Clear Mind - Wise Heart

This is a five-day retreat (4 nights).

We begin and end our days with silent meditation and chanting.

We draw on established mindfulness techniques as well as the four anchors of mantra chanting and do simple exercises on citta (heart mind), breath, body and voice.

The coaching process provides impulses and practical tools to meet reactive patterns and to return to your embodied presence in your everyday life.

We do these reflections both indoors and outdoors in dialog with nature.

You reflect individually and there is the opportunity for exchange with others and for 1:1 sessions with Sibylle.

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 2 p.m. and ends on Thursday at 11 a.m.

AT Hôtel-Pension Beau-Site in Chemin-Dessus above Martigny in the Valais in Switzerland. 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 our attention on the smallest and most effective area of influence we have in life: our ability to return to our embodied presence and to see, feel, decide and create from there.

In this coaching process, 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, connection, trust and playful creativity. In a state of reactivity, we are closed to life and other people, defensive and committed to being right. We feel threatened, criticize ourselves and others, try to control the course of events and seek approval and security on the outside. Both states are normal, deeply human - and very familiar to us all.

In this coaching process, 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 our embodied 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 deep resonance with 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 a collective sound body. In this retreat we will practise our mantra chanting using the four anchors:

Citta (heart mind): We shape our mantra practice through our inner attitude. The intention of mantra chanting is to clean the mirror of your 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 mantra 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 bring it into vibration. 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 chanting is an invitation to listen to ourselves in all kindness and to be touched by our own voice and its expression.

Breathwork techniques help us shape our embodied presence in the present moment through specific breathing techniques. Depending on the state of our nervous system, we use Breathwork to up- or down regulate. 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 upon arrival and until the day of departure.

As part of this retreat, we will spend 24 hours in silence. This means that we will not speak to each other during these 24 hours and will also refrain from other communication as far as possible.

The noble silence period 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, and 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 chanting.

May vary from day to day, this is sample schedule:

• 7:30 Gong, small breakfast

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

• 10:00 Brunch

• 12:00 Coaching Impuls and individual reflection outdoors or indoors

• 14:00 Free time, snacks

• 16:30 Breathwork

• 18:30 Dinner

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

No prior knowledge is needed 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 noble silence periods during the retreat. You will receive a contact number of one of our staff members that you can pass on to your loved ones so that you can be reached in case of an emergency.

You are interested to learn to see yourself fully with all your reactive personality patterns. You are willing to work with your body, breath and voice.

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

If your command of German is limited but you would still like to be part of this retreat, please get in touch.

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

Registrations with payment by April 30, 2025 receive an early bird discount of 15%.

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

Spots will be filled and confirmed in the order of registration and receipt of payment.

There are two subsidized spots available for this retreat. Please indicate when registering if you are interested to join the retreat but the costs exceed your current financial means.

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

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

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

We recommend an annulation cost insurance.

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. The walls of this house are thin and sound travels easily, earplugs (or similar) are recommended for sensitive sleepers. Beau-Site cooks vegan food.

The Cornerstones

Born in 1977, meditation practice since 1996 with various teachers, in particular Thich Nhat Hanh and Sylvia Wetzel. Studies in Political Science (CH) and 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 a Co-Active and Conscious Leadership Coach in Bern. 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.

The Longer Story

At the age of 19, I set off to learn the art of inner and outer peace from the Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh in France. He turned out to be the first teacher in my life who taught me something that I found to be truly relevant. Among the many insights I had and never forgot ever since is that I create my experience with all life in my own mind and heart.

After studying Political Science (Geneva and Zurich) and Peace Studies (Bradford, UK), I spent a decade working in the Middle East for international humanitarian and political organizations.

Later, my path led me back to the West, where I was able to process difficult life experiences and intensify my meditation practice. Particularly important teachers in this time period were Ananta Steuder, Henry Shukman (Sanbô Kyôdan), Sylvia Wetzel and Tara Brach.

Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman and Deb Katz from the Conscious Leadership Group taught me great tools for a present, awake everyday life and I also got certification as a leadership coach. For ten years, I accompanied people in their individual transformation processes and was able to experience how we can shape and design the path of our life by consciously training our embodied presence.

During a particularly turbulent phase of my life, I was no longer able to meditate despite many years of practice. The carousel of thoughts and the emotional whirlwinds were unbearable in silence. In a conversation with Sylvia Wetzel I confessed that I was currently not meditating at all and that I could only bear myself while singing. Her reply came immediately and in an indignant voice: “Sibylle, singing is meditation!”. Unconsciously, I had assumed that meditation primarily requires a lot of discipline to sit still and that it has to be hard and strenuous for it to work.

During this time, the body-oriented voice work with An Chen and the Centre Artistique Roy Hart unexpectedly opened up new worlds to my voice as the deepest expression of my being. Mantra chanting became my spiritual home, and in 2019 we founded Kirtan Bern.

Mantra chanting is a practice that both grounds and inspires me - and fills my heart with exuberant joy. Sharing the power and joy of mantra chanting with others was not part of my life plan and yet it has turned out to be the magic of my everyday pursuits.

I live in a patchwork family with my partner, three teenagers and our dog Kahlo in Bern and the Engadin.