On my second night at Mandali, I'm hit by a night of vivid dreams, lucid encounters with people I haven't seen or thought about in years. The founders tell me it's surprisingly common. Some guests put it down to the silence. Others to the meditation. Many believe it has something to do with the ancient Celtic site on which the retreat was built.
Whatever caused it, one thing was undeniable. After just forty-eight hours overlooking Lake Orta, something in my mind had begun behaving differently. I wanted to understand why and whether there was anything genuinely beneficial I could take home with me.
Setting an intention
Choosing my room feels more like a game than checking in. Instead of being handed a key, I'm invited to reach into a large jar and blindly pick one. Mine overlooks the temple, gardens and every evening, the almost perfect alignment of Venus and Jupiter.
From the moment I arrive, it feels less like a place to stay and more like joining a community. Our first evening begins in the temple, where everyone gathers in a circle to introduce themselves and share an intention for the days ahead. A common thread soon emerges. Many of the women can't remember the last time they spent a few days completely alone, away from the demands of work, relationships and for some, raising children. We discuss how time apart doesn't have to weaken relationships. If anything, it can strengthen them.
When it's my turn, I know exactly what I want. I'd arrived carrying the same things many of us do. Exhaustion. Recent heartbreak. Constant notifications. A nervous system that felt fried. My intention is to slow down and see what happens when I finally give myself the space to recover.
The power of silence
Mandali wouldn't exist without silence. Founders Wouter and Wildrik say their lives changed after attending their first silent retreat. For the first two days, they couldn't stand it. Their minds raced, the silence felt uncomfortable and they wondered why anyone would choose to do it. Then something shifted. The founders compare it to skydiving. At first comes the chaos of leaving the plane. Then, suddenly, you're gliding through the air. That breakthrough marked the beginning of what would eventually become Mandali. A decade later, silence still shapes almost every part of the retreat.
What to Read Next
Each morning begins with breakfast in silence, overlooking Lake Orta. Phones are discouraged, replaced instead by birdsong and the clink of cutlery. Guests who want to go further can choose to spend their entire stay in silence, wearing a small badge to let others know they won't be talking. Some even hand in their phones at the start of the retreat. There's also a silent hike through the surrounding woodland, where conversation gives way to rustling leaves, the crunch of gravel and distant church bells.
Meditation plays a big role too. During one 30-minute guided session, we're invited to say each word out loud as we move slowly through it. ‘Hands’. As we look to our palms. ‘Heart’. A hand placed gently on our chest. ‘Earth’. Feeling the ground beneath our feet. ‘Space’. Stretching our arms out towards the landscape around us. The movements are slow and deliberate.
As I gradually embraced the different invitations into silence, I became more present to everything I'd travelled there for, from learning with the teachers to time in nature and long afternoons in the spa. It turns out a jacuzzi overlooking Lake Orta is much more enjoyable when you're admiring the view than replaying an argument from two months ago.
Is nature the ultimate nervous-system reset?
Before arriving at Mandali, I'd recently had a full body scan at Neko Health. The result that stayed with me throughout the retreat was that my inflammation markers were bordering on concerning.
When I first stepped out onto the terrace overlooking Lake Orta, I stopped dead. The lake seemed to go on forever, framed by layers of mountains. For a few moments, all I could do was stare. It turns out that feeling awe may do more than leave us speechless. Research suggests our bodies might benefit too. One study found that people who experienced more awe had lower levels of interleukin 6, an inflammatory marker linked to chronic disease. Scientists believe it's because awe quietens the brain's default mode network, the system responsible for self focused thinking and rumination, allowing our attention to shift outwards.
Nature has a knack for creating those moments. Another study found that a 90-minute walk in nature reduced activity in a brain region associated with rumination. Even simply looking out across a wide landscape may help. Our eyes are an extension of the brain, and looking into the distance appears to promote a calmer physiological state than the constant close focus demanded by screens.
The mountains didn't magically reduce my inflammation in four days. What they did offer was something I'd been missing for months. Space to stop, breathe and look beyond myself. Perhaps awe and true stillness are among the healthiest things we can give ourselves
Verdict
Before arriving, almost everyone I mentioned Mandali to replied with some version of, ‘I love that place,’ or, ‘I've always wanted to go.’ After a few days overlooking Lake Orta, I finally understood why.
As I packed my suitcase, there was only one thing I wanted to do. Bring the people I love back with me. My mum. My dad. My nephew. That's what stayed with me most. Not the silence or the spectacular setting, but the feeling that everyone deserves a few days to reconnect with themselves.
Go there!
Discover Mandali's retreat.Rupert Spira, who teaches on non-duality, regularly hosts retreats here. I absolutely loved his book You Are the Happiness You Seek, it’s well worth adding to your reading list before you go.
