The Suryavana cabin offered the ideal conditions for my first solitary retreat in April. Tucked in a quiet Valencian valley amid almond and olive groves, sandstone hills and distant mountains, the cabin offers a taste of renunciation – there is no running water in the cabin, for example, instead a tap in the field a few metres away – without feeling spartan. Having cooked food dropped off each day made a big difference to my experience, giving me significantly more time for practice, which I did at the cabin’s atmospheric shrine, and for just sitting on the deck listening to the birds or practising yoga (the cabin comes equipped with ample props). The cabin is situated near to a well-marked footpath between two villages, enabling me to spend several hours walking and exploring each day. Spring was the perfect time of year to go to Suryavana, as summer has not yet dried out the plains and the views comprised almost fluorescent greens, blues and oranges. The cabin did get a little cold at night and in the early morning, however extra blankets and a gas heater helped immensely with this. As a first-time solitary retreatant, I appreciated the supportive conditions of being under the care of the retreat centre, exchanging occasional notes with Sudaka about how I was getting on, hearing the faint sounds of retreatants in the main centre talking and laughing as night fell, and knowing that my relatives could contact Sudaka in an emergency. Altogether a profoundly deepening experience in an extraordinarily beautiful and peaceful setting.
solitary retreat- a testimonial
