Price and donations
The standard price of the retreat is 350€, 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 his teachings and services freely. He 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 him 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 (310€ in case of the standard price) should be paid by October 15th 2021. 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 15th of October, 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.
Meditation and being in silence can be an intensive experience which brings about strong emotions. It is good to be aware of that, especially if you have experienced severe traumatic events or suffered from mental disorders. In an acute crisis situation it may not be advisable to participate in a retreat. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us in order to discuss your situation.
In the registration form there are questions regarding your physical and mental health. All personal information submitted in the form is strictly confidential and will be available only to the teacher and some of the organizers on a need to know basis. All related material will be destroyed after the retreat.
Time and place
The retreat starts on Friday the 19th of November, 2021. 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 Thursday the 25th of November 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 Elontuli course center 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.
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 Suvi Rinkineva (+358 50 595 5628).
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. You may want to 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 bring your own yoga mat, if you wish. For the optional drawing practice, you may want to bring a notebook and some coloured pens.
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.
Covid information
We want to make sure that the retreat is a safe event for everyone. If you develop symptoms of a respiratory infection just before the retreat, or if you are in quarantine (even if you have no symptoms), you will unfortunately not be able to participate. However, a running nose alone is not an obstacle. If you have a negative test result, you can participate in the retreat even if you still have mild symptoms. If you develop symptoms of a respiratory infection during the retreat, we hope you will take a Covid test – the managers have home tests available. In addition, we hope you wear a face mask during your symptoms. We ask everyone to take special care of hand hygiene during the retreat. If you wish, you can wear a face mask during the retreat.
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 Suvi Rinkineva (+358 50 595 5628, other questions).
We deeply wish this will be a fruitful retreat to everyone, and warmly welcome all!