Meditation Retreat in Crete 20.-26.9.2026

The theme:

SELF-LIBERATING POWER OF THE HEART
–
SYDÄMEN ITSE-VAPAUTTAVA VOIMA

Meditation retreat in Crete

Each of us in the conscious mind has the ability to turn our attention to that which is conscious (i.e. the conscious self), and to gradually recognize the ultimate source of conscious mind within ourselves, which can be called the Heart – Hridaya. The conscious mind is the part of us that is capable of making conscious choices, such as practicing meditation.

Through the conscious mind, we can also commit ourselves to choosing a path of love, where we can let go of resistance and wishes for the world, its circumstances and other people to fulfill our desires by being what we would like them to be, so that we ourselves can be imaginatively happy. In reality, we can never find happiness in its deeper spiritual sense outside ourselves. Happiness and inner contentment come from being present and feeling at rest within ourselves and feeling whole. The source of our true happiness is the universal love that is built into our own hearts.

Presence and the experience of infinite love are “overshadowed” by many learned patterns of the mind and painful experiences of life, which live in us as memories and reaction patterns, leading us to live a “life of alertness” instead of living fully in the here and now. Our relationship with ourselves (and by extension with others) can be demanding and full of expectations, leaving life lacking the lightness and inner joy that are part of the experience of wholeness.

The theme of the retreat is The Self-liberating Power of the Heart. Within each of us is the power of Universal Heart Consciousness, an energy that is called by different names in different yoga and meditation traditions, the best known of which is Shakti (or Holy Mother). According to the teachings of the traditions, this same force is both the sustainer of the whole universe (Para-Shakti) and manifests individually within us. Through meditative practice, we can experientially connect not only with our own power, but also with this power of the universe – the Heart of the Universe, whose energy of grace (love) liberates and transforms limiting beliefs and emotional memories within us that we have partially identified with and that have come to narrowly define our experience of who we are.

The deepest quality of the heart is universal compassion, and when we dedicate our meditation practice in the Mahayana Buddhist way “for the benefit of all living beings,” our path of liberation also serves the world around us. When we begin to live more freely of the Heart, we are inherently less self-centred and have much to give to others as well, above all through our presence, which can be realized through a wide range of everyday activities. Instead of focusing only on our own path and the pursuit of self-realisation, we can dedicate our lives to the practice of love, which in itself is the path to liberation and happiness.

The retreat will consist of meditations for the benefit of ourselves and “all living beings”, themed teaching, quiet periods, opening the body, personal time, sunbathing, swimming and walks in the beautiful surroundings. The nature of the retreat requires holistic participation, and no one can be admitted to the retreat site who is not participating in the retreat.

To participate in the retreat, you need to be willing and able to sit meditations for about an hour for three hours a day. The programme as a whole is quite intense and requires the will to consciously confront any resistant structures that may arise in the mind and the practice of surrendering to each moment as it arises. So it is not exactly a sun holiday, although we do spend time enjoying the sun and the sea!

A retreat is a journey as individuals and as a group. It is a togetherness in which everyone’s individuality is respected and each is seen as a unique and different expression of consciousness. Our retreats always have a warm and loving atmosphere where it is easy to feel at home.

Retreat site

The retreat will be held in Heraklion, Crete, at the Golden Foundation Centre, built by our late teacher Asger Lorentsen. The site is set in the mountains, with stunning views of the town below and the sea. The place is ideal for meditation and contemplation and for enjoying the beauty of nature and life. We have been there several times, and have organised several retreats there. www.thegoldenfoundation.net

Accommodation

Alternatives: the Golden Foundation’s Social House shared accommodation (about 5 beds). Lovely and really affordable space, even though it is shared accommodation. We maintain silence in the accommodation, so that everyone can cherish their own inner peace, even if they share the space with others. There are also curtains on the beds to reinforce your own space. The price is 100 euros/per whole period.

There are also a few complete 2-bedroom beautiful apartments. The price for a whole apartment is 370 euros/per whole period. Please let us know your accommodation preferences when you register and we will try to accommodate them as much as possible. If there are apartments available, you can also reserve a whole apartment for yourself, but we will give priority to filling them with two people first.

Sheets and towels are included in the price of all rooms.

Transport

From Heraklion airport, we rent cars together. The journey to the city centre takes about 25 minutes. Car rental is essential for visiting the beach, for example, and is considerably cheaper when rented together. Price to be confirmed, expected to be around €75 + petrol costs per person for the whole period.

Flights

Everyone books their own flights. If for any reason you find it difficult to book, please contact Merja at [email protected]. Merja cannot book flights for you, but she will guide you if necessary. If you arrive after us and leave before us, we will do our best to arrange a ride to and from the airport. If you are flying to and arriving by bus from Chania, we can pick you up at the bus station. Flights to Chania may be cheaper, and the bus ride is only a couple of hours. We hope you will arrive on Sunday 20 September, as we start the retreat in the evening at 19:00. Note! We will end the retreat on Saturday 26 September only in the evening, so that Sunday 27 September will be the return day.

Registration and payment

Binding registration [email protected] preferably by 31.8. There are only beds for 13-14 participants, so you should register as soon as you know you want to go. If there are places available after that date, you can still register later. Please let us know your accommodation preferences when you register (see above).

The cost of the retreat programme is 280 euros + In addition to this, everyone pays separately for accommodation (prices above) and a mandatory Golden Foundation membership fee of 20 euros. You can pay the full amount at the time of registration (or at a later date) to the bank account Heartland-Sydanmaa FI40 8954 0710 1011 62. Note! Please write in the message field: retreat in Crete. Car rental will be paid separately later, when we know how many cars we need.

If your retreat is cancelled, we will refund the price of the retreat programme (€280), but not the accommodation or membership fee. We will not refund flights or accommodation (if the final payment has already been forwarded to GF) if the retreat is cancelled for reasons beyond our control.

Catering

We mostly cook together (simple but tasty vegetarian food) and go to a restaurant together a couple of times. We also go grocery shopping together, so everyone can also buy “their own food” in addition to the communal food if they feel they need to supplement. We collect cash to buy food together.

An example of a daily programme that roughly follows the following structure:

The programme may be modified on some days if we make excursions to nearby monasteries or to the sacred Nida Valley and Mount Idi, for example, to meet the wishes of the group. We may also shorten the time spent on the beach or not go there at all. We also have several cars available, so not everyone has to follow the same plan during the day break, even if we do everything else together as a group.