INTO STILLNESS
Half silent retreat of yoga, meditation & digital detox in the green heart of Tuscany
October 3 - 8
2027
Step away from the rush & return to yourself with quietness and the golden beauty of Tuscany.
“All of humanity’s problems stem from human’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone ”
Stillness is ultimately the goal of yoga. All of yoga’s techniques and practices are essentially there to open up an experience of resting in stillness - to the stillness that is our essence - back home to who we are beneath the noise and all the roles we play.
Il Risveglio (Italian for The Awakening) is a meditation centre set on 40 hectares of peaceful land, looking out over the green hills of Tuscany’s stunning Maremma region. It’s a place of quiet and natural beauty — with olive trees, cypress-lined paths, wildflowers in spring, and typically Tuscan golden light.
It’s surrounded by nature and stillness, which suits the rhythm of our days — quiet mornings, two days of shared silence mid-week and a meditative practice. There’s a waterfall nearby, a swimming pool and acres of open fields — a place for walking, resting, breathing and letting things settle.
✧ Silent Times
The retreat will be half silent with screen-free time encouraged as much as possible. This means we’ll have a day and a half to settle in, get familiar with each other and the space around, then we’ll have two days of shared silence.
Silence, or ‘maunam’ in Sanskrit is a luxury and a gift in today’s noisy, overloaded mental life. It has traditionally always been a key part of a yogic lifestyle (alongside many other traditions) as a powerful way to open up the mind, to quieten distraction, to see more clearly and listen within. It’s also a beautiful thing to do with a group - a certain feeling of mutual support and trust can open up when we realise the ease of being together when we don’t need to fill verbal gaps, be entertaining or to talk about our jobs. We can be soft and human together; our masks can rest.
Coming out of the silence we’ll have a day and a half to talk (or stay quiet if you prefer), reflect and exchange together, carrying with us the softening effects that shared quietness can bring, knowing we can rest and be together with less social effort.
My guided classes continue as usual during the silence and you can always talk to me or write a note if you need to.
✧ Digital Detox
I highly encourage a screen-free digital detox either for the full duration or at least for the two full days of silence, allowing the retreat process to go deeper. We are chronically fatigued by notifications and the draining feeling of being constantly ‘on call’. Conscious phone-free time can be an incredibly calming and rejuvenating experience. This is a supported environment in which everything you need is taken care of and an emergency number can be given to your loved ones so that you can confidently switch off, clear your mind and re-claim your strength and autonomy.
✧ A Typical Day
(subject to change)
Each day follows a simple, steady rhythm — enough structure to support you, with plenty of space to rest or wander:
Morning silence
Morning yoga
Breakfast
Free time — walk, read, rest, swim
Lunch
Afternoon workshop
Dinner
Evening meditation
Alongside quiet mornings, the middle of the retreat will be two days of shared silence — a rare and powerful experience that allows for deep rest, reflection, mental detox and renewal.
✧ The Practice
The yoga I teach is steady, grounding, and breath-focused. It’s about returning to ourselves, rather than performing postures. Expect a blend of mindful movement, meditation, breathwork and plenty of rest.
This retreat is open to anyone looking to slow down, reconnect, and explore a deeper layer of yoga. You don’t need to be advanced or flexible — just open to turning inward.
Our teachings centre around waking up from unsatisfying autopilot mode and the usual busy-ness and distraction of daily life to land more fully in the richness of the here and now, returning to the heart. In this sense, the retreat centre name Il Risveglio couldn’t be more fitting.
Through a rhythm of meditation, movement, silence and rest, we’ll explore what it means to really land in ourselves again.
✧ The Setting
There’s a natural waterfall nearby, a swimming pool, and wide open fields that are usually filled with wildflowers in spring — ideal for walking meditations or quiet time alone.
✧ Simplicity & Accessibility
To manage expectations, please note that it is not a luxury Tuscan villa! It is a reasonably simple meditation centre, which therefore comes at a more accessible price tag than many more luxurious retreat centres. This simplicity and affordability is one key reason for my choice of this location; I want retreats to be as accessible as possible whilst remaining aligned with what’s genuinely important: a meaningful practice, a quiet space, a natural environment and community.
Accommodation is in simple, comfortable twin rooms, so you’ll have a balance of privacy and shared space. Bathrooms are shared between a few rooms.
Food is vegetarian and locally sourced, prepared freshly each day.
✧ Timing
There is a public holiday (Feiertag) on May 17th so you’ll have an extra free day following the retreat to let the experience settle and digest, giving extra breathing space around it for travel and rest.
Many people like to stay longer and spend rejuvenating time in this beautiful area!
✧ Free Afternoon
The last afternoon is kept completely free — for rest, journaling, or exploring.
✧ Surroundings
The area nearby is stunning - with natural hot springs, rolling hills and a beautiful coastline. The retreat is timed so that you have weekend time before and after the retreat if you’d like to extend your trip.
✧ Practical Info
Dates: October 3 - 8, 2027
Location: Il Risveglio Meditation Centre, near Grosseto, Tuscany
Retreat fee (course fee plus accommodation) in euros:
(i.) Course (yoga & organisation): 450
(ii.) Accommodation & Food: 475
includes 5 nights’ accommodation in a twin room and full board food
Single room option:
Depending on availability, there may be the possibility to book a private room for yourself for an additional 100 euro. If you are interested in this option please tell me when you sign up and I can confirm with you a few weeks before the retreat if it’s possible, when I have an idea of how many sign-ups there are.
Not included: Travel to and from the venue, optional trip to the sea (a shared taxi ride), insurances, tourist tax (1.50 / day)
✧ Travel
Detailed travel information here.
🚂 Several train options are available, including night train routes from across central Europe.
✈️ If choosing to fly, it is possible to Pisa, Rome or Florence. Irene and David recommend Pisa airport as the easiest (with a shuttle to the main train station, a direct train to Grosetto, then a taxi from Grosetto). If several people take the same flight it’s possible to book a minibus together directly from the airport. Vans are 8-seaters.
Once I have an idea of the group’s travel plans I can book a shared taxi from Grosetto to the retreat centre at 3:30pm on our first day and/or put people together in a taxi from an airport if several people take the same flight. Let me know your travel ideas and we’ll go from there.
🚗 Check-in from 4pm. Check-out is before 2:00pm.
I’m here for your questions!
Looking forward to this nourishing week with you
With love, Anya
Cancellation Policy
For the teaching fee:
A full refund of the teaching fee is possible up to 3 months before the start date.
Up to 6 weeks before the agreed retreat start date it would be possible to:
- transfer the cost towards the teaching fee of a future retreat run by Anya, subject to availability
- transfer the cost towards another course or training with Anya, subject to availability
After 6 weeks before the retreat start date the above options are no longer possible, however it would be possible to:
- transfer the spot to someone else
- for unforeseeable events, students can receive an invoice from me so that your travel insurance can cover any last-minute necessary cancellations, e.g. due to travel or health limitations
For the retreat centre fee:
A refund of 70% is possible up to one month before the start date. After one month before the start date no refunds are possible. It would, however, be possible for you to give the place to someone else.