Price and donations
The standard price of the retreat is 310 €, but it is also possible to pay more or less than this (contact retriitit@syvalepo.fi). The price covers the travel expenses of the teacher, the rent of the retreat facility, and the food expenses.
The teacher offers her teachings and services freely. She receives nothing from the retreat fees, and lives on donations from participants of this kind of events. At the end of the retreat, there will be the opportunity to offer donations, which allow the teacher to continue serving in this way. The gifts of others in the past make it possible for her to offer this retreat. And the flow goes on. At the end of the retreat there will also be a possibility to offer donations to the retreat managers, who likewise offer their time and efforts freely.
Registration and cancellations
You can apply for the retreat by filling in the application form and paying the registration fee. We will confirm your place on the retreat after we have received the form and the payment. The registration fee is 40€ and is paid to the following account:
Account owner: Syvan levon meditaatio
IBAN: FI43 7997 7999 7540 67
Swift code: HOLVFIHH
The rest of the retreat fee (270 € in case of the standard price) should be paid by September 1st 2019. The reserved places which are not paid for by the due date will be given to others on waiting list. If you pay from an account which is not with your own name, please include your name in the message field when you make the payment.
In case you need to cancel the retreat, we kindly ask that you tell us as soon as possible, so we can give your place to the next person in queue. In case of cancellations, the registration fee is not refundable. If the cancellation takes place before the 1st of September, we will return the rest of the fee. If the cancellation takes place later than this, money will be returned only if we can find another participant to fill in the empty place and get the retreat full.
Time and place
The retreat starts on Monday the 7th of October, 2019. It is possible to arrive from 4pm onwards. There will be dinner served at 6.00 pm, and the actual program will begin at 7.30 pm. The retreat ends on Sunday the 13th of October by 2pm. We ask for a commitment to stay on site for the entire retreat period, and to not take alcohol or drugs, other than prescription medicines. This contributes to clarity for each of us and to a safe environment for all.
The place for the retreat is the newly-built course center Elontuli in Karjalohja, 90km west of Helsinki. The address is Merkniementie 94, 09120 Karjalohja. The closest bus stop is Päiväkumpu, Karjalohja, 6,5 km from the venue. More frequent buses travel the Turku motorway, where the closest bus stop is Saukkolan liittymä (junction no. 21). We will send more information about how to get to Elontuli at the latest one week before the retreat starts. This email will also include information regarding buses and driving routes, and help to coordinate lift-share with other participants.
If you are coming from abroad, and would like to get inspiration for overland travel instead of flying, you could read this (the part ”Click here to…”). For practical tips, feel free to contact anna.backholm@gmail.com.
Please note that we may not be able to provide documents for visa applications because of limited resources. Always ask about this first, before you sign up.
Accommodation, food and silence
There is space for 30 participants. Accommodation will be in shared rooms of 2 to 8 people; the rooms will be given out in the order in which people arrive. If you have specific needs with regard to your room, please mention this in the application form.
We will offer three nourishing vegetarian meals a day. Tea and instant coffee will be available during breaks. Please inform us about any special dietary needs or allergies in the application form.
The retreat is held in silence, which allows practice to deepen in a beautiful way. This means we refrain from talking to each other, using phones and other devices, and from most reading and writing. There will be opportunities to talk with the teacher, and when needed, with the managers about practicalities. In emergencies during the retreat we ask your close ones to contact Lauri Hallikainen (+358 40 715 6227).
What to bring
Elontuli provides mattresses, cushions and blankets for lying down meditation. There will also be cushions, benches and chairs available for sitting meditation. We highly recommend that you bring some extra bolsters or larger cushions to support the sitting or lying down posture.
You need to bring your set of bed sheets with you (sheet, duvet cover and pillowcase), or pay 15€ to hire them. Sleeping bag is also fine, but then you need to have a bottom sheet, as well – contact us if you come from abroad and cannot bring one. Your own towel is also needed. You can also bring your own yoga mat, if you wish.
We will provide a more detailed list of useful items to bring closer to the retreat. Please note that the managers will not have a chance to bring you any extra things during the retreat, so take care you have the medications etc. you need with you.
Finally
Please ask, if you have any further questions. You can contact us through retriitit@syvalepo.fi, or phone Ulla Sillanpää ( +358 40 536 4181, application and payment) or Lauri Hallikainen (+358 40 715 6227, other questions).
We deeply wish this will be a fruitful retreat to everyone, and warmly welcome all!