Cultivating Joy: A Silent, Mindfulness Retreat

Settle into a gentle, joy-centered silent retreat at Menla, where meditation, self-compassion, mindfulness, and walks in nature create space for deep reflection and renewal. Guided by Jayne Gumpel, LCSW, Michael Burbank, and David Gumpel, MA, this retreat offers a sacred container for turning inward and noticing the moments of joy that often pass unseen.

Participants will gather on Friday afternoon for check-in, followed by dinner and an evening opening session. Silence begins later that night and continues through Tuesday morning, when it is broken during the closing program and final lunch together. Throughout the retreat, you will be invited into guided meditations and simple mindfulness practices designed to support awareness, self-compassion, and a more balanced relationship with challenging thoughts and emotions.

This is not a traditional Vipassana silent retreat. Alongside periods of silence, the program includes writing, sitting and eating meditation, music with eye shades and a mat, and movement. The intention is to help you bring more joy into daily life by learning to meet experience with openness, care, and presence. A full digital detox is strongly encouraged, and at minimum, cell phones are not permitted in the conference center or at meals.

Evenings include discussion sessions after dinner, offering an opportunity to reflect on the teachings and their relevance in everyday life. The retreat also draws from the spirit of radical acceptance, emphasizing that self-compassion can create a nurturing space for exploration, healing, and personal growth. A capacity for self-regulation, self-reflection, and self-care is appreciated.

All participants are encouraged to commit to the full program, including a live Zoom preparation session before the retreat. This is especially important for those who have not previously attended a silent retreat. The group experience is designed as a safe and sacred opportunity to connect more deeply with yourself and with the understanding that we are all interconnected.

Schedule: Friday, July 31

3 - 6 pm Arrival & Check-in

6 - 7 pm Dinner

7:30 - 9:15 Opening Session - Silence Begins

Saturday, August 1 Silent Day

7:15 - 8 am Early Morning Sit

8 - 9 am Breakfast

9:30 am - 12 pm Morning Meditations

12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch

1:30 - 2:30 pm Afternoon Break, Free time for Relaxation, Spa & Rest

2:30 - 5:30 pm Afternoon Program

6 - 7 pm Dinner

7:30 - 8:30 pm Evening Program

Sunday, August 2 Silent Day

7:15 - 8 am Early Morning Sit

8 - 9 am Breakfast

9:30 am - 12 pm Morning Meditations

12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch

1:30 - 2:30 pm Afternoon Break, Free time for Relaxation, Spa & Rest

2:30 - 5:30 pm Afternoon Program

6 - 7 pm Dinner

7:30 - 8:30 pm Evening Program

Monday, August 3 Silent Day

7:15 - 8 am Early Morning Sit

8 - 9 am Breakfast

9:30 am - 12 pm Morning Meditations

12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch

1:30 - 2:30 pm Afternoon Break, Free time for Relaxation, Spa & Rest

2:30 - 5:30 pm Afternoon Program

6 - 7 pm Dinner

7:30 - 8:30 pm Evening Program

Tuesday, August 4

7 - 11 am Check-out of Rooms

7 - 8 am Morning Meditation & Yoga - Silent

8 - 9 am Breakfast - Silent

9:30 am - 12:30 pm Closing Morning Program - Silence Broken

12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch & Departure

*Please note that the schedule is subject to change.

ABOUT THE TEACHERS

Jayne Gumpel, LCSW (she/her/hers) is a psychotherapist, trainer, and teacher with 30 years of experience working with couples, individuals, and groups in New York City and Woodstock, NY. She is a professional clinical trainer in Psychedelic Integration Psychotherapy.

Michael G. Burbank has studied with Robert Thurman and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for more than 25 years, beginning during his undergraduate studies in Eastern religions and cultures at Columbia University in the 1990s.

David Gumpel, M.A., co-founder of Relationship Resources, is an Integral Master Coach and a qualified teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through UMASS Medical School. He earned his MA in Psychology at The New School for Social Research.