A meditation retreat shaped by stillness, spaciousness, and the quiet work of being with yourself.
There is always another reason to wait: one more project, one more family milestone, one less demanding week. Yet the pause you keep postponing is often the very thing you need most. This retreat invites you to step out of the endless delay and into silence, where the noise does not disappear, but your capacity to hold it grows.
As the effort softens, awareness and peace begin to surface on their own. Nothing needs to be forced. Nothing needs to be fixed. The point is not to escape your life, but to stop looking everywhere except within it.
This retreat is for you if:
The format
The rhythm stays the same; the depth changes. Silence runs through the entire day, interrupted only by a daily check-in with Daria. Outside of that, there is no speaking. The silence also includes no reading, no music, no devices, and nothing brought in to fill the gaps. You are left with practice, stillness, and a journal if you wish to use one.
compact · 4 days
The short pause. Ideal for those who cannot leave for a full week, or who are not yet sure they want to. It is long enough to move through the difficult part and arrive somewhere quieter, and short enough to fit between a Thursday and a Sunday.
longer passage · 6 or 7 days
The deeper dive. A chance to meet discomfort more directly and stop negotiating with your thoughts. The structure remains the same; what changes is how long you stay inside the silence.
The approach
If it had to be named simply: sit still, meditate, stargaze, journal, and let silence lead.
1 Silence
Every contemplative tradition begins by going quiet. Silence helps us see clearly through noise and haste, and it creates space for a deeper identity to emerge. It is not punishment; it is a form of care for the inner self that is coming into view.
2 Embodiment
The body has been holding what the mind marked as “deal with it later.” You may feel it in your breath, jaw, or shoulders. This work asks you to stay with what is present long enough for something to complete. Often, people do not realize how much they are carrying until they begin to put it down.
3 Nature
Time in natural surroundings helps settle the nervous system. In the Cederberg, the dark nights also support a return to a more natural rhythm within a few days. The body responds without needing convincing.
What a day looks like
There is enough structure to feel held, and enough space to breathe. The exact rhythm changes with the season, but the shape of the day includes cacao in silence, guided meditation, conscious movement, rest, journaling, somatic experiencing®, nature immersion, dinner, stargazing, and early lights-off.
At a glance
This retreat serves vegetarian / vegan food, with most produce coming from the gardens or local farmers. Meals are shared at the communal table. Coffee and alcohol are not served, mainly to support sleep. Mornings include cacao and rooibos infusions. Dietary requirements can be accommodated if shared at booking.
Duration 4, 6, 7 days
Group size Max 10 guests
Location Cederberg, Western Cape
Food Plant-based
No Coffee · No alcohol
Your guide
Daria Rasmussen
Somatic Experiencing practitioner · mindfulness teacher · founder
Daria shares that her first 48-hour silent retreat changed everything. It did not fix her; it revealed her. Trained in Somatic Experiencing, certified as a mindfulness teacher under Martin Aylward, and breathwork trained with Dan Brulé, she brings a grounded presence to the experience. Her role is not to help you get on top of your life, but to sit with you as you discover you were never as far behind as you thought.
What guests say
One guest described the retreat as a seed that continues to grow, deepening awareness of the connection between body, mind, and emotions, and supporting trust in instinct and inner truth.
What it costs
All prices include accommodation, all meals, all practices, and guided stargazing. There are no hidden charges, and the retreat never hosts more than eight guests, often fewer.
Canvas and timber
Tented Chalets
4 DAYS: Solo R19,500 | Double R29,400
6 DAYS: Solo R22,500 | Double R32,000
7 DAYS: Solo R28,500 | Double R39,500
Wood and glass
Chalets
4 DAYS: Solo R26,100 | Double R35,400
6 DAYS: Solo R27,500 | Double R39,000
7 DAYS: Solo R34,900 | Double R48,500
Cederberg rock
Villa
4 DAYS: Solo R28,200 | Double R40,800
6 DAYS: Solo R32,000 | Double R45,000
7 DAYS: Solo R39,500 | Double R56,400
Built from canvas and timber, this chalet offers a rare sense of openness, allowing the valley to remain part of the experience from the moment you arrive. You can feel the presence of wind, water, and the first light of day moving gently through the space, creating an atmosphere that is simple, grounded, and deeply connected to nature.
As the most minimal of the three accommodations, it is designed for guests who value closeness to the land and the quiet beauty of an unfiltered setting. Here, comfort is expressed through simplicity, and each moment feels more immediate and present. It is an ideal choice for those seeking a more elemental stay, where the natural surroundings are not just nearby, but part of the room itself.
Daria Rasmussen is a somatic practitioner, mindfulness teacher, and founder whose work is rooted in both formal training and lived experience. She is a Somatic Experiencing® practitioner, trained through Somatic Experiencing International, and she also studied breathwork with Dan Brule. With a master’s degree in sociology, she brings a thoughtful, grounded perspective to every session, blending body-based awareness with a...
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