Silent Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course

8 days / 8 nights


Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

with Meng Foong in Langkawi


This is an opportunity for those who already have some experience in yoga practice and want to practice yoga and meditation in a conducive space with retreat facilities.


Our yoga studio will be closed for a few weeks from running yoga retreats in June & July 2015 to allow this practice space to be reserved for sincere yoga practitioners to participate in an 8 days / 8 nights Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course with Meng Foong.


There are only 6 places available for each course - (4 female participants and 2 male participants due to limited accommodation)


If you have been learning and practicing yoga for some time, but you are not sure whether you know what to do when you are by yourself without a teacher's instructions, that's okay. Meng Foong will give you a simple guideline for you to follow, and will supervise your practice from time to time. That's one of the objective of this Intensive Sadhana Course - To be able to develop independence on self-practice, as well as to develop self-discipline. Without self-discipline, even if there's a great teacher in front of us is also useless.


Fitness level is not important and it's not an issue at all in this Sadhana Course, as yoga and yoga practice is nothing to do with fitness level, or how many yoga asana poses we can perform. Everyone perform the yoga practice according to their own temperament and capability.


It's definitely not a stage for competition among the yoga practitioners, to compare and judge one's practice and abilities. Neither it is to admire somebody's practice, abilities and achievement, or aspire to become the one whom we admire. Peace and compassion has nothing to do with all these names and forms.


Everyone learn to focus on their own practice without looking at others, without comparing with others who are being different from one another, without judging others and oneself, without expectation towards the fruit of action. Just practice, without attachment towards the practice, and allow the fruit of the practice to be there as it is.


The course is to help the practitioner to learn how to let go of the egoism, attachment, identification, craving and aversion, to purify and quiet the mind, which is what yoga practice is about. All the other physical or mental benefits derived from the yoga practice are just some side effects.


Course Outline


Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

Please arrive on the eve of the first day of the Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course before the orientation and dinner (anytime before 6.00 pm)


Day 1 – Day 7 – Observe Silence full day


Day 8 – Silence ends at 10.30 am


Departure day – Departure after Karma yoga


    Arrival Day


  • 6.00 pm – Orientation

  • 7.30 pm – Dinner

  • 9.30 pm – Meditation (Observation of silence starts)

  • 10.00 pm – Rest (Lights off by 11.00 pm)

  • Day 1 – Day 7


  • 6.00 am – Wake up

  • 6.30 am – Neti kriyas (Self-practice)

  • 6.45 am – Pranayama & meditation (Self-practice)

  • 7.45 am - Tea break

  • 8.30 am – Yoga asana practice (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)

  • 10.30 am – Break

  • 11.00 am – Brunch

  • 12.00 am – Washing / cleaning / Karma Yoga

  • 1.00 pm – Rest / self-study / free time

  • 3.00 pm - Tea break with fruit served (optional)

  • 4.00 pm – Yoga asana practice (Self-practice)

  • 6.00 pm – Break

  • 7.30 pm – Dinner

  • 9.00 pm – Chanting & Meditation (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)

  • 10.00 pm – Rest (Lights off by 11.00 pm)

  • Day 8


  • 6.00 am – Wake up

  • 6.30 am – Neti kriyas (Self-practice)

  • 6.45 am – Pranayama & meditation (Self-practice)

  • 8.30 am – Yoga asana practice (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)

  • 10.30 am – Break (Silence ends)

  • 11.00 am – Brunch

  • 12.00 pm – Washing / cleaning / Karma Yoga

  • 1.00 pm – Rest / free time

  • 7.30 pm – Dinner

  • 9.00 pm – Chanting & Meditation (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)

  • 10.00 pm – Rest (Lights off by 11.00 pm)

  • Departure day


  • 6.00 am – Wake up

  • 6.30 am – Neti kriyas (Self-practice)

  • 6.45 am – Pranayama & meditation (Self-practice)

  • 7.45 am - Tea break

  • 8.30 am – Yoga asana practice (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)

  • 10.30 am – Break

  • 11.00 am – Brunch

  • 12.00 pm – Washing / cleaning / Karma Yoga

  • Intensive Yoga Sadhana ends



During the self-practice session, you may practice any types/styles of yoga asana practice that you prefer. The entire course is to strengthen one's self-discipline in self-practice, it doesn't matter what types/styles of yoga, or yoga asana practice that you are practicing now.


*If you prefer to perform your own self-practice during the session with Meng Foong, you may do so in your room.


*There's no minimum or maximum time for performing your yoga asana practice during the yoga asana session. It depends on that present moment. You may perform some other types of yoga practice other than yoga asana practice, if you prefer. Be your own teacher, and be responsible for taking care of your mind. Be vigilant and self-initiative to perform your Sadhana. Make good use of the opportunity provided here.


Hari Om Tat Sat


Accommodation


Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

You will be staying at the yoga studio with the other yoga practitioners.


Male participants will be staying in a temporary bedroom with fan converted from the store room at the yoga studio with outside bathroom and toilet. If there is no male participant, this room will be available for other female participants.


Female participants will be staying in a studio apartment with en-suite bathroom.


  • Simple basic accommodation.

  • Please look after your personal hygiene.

  • Observe the rules and time table.

  • Do your own laundry by hand. There will be washing powder and buckets available at the washing area. No laundry washing or shower is allowed during yoga and meditation practice and between 11.00 pm and 6.00 am.

  • To ensure everyone to have a good night rest, we suggest everyone to keep noise volume to the minimum after 11.00 pm.

  • If you want to stay up or to do some reading after 11.00 pm, you may do so at the terrace or at the garden quietly so that you may not disturb your housemates or the neighbours.

  • Take care of your personal belongings and please do not bring unnecessary ‘valuable things’.

  • Everyone should stay within the living area and compound area between 10.00 pm and 6.30 am. Strictly no outing during this period of time.

  • No strenuous physical activities are allowed before morning sitting meditation.

  • No chanting between 10.00 pm and 8.30 am as it might disturb the neighbours.

  • Facilities in the studio apartment:-


  • 4 single mattresses

  • Terrace for sitting out

  • Laundry washing area

  • Sharing en-suite bathroom with shower and toilet

  • Water heater for hot shower

  • Fan and air-conditioning in the room. Please save electricity by turning off all the lights, fans and air-conditioning in the rooms when leaving the room

  • Drinking water

  • Tea making facilities

  • Hair-dryer (not to be used in the bathroom)

  • Desk

  • Shelves


Please bring along your own personal toiletries and bath towels.


Please bring along your own neti pot and neti sutra if you have, or else you can borrow a neti pot from us.


Everyone will be assigned with Karma Yoga everyday, maintaining the cleanliness and tidiness of the yoga hall, the library, the studio apartment, the bathroom and toilet, the terrace, the garden area and the kitchen.


Karma Yoga (selfless service) will be distributed among the participants.


One should not exert too much energy in physical activities to conserve energy.


You may keep some light snacks with you, but, please keep them in airtight containers to avoid attracting ants and insects.


You may keep your food in airtight containers in the studio apartment, or in the fridge in the kitchen. Please ask for a container if you need one.


Throughout the entire stay, everyone takes care the well-being of oneself.


This is a great opportunity for practicing tolerance, patience, adaptation, adjustment, accommodation, acceptance, forgiveness, selflessness and compassion while staying with other yoga practitioners under the same roof.


If you have any problems, or special requirements you may talk to the teacher privately during free time (between 3.00 – 4.00 pm).


Meals will be simple nutritious vegetarian food.


Please bear in mind that this is a place for Yoga Sadhana, it’s not a luxury holiday resort.


Om shanti


Observations (rules)


Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

Activities that are not allowed during the entire stay:-


  • No smoking

  • No illegal drugs

  • Certain herbal based medicine for illness or skin irritation, or daily medications prescribed by your doctor are allowed

  • No alcohol

  • No sexual misconduct

  • No strong smelling and stimulating body spray, or fragrances, or mosquito repellent spray, or moisturizers, or lotions – except oil free and fragrance free products

  • No novels, or magazines, or newspaper reading – except yoga and meditation books that are provided in the library

  • No movie watching or radio listening

  • No gossiping or slandering

  • No socializing or mingling

  • No Internet

  • No phone calls or communication with the social world – except in case of emergency

  • Not leaving the studio compound between 10.00 pm and 6.30 am

  • You are here to quiet the mind and not stimulate the mind.

    Activities that are allowed during your free time:-


  • Keeping a spiritual diary about your yoga and meditation practice. This is not obligatory.

  • Light activities – Such like walking around the neighborhood, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, gardening (Please continue to observe silence during these activities for your own benefits.) This is to allow the yoga practitioner to learn how to perform yoga and meditation practice while living among the society. If the practitioner desires to have complete isolation from the society to immerse into the Sadhana without any distractions, then it is best to stay within the compound area for the entire course.

  • Arts, handcrafts, painting, knitting, crochet, japa

  • Reading and writing – only about yoga and meditation

  • Self-practice in the yoga hall

  • Om shanti


    Meal Times


    Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

    Meals provided will be simple nutritious vegetarian food.


    We do not cater for raw food diet.


    We can cater for gluten-free or dairy-free diet.


    Please inform us before hand if you have any food allergies or food that you don’t eat.


    Everyone will be given one set of dining utensil consists of a plate, a bowl, a mug, a glass, spoon, knife and fork. You will keep the same dining utensil for your own use for the entire course. Please take care of them and wash them after meals.


    Chopsticks are available upon request.


    There is a refrigerator in the kitchen for the course participants to keep some food or drinks, or medications.


    Tea and coffee will be provided. There are different types of tea bags on the shelf in the kitchen, please feel free to take any. There are coffee plungers to make coffee.


    Lemons will be provided everyday. Please feel free to make lemon water for yourself.


    Fresh fruit will be provided during brunch and tea break.


    Please observe moderation in food intake. Extreme fasting is not advisable during the course.


    You may take your time to come into the dining hall for meals, but please finish your meal within the meal time given.


    If you prefer to be on your own when taking your meal, you may bring your food and eat at the terrace or at the garden.


    Please inform the teacher in-charge of the course earlier if you want to skip a particular meal.


    Please take the same seat at the dining table for all meals. And after finished eating, please wash and dry your dining utensil and put it back onto your place on the dining table for your next meal.


    Please observe silence through out the entire course until the observation of silence ends on the 8th day after the morning yoga asana practice session.


    Please close the kitchen door every time you come in and out from the kitchen. Please do not lock the kitchen door as other people might want to come into the kitchen.


    Please maintain the cleanliness of the kitchen.


    Morning tea break will be served at the terrace between 7.45 am – 8.15 am.


    Brunch will be served at the dining hall between 11.00 am – 12.00 noon.


    Afternoon tea break will be served at the terrace between 3.00 pm – 3.30 pm.


    Dinner will be served at the dining hall between 7.30 pm – 8.30 pm.


    Kitchen will be closed from 11.00 pm – 7.45 am.


    Be happy.



    Mauna – Silence


    Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

    The observation of silence – Mauna, is not just limited to the restriction of speech but it’s also about reducing and restricting the senses inputs and stimulations of the mind. It is calming down the thought current and free the mind from restlessness. It is not merely practicing silence of speech, but also silence of the mind.


    This will help to purify the mind to a deeper level.


    It is like emptying and cleaning the rubbish bin. Stop putting in more rubbish and bringing out the existing rubbish from the bin and give it a good clean up. It is stopped stimulating the mind and allow it to have a moment of stillness.


    It is about changing the habit of the mind that likes to react towards all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses every moment. It is restricting the mind to react whenever it wants to react towards whatever it perceives.


    This will lead our mind to stop reacting towards what it likes and dislikes, what it agrees and disagrees with, and allow the mind to develop inner qualities, such like patience, forbearance, non-attachment, letting go, tolerance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, acceptance, forgiveness, self-introspection and self-control over the thoughts, actions and speech. All these inner divine qualities will lead the mind to realize God consciousness or the universal consciousness – Selflessness and compassion.


    It is not just about not talking.


    By controlling the speech organ not to talk or speak whenever the mind wants to express itself through speech or verbal expression, it is actually controlling the mind from its egoistic habitual reaction towards all the objects of the senses or whatever it perceives through the body and mind.


    It is about being the master of the mind and be “the one” in control of ourselves, instead of being the slave of the mind and being controlled by the mind. It’s about stop generating craving towards what the mind likes and agrees with, and stop generating aversion towards what the mind dislikes and disagrees with. Through this practice, the ego will be annihilated.


    Beside stopping the mind from reacting towards the sense objects by refraining the mind to express itself through speech by observing non-talking, non-justification, non-arguing, non-interacting and non-communicating with the social world, and just stand as a witness or the observer, witnessing or observing all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, we also refrain the mind from reacting or expressing through physical gestures, body language and facial expression, during the practice of silence – Mauna.


    It is a total restraint over the thoughts, actions and speech. The mind becomes quiet.


    The practice of reducing or purifying senses inputs – sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations (touch) and thoughts, and letting go of craving and aversion towards all these names and forms, is observing Mauna. When we stop generate new reactions of craving and aversion towards all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, the old accumulated tensions or karma that derived from past cravings and aversions, will appear to the surface of the mind to be purified, or to be letting go. And hence, there might be physical, mental and emotional discomforts arise during the course and after the course. Some people may experience purification process even before the start of the Sadhana. Be tolerant, be persevere, be determine to finish the course equanimously.


    The practice of Mauna is a very efficient and important way for us to realize the Truth of ourselves and about suffering.


    The practice includes but is not limited to:-


    • No verbal or written communication and interaction with other people.

    • No eye contact, or body contact with other people. Not looking at other people nor take interest in other people’s affairs.

    • No body language or facial expression to make any communication or interaction with other people.

    • Reduce and limit the inputs (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and thinking) and outputs (ideas, communications and interactions) of the mind. Such like not reading novels, magazines and newspaper, not watching movies and TV programs, not listening to music, not playing sports games, not writing (except keeping a spiritual diary), not doing intense physical activities, not sleeping on soft bed, not using perfumes or fragrances, and divert the mind to contemplate on Dharma whenever the mind thinks of any worldly objects, and etc.

    • Control and minimize the habit of self-talking in the mind (talking to ourself in the mind). The speech organ maybe not performing any talking verbally, but the mind continues to talk to itself in the mind. This is very common for many people. It shows that how restless the mind is, and it doesn’t like to be in silence for a single moment, even though from the appearance the body is silent and stilled, not performing any speech and actions.

    • Controlling sexual desire. Transform or channel the sexual energy for spiritual practice and spiritual realization.

    • Conserve energy by limiting worldly mental, physical and speech activities, and use the energy for spiritual practice and to perform selfless service for ourselves and for other beings.

    • Reduce wants and worldly desires and sensual enjoyments.

    • Restricting the usual daily habits of the body and mind. Such like dependent on “taking” certain “substances” or “doing” certain “things” to feel good.

    • Restricting the usual reactions of the body and mind towards all the names and forms. Such like when we hear something that we don’t agree with, we would like to argue about it.

    • By limiting and reducing verbal, physical and mental activities. This will stop any stimulations of the mind. Allowing the whirlpool of the restless mind to have the opportunity to “settle down”. When the mind is pure and calm, we will be able to “see” the Truth of everything as it is, not being contaminated by the impurities and restlessness in our mind.

    • Restrict the mind from trying to express itself at anytime through verbal speech, facial expression and body language/sign. Such like learn to observe anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, arrogance, anxiety, agitation, depression, fear and worry, and let them go without react towards any of these impurities.

    • Observe the thoughts (thinking) and not identify nor associate with the thoughts.

    • Make the outgoing mind turns inwards concentrating and resting in the chamber of the heart.

    • Above all, observe all these observations without judgment, comparison and expectation. Just do our best.


    May all spiritual aspirants be determined to observe Mauna – Silence of thoughts, actions and speech for some period of time in the path of yoga and meditation for spiritual realization to know the Truth.

    Om shanti



    Course Dates


    Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

    June 20th to 28th, 2015 – Arrival on June 19th before 6.00 pm. Departure on June 28th after 3.00 pm.


    July 4th to 11th, 2015 – Arrival on July 3rd before 6.00 pm. Departure on July 11th after 3.00 pm.



    Course Fees


    Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

    Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course – 1450 RM per person


    Course fees are inclusive of – airport pick up and drop off, accommodation, meals, and facilities.


    300 rm deposit is required to confirm a place for the course when your application is accepted. It is refundable if cancellation is made one month before the start of the course. Please inform us as soon as possible if you want to cancel your reservation to allow other people on the waiting list to take your place.


    Full payment (the outstanding balance) must be paid one month before the start of the course.


    All payments shall be made via bank transfer. Bank details will be provided when your application is accepted.



    Where


    Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

    The space for Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course:-


    Yoga Now Malaysia

    The Yellow House

    609-3, Kampung Paya Mempelam

    Kedawang

    07000 Langkawi

    Kedah

    Malaysia



    Application


    Silent Sadhana Intensive Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia

    Please bear in mind that the Intensive Yoga Sadhana Courses are for serious Yoga practitioners (Sadhaka). If you cannot commit to the timetable and are not very serious in performing yoga practice, please allow other yoga practitioners who take seriously of their yoga practice to have the opportunity to get a place in the Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course.


    Please read through the Observations before applying for the course. Do not apply if you are not capable to observe the observations.



    Please send us an email with the following details:-


    1. Name
    2. Current home address, phone number and contact details of person to contact in case of emergency
    3. Which course dates do you wish to participate
    4. Any medical history – physical injuries or illnesses
    5. Any food allergies
    6. Why you wish to participate

    Email – yogalangkawi@gmail.com