Meditation Retreat in Sri Lanka

There are so many superb Meditation Retreats in Sri Lanka taking place whether you are a beginner or advanced practitioner. 

Cleanse and transform your mind on a meditation retreat in Sri Lanka amidst the wilderness and give yourself the time and opportunity to pause, unwind and unplug from the stressors and distractions of a fast-paced society. Declutter your mind and let your true essence shine through as you learn to let go of ingrained patterns: fears, insecurities, attachments, desires and illusions, which may be driving your behaviour without you even releasing it. During your meditation retreat, you will be given the space and support to observe your behavioural patterns with curiosity and compassion, rather than reaction and judgement. So, how should you choose a meditation retreat?

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5 tips when choosing a Meditation Retreat in Sri Lanka

  1. Ask yourself what your utmost priority for this retreat is. Are you in need of a spa-like holiday to simply unwind and relax or in need of a more spiritual retreat? It is essential that you consider your truest motivation to embark on this journey so that you may best support your decision in your choice of retreat. It would be disappointing to fly across the world in the hope of participating in an intensive yoga retreat, only to find you have unknowingly enrolled in a gentle yin yoga course. 
  2. Consider the location and season you wish to go to. Which country? If you are looking for Ayurvedic healing, then Sri Lanka is the place for you. Do you find the tropical monsoon rain calming or do you prefer boundless sunshine? It is important to feel comfortable in your environment when going through such depths of emotional exploration and transformation. 
  3. Budget is inevitably a necessary factor to consider early on. You do not need to spend thousands to have a wonderful retreat experience. It all depends on the location and type of retreat you choose. Tips to make a retreat cheaper: 
    • Buy flights early 
    • Travel during the low season 
    • Consider sharing accommodation with a friend 
    • Surf the web and explore all the affordable destinations 
  1. Ask yourself whether you wish to embark on this journey alone or with a friend/partner as mentioned, going with someone can make accommodation cheaper. A retreat can also be a beautiful, memorable experience worth sharing with a loved one. However, drawbacks may arise such as the potential need to compromise to find a retreat suited to you both. It may also be harder for you to connect with the other people on the retreat since you may feel tied to your companion. The possibility for you and your companion to bond can also be a positive aspect of the retreat. 
  2. Know your retreat leaders. Find out who your retreat leaders could be and whether their areas of focus match the aspects you wish to flourish or grow in. Reach out to the teachers on social media and get a feel of who they are. Follow your intuition from then on about whether they would be the right teacher for you.

Expectations of a Sri Lankan Meditation retreat

As with everything, it is always best to go in without expectations and open your heart to the possibilities that lie ahead. Meditation is a practice that involves training your mind to focus and allowing thoughts and emotions to flow freely without attachment. A spiritual practice at heart, it is gaining more and more attention within the scientific community and beyond, for its myriad health benefits, from reducing stress, increasing focus and cognitive functioning, restoring healthy sleep patterns and enhancing pain tolerance. It is also invaluable for developing healthy habits, including self-discipline, cultivating a positive mindset, and increasing awareness of yourself and the world around you.

When we meditate, we come to understand our mind and its habitual thoughts, feelings and reactions. We come to realise that there are ingrained patterns of fears, insecurities, attachments, and desires all of which subconsciously drive our behaviour. The more we recognise and observe these patterns with curiosity and compassion the more they fade, creating space for us to connect with our higher wisdom.

4 Things you can Expect on a Meditation Retreat at Sen Wellness

A Day of Silence

Silent Meditation, known as Vipassana, descended from the teachings of Buddhist meditation. It is known to teach mindfulness to your inner thoughts, feelings, actions and breathing. This practice requires total silence to experience and observe the world as it truly is. At Sen Wellness, we invite a local Buddhist Monk to lead silent walks along the beach and occasional full days of silence. Silent meditation for extended periods can be a challenging and boundary-pushing practice, however, removing yourself from the familiar conversation in your mind can have extraordinary effects on your mind, your overall perspective, and your nervous system.

Sound Healing

Bathe the mind and body in the rich soundscape and vibrations of the gong bath, an ancient healing tool that promotes calm, relaxation and clarity. The deep sounds of the gong activate the parasympathetic nervous system, slowing down the breath and heart rate, and shifting the mind to an alpha and theta-dominant brainwave state, a deeply meditative and restorative state. The chattering mind quietens, and the body’s natural healing mechanisms restore balance, alignment and optimal energy flow. At the Sanctuary, you can enjoy the enchanting experience of a gong bath during the meditation sessions led by our visiting Buddhist monk.

Nature Immersion

Whilst on retreat, you are completely immersed in the beauty of the Sri Lankan wilderness: a mangrove and palm tree forest and the expansive landscape of the Indian Ocean. This nature immersion allows your mind to tune in to the awe-inspiring gifts that Gaia has to offer. By allowing yourself to be completely free in the natural elements, you can permit yourself to meditate on the abundance of life.

Pranayama Techniques

Breathwork (pranayama) is a powerful tool that we offer alongside yoga and meditation. This form of breathwork includes methods such Ujjayi breath and Bhramari breath, used to promote relaxation, calm anxiety and soothe physical ailments. These are just two examples of effective Pranayama techniques promoted in yoga and the benefits of how breathwork can be a valuable tool for your life and your meditation practice.

Top 3 Benefits of a Meditation Retreat

1.  Step outside of your comfort zone as you face the challenges we often neglect in our everyday lives: fears, insecurities, and unhealed scars. This is the time to let them go and set yourself free.

2. Experience an ultimate sense of peace, silence, and tranquillity. One that you will learn to carry with you in your daily routine after the retreat.

3. Feel liberated from the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning, or planning. All of which are taken care of by us. You are granted the space to focus on yourself – mind, body and soul.

Sen Wellness Sanctuary - Award-Winning Meditation Retreat Centre in Sri Lanka

Sen Wellness Sanctuary is an Award-Winning Meditation Retreat Centre in Sri Lanka. We incorporate all modalities of holistic health care into your retreat,  from yoga, meditation, sound healing, Ayurvedic treatments, herbal medicines and nourishing food.

Signature Retreats
During our seasonal Signature retreats held by our founder Sam Kankanamge, we join together as a group to explore silent, guided and breath-focused meditation.

Bespoke Retreats 
Whether you are new to meditation or not, our Bespoke Retreats run all year round and hold space for your emotional, physical and spiritual needs. We invite you to a weekly meditation and Sound Healing session with our Buddhist Monk, who can also assist you with your personal growth and help you discover ways in which you can integrate Buddhist meditation into your everyday life.

The Final Word

Our holistic approach to meditation at Sen Wellness is intended to replenish and nourish every aspect of your soul’s existence and help you break down your internal boundaries to find inner acceptance, peace and connection. We have taken great consideration in creating a safe space for you to explore a deeper part of yourself alongside a team of specialists who can guide you through these meditation practices softly and intuitively. 

With so many powerful ways to enhance your connection to meditation, our approach allows you to decide which one works best for you, whether silent meditation, sound healing, breathwork or forest bathing, the Sanctuary can provide you with everything you can expect to find at a meditation retreat in Sri Lanka.

Sen Wellness Sanctuary
Excellent
4.7
Based on 165 reviews
Janine van der M.
Janine van der M.
Situated between two bodies of water, a tranquil lagoon on the one side, and the powerful Indian ocean on the other, Sen Wellness Sanctuary is an oasis of tranquility, a place to slow down and connect with nature and yourself. I spent three weeks in this beautiful hideaway and thoroughly enjoyed my stay, including morning and evening meditation and breath work, daily yoga practice, personalised ayurvedic treatments and delicious, freshly prepared meals. I am immensely grateful to the friendly, dedicated and highly professional staff as well as all the beautiful people I was fortunate enough to meet during my time at the retreat. Deep nourishment of body, mind and spirit and a truly unforgettable experience.
Hima A.
Hima A.
Spent 7 days in this beautiful Sanctuary, and highly recommend. Dr Udari is incredible and the treatments truly made a difference. All the staff are so helpful, kind and responsive, from the manager Antonio, Francis and Tseyang and the therapists SenWellness is a true Ayurvedic retreat.
Eugene P.
Eugene P.
One of the best vacations I ever had.I’ve been just meditating, doing yoga, breathwork and Ayurvedic treatments without touching my phone for a week.The sanctuary is a collection of very well thought out spaces: huts, main lounge, yoga room, pool, beach…Beach is in the natural preserve, where sea turtles come to lay eggs. No one around. Don’t swim in the ocean though, undercurrents are very dangerous here.The vibe is amazing, staff and service are superb and second to none.Definitely going to come back again.
pia
pia
What a wonderful discovery! The retreat was so much more than we expected - on so many levels. Great yoga, excellent ayurvedic therapy and treatments, really good food - and amazing company. What a wealth of experiences we have taken home with us. Sam and his team were very kind and attentive and the other participants were all so special and warm hearted. We recommend this sanctuary to anyone who wants to enrich their lives and move forward.
cindy F.
cindy F.
A uniquely magical experience. From the moment you leave your shoes by the lotus pool to receive the warm welcome of a garland and king coconut, a sense of kindness and care envelops you.This is heartfelt. Every dish you eat is prepared with a knowledge of what will nourish your body and soul. Every treatment is administered by skilled practitioners who have taken the trouble to understand your individual physical and emotional state and to restore balance and harmony from the inside out.The sounds of this stunning enclave, hidden away down a winding track where peacocks strut and monkeys gambol, are those that evoke both stillness and awe. The sea declares its majesty and power on a peerless beach that nesting turtles call home. The constant and gentle swish of the lagoon and rustle of the trees that bound this space in natural seclusion, soothe and transport you to a deep place of calm.This is one of nature’s sacred spaces.Respect and honour for this is the ethos that guides life in this beautiful oasis which shines from the hearts of the remarkable team. Skilled in so many arts from Ayurvedic medicine and therapy, yoga, reiki, sound healing and, with simplicity and grace, a level of hospitality and care that is humbling.The mishap or the unusual request is met with unruffled efficiency. (My glasses broke and instead of facing a week in a blur and the prospect of navigating an airport when scarcely able to read a sign, an impeccably restored pair of spectacles was returned to me in the shortest possible time - leaving me to wonder if an optician had been spirited out of a ring or a lamp!)My experience at Sen Wellness will be an abiding memory. I will carry away in my heart the echo of the sea, the voices and faces of beautiful people who made such a soulful sojourn possible with huge gratitude to everyone of them for all the skill, knowledge, compassion and care that were the key ingredients of this delightful interlude.(And on the subject of ingredients, I will also carry away the tantalising Sen Wellness cookbook, so the adventure continues…)
Sarah S.
Sarah S.
Sen Wellness Centre is a truly magical place. I came here in need of healing and I found it. The staff are incredible. The treatments are incredible. The food is incredible. The rooms are incredible.
Chithrananda De A.
Chithrananda De A.
Me and my wife spent three nights at the Sen Welness sanctuaryWell managed place , both Ayurvedic doctors and therapists are excellentExcellent food and service by all teams who involvedExcellent hospitality and great support by the manager TonyBoth yoga teachers Sandya and Anna are excellent , we both enjoyed all sessions from beginning until end.We both enjoyed though out our stay,Food , yoga , excellent Ayurvedic treatment (best compare to what we had in the past in many other places and countries ) We will come backSarah and Chithrananda De Alwis
Nerea C.
Nerea C.
Arrive to the Sen Wellness Sanctuary is like to get into a piece of heaven. It’s much more than a place to relax, it’s a truly and deep journey. It awakes your feelings, heals your emotions and takes care of you nourishing from the amazing treatments to the delicious food.Surrounded by the purest nature, you will find calm and joy in this place. The yoga classes and the meditations were such an experience, all the activities were part of the learning and all the staff is the best you can imagine: kind, warm and with such a good energy.Sometimes you have to slap yourself to check that you are not dreaming. It’s such a magical place that you won’t leave never. It’s just possible to be grateful and hope to come back again.
abrar “Abrar” M.
abrar “Abrar” M.
Had the pleasure spending 10 days golden summer retreat , i cam all the way from Saudi arabia with open heart , However, the experience exceed my expectation.The resort well decorated full with love , peace and care .Antonio with his hospitality and his smile takes the experience to another level.Sam and Frances no word can describe the love and passion they have 🦋.The treatment team and the Doctor gave us all the attention and treatment team was amazing.Many thanks for all people who work at the kitchen and especially for the chef the food was delicious and healthyThank you Sam for this beautiful place and community.Definitely i will come back again and again to recharge my self and soul with love and peace 💓🦋
Adel H.
Adel H.
Had the pleasure spending two weeks at Sen Wellness. My wife and I had the best of time there with all starting from Sam, Frances, Antonio and the whole team. The treatment team the doctors gave us all the attention and treatment team were great. Rasanga was extra fantastic. Will come back again.
Angmo A.
Angmo A.
I visited last year December in the end of my second trimester and it was probably the best decision I took . The retreat and personalised treatments were exactly what my body needed after working non stop through the year.The staff was very professional and the therapists were knowledgeable and prolly the best Iv experienced in my extensive travels across the world. The food was nutritious and flavoursome. The space was like a sanctuary for us like minded souls who had all gathered there to heal our bodies and minds.The rooms were beautifully and very thoughtfully done up. We absolutely loved our little cabana and loved walking on the private stretch of beach every day. All in all everything was top notch and we hope to be able to return someday again. Special mention to Dr Sam and Sudheera for arranging everything so seamlessly .
Sifra S.
Sifra S.
I stayed at Sen for a 10 day signature retreat at the end of April/beginning of May and it was an absolutely life changing experience for me. If you are contemplating this and if you are able to go, I would definitely highly recommend just booking and going for it! It's the best gift you can give yourself.I set the expectations bar quite low since I was in deep grief after losing my partner 2 years earlier. I was heartbroken, traumatised, depressed and just completely worn out and in dire need of a shift. I booked this trip as some sort of last resort and was hoping to come away with at least some more energy.And boy, did it deliver. The location, the place itself, all members of the staff, and the immersion in nature are simply amazing. The treatments are great, the food is awesome and the vibe is oh so relaxed. The communal table was filled with laughter and lovely chatter at each delicious meal. The attention to detail and just the care of everyone working at Sen is truly amazing and very healing.You feel carried while you are there, not having to worry about what you'll prepare for dinner or booking a treatment, everything is arranged for you. You just have to decide what you'll wear to yoga and then you simply show up to yourself and to nature.I felt very much at ease being there on my own. Everyone lets each other be so if you want to spend time alone you absolutely can, but you can always join others at the pool or for an excursion if you feel like it. It never felt off or weird, it al just flowed naturally for everyone who was there.After a few days I started feeling a shift and really properly started feeling relaxed and at ease for the first time in ages. The excellent massages, my wonderful cabana room, the food, watching turtles hatching on the beach, the care of the doctors, resort manager and waiting staff, it was all heart warming and oh so powerful.When you are there everything is taken care of for you but thankfully I left with many tools on how to take things forward. Being able to sample various yoga and meditation styles and rituals gave me the bearings to integrate this more in my busy day to day Western life. I left with a new mindset, wonderful memories and more energy than I had in years. I'm now, two months later, still committed to following the Ayurvedic lifestyle guidelines as I feel a lot more relaxed, energetic and at ease in general.Thank you, Sen! I'm looking forward to coming back sometime soon to freshen up and rebalance again.Sifra
Rebecca T.
Rebecca T.
An experience that changed me forever!I can't even begin to thank Sen Wellness enough. I came to this retreat with the will to change, and it is here that I learned to inhale what's good for me, exhale all the toxins and past traumas, and let my body breathe and be free. Living in a nature reserve helped me reconnect with nature and overcome my fear of animals and insects. In this place, I found the link between my body and mind and reconnected on all levels.The treatments and medicines definitely aided in the healing process, and the food was nourishing for both the body and soul. The staff were phenomenal, and I can't thank them enough. Special thanks to Francis, who listened and took care of every detail, Irina, who made me fall in love with yoga, and all the professional therapists, especially Tini, whose smile brightened my day and whose positive energy boosted me into becoming a happier person.So much love for this place.Rebecca
Ute K.
Ute K.
My recent stay at the Sen Wellness Sanctuary in Sri Lanka was an extraordinary experience that exceeded all my expectations. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with warm smiles and exceptional service by the friendly staff, who went above and beyond to make my stay comfortable and memorable.The Sanctuary is nestled in a beautiful natural setting, with lush greenery and a stunning beach just a stone's throw away. Each morning, I woke up to the soothing sounds of nature, feeling completely rejuvenated and at peace.The cuisine at Sen Wellness Sanctuary was a highlight of my stay. The delicious local dishes, prepared with fresh, organic ingredients, were a true delight for the senses. Every meal was a culinary adventure, showcasing the rich flavors of Sri Lankan cuisine.The personalized Ayurveda treatments were simply outstanding. The expert practitioners took the time to understand my individual needs and tailored the treatments to promote healing and wellness. The therapies were not only incredibly relaxing but also highly effective, leaving me feeling revitalized and balanced.Adding to the holistic experience were the blissful meditation sessions and professional yoga classes. The meditation sessions provided a deep sense of tranquility, helping me to connect with my inner self and achieve a state of complete relaxation. The yoga sessions, led by a highly skilled instructor, were both invigorating and restorative, accommodating all levels of experience and enhancing my overall well-being.Overall, my time at Sen Wellness Sanctuary was a perfect blend of relaxation, natural beauty, and holistic healing. I highly recommend this sanctuary to anyone seeking a transformative and blissful retreat in Sri Lanka. I can't wait to return!
Marylyn W.
Marylyn W.
I visited Sen Wellness for the spring awakening retreat in early April this year.The retreat was very rejuvenating and I got to meet amazing women who had joined the retreat.It is my second time to visit the Sanctuary and I can't begin to explain how peaceful, rejuvenating the surroundings are.The diet follows Ayurvedic principles, mainly vegan, and vegetarian lots of herbs and indigenous vegetables. Good for the digestive system. You can immediately feel the difference.The spa treatments are very good too, I specially enjoyed the herbal steam bath.A very special thank you for the manager Sanath. He was very quick to solve any problems issues that arose and always followed up to ensure that the guests were satisfied and happy.The staff in general are extremely polite, attentive and very kind. As a solo traveller, this Sanctuary will make you feel at home.Hope to be back soon.!
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