if we are not really being authentic and really connecting with people (because we have an inability to connect with ourselves) what is the point of community?”

The retreat is an all-inclusive experience, which starts at £7,192 (US$9,134, €8,415). It includes six nights of accommodation, all meals (including a floating breakfast and Sattvic cuisine), spa treatments, meditation sessions, yoga classes, the excursion and round-trip airport transfers.