“Who am I? What is my true nature?” ... these are fundamental questions.

The Enlightenment Intensive is a unique process which facilitates a state of Being completely present and free from a relentless stream of thoughts. You will experience how it feels to be deeply connected to your Essential Self, free from social conditioning, restraints and masks (ego). Such a state facilitates a deep sense of satisfaction, inner peace, a joyful aliveness and knowing your true purpose (self realization).

“ The most fantastic, mysterious and the most rewarding journey any of us will ever take – the journey of our True Self. “

About the Enlightenment Intensive
Enlightenment Intensive is a group retreat designed to enable a spiritual enlightenment experience (satori) within a relatively short time. It is a ‘stand-alone’ process outside any organisation or religion, yet it uses a combination of the most efficient tools from traditions such as zen, mindfulness and modern communication techniques. The founder of the Enlightenment Intensive process was Charles Berner, who developed its structure during his research of more effective ways to accelerate spiritual development and personal growth.

"I have tested this technique and I have compared it to other methods of enlightenment. This technique is about 50-100 times more rapid in producing enlightenment experiences than the classical techniques." Charles Berner

How does it work
The primary aim of this process is to crack open the challenges, such as thinking and emotional patterns, that mask your true Self and to allow your authentic (essential) nature to flow and bloom. Experiencing directly your Essential Self facilitates a deep sense of inner peace, a joyful aliveness and flowing energy.

The Process
During the intensive process, you will be placed in a completely secure and safe environment with no distractions (social silence). The core of the work will be self enquiry sessions called Dyads: a profound zen contemplation of the question (koan) ‘Who am I?’. The program also includes numerous holistic techniques, such as guided meditations, conscious movement, working/walking contemplation and holistic detox. After three days of the intensive process, you will have an opportunity to integrate and enjoy the afterglow of your experience through relaxation, movement sessions and/or to simply enjoy the stunning nature around. All practical aspects are taken care by the staff of facilitators, so that you have the full support to totally pursue your personal self enquiry.

What Is a Dyad?
The core of the process are enquiry sessions called Dyads that facilitate a physical, mental and spiritual detox. Dyads are enquiry sessions that are held with two people. One listening in stillness, the other communicating their direct experience of this moment in response to the question ‘Who am I?’ After five minutes the roles change.

This is repeated for thirty or forty minutes and is followed by a break. You will start the next Dyad with a new partner. Each Dyad clears the mind of mundane chit-chat and gives space for your authentic Self to be revealed. After a while the grip of the mind loosens as you move deeper into the direct experience of your Essence. Eventually, there is a moment where the mind becomes completely still. This creates a profound shift in your state of being – in the traditional practice of Zen, this is known as a Satori … A glimpse of enlightenment.

More Resources
Read more about the process: click here

Watch the video about the Enlightenment Intensive: click here

Many guests have described this process as life changing. See what some of them shared about their experience: click here

Additional Info
It is recommended to refrain from caffeine, tobacco and sugar for a few days prior to the workshop and to arrive willing to dive deep within.

A few days before your arrival, you will receive a brochure (via email) to support you in preparing yourself for your Enlightenment intensive experience.

Please read the Retreat Program Section below to understand the commitment required to participate in this amazing and powerful process.

This retreat will be held in English.

Program

Please read the following carefully to fully understand the commitment required to participate in this amazing and powerful process.

Food
There will be five meals breaks each day. The food is vegetarian and specially prepared to support a natural detox of you physical body. An important part of the journey. There will be no coffee, black tea, sugar, alcohol, meat or fish. If you drink a lot of coffee it is highly recommended that you stop for two or three days before the Intensive starts. Otherwise, you may find that you have a caffeine withdrawal headache during the group.

Smoking
It is recommend stopping to smoke during the process. If you do smoke, cutting down to 3 a day would make it easier to spend a few days without tobacco. If you feel that you cannot manage this then we can find a balance that you are comfortable with.

Mobile Phones
You will be asked to surrender your mobile phone for the three days of the Intensive. In case of emergency then please leave the Mandali office number from 9hrs until 19hrs is +39 0323 826439 which you can also pass on to leave messages. Outside this time you the number to call is +39 348 2231638

During the process, unless in an emergency, there will be no contact to the outside world so please make sure your affairs are in order before we start.

Schedule
On arrival day there will be the opportunity to rest and relax. You will also be invited to a short 1-2-1 meeting with one of the counsellors. After dinner there will be a welcome meeting to explain the technique. Each day of the process starts bright and early at 06:15 and finishes at 22:30, except the forth day which will finish at 21:15 when you are released from the structure and come out of silence.

The remaining days will be open and flowing integration days where you will be free to do your own thing and bask in the afterglow of the Intensive. Additionally, there will be a selection of events and sessions to join should you choose to do so..

Silence
The three day Intensive process part will be held in social silence. You will be talking during the Dyads and open sessions but will be in silence when outside the group space. Being in silence also means you will not have access to the Internet, phones, TV, radio or any distractions that take you away from your contemplation.

Open heart and mind
This process is intense and has been carefully structured to work deeply and with lasting changes. It is challenging yet the rewards are reflected in the changes that may occur with a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you. I encourage you to be open and have a clear intention as to what it is you wish to reveal in yourself. Energy follows intention,… it really does!

Agenda

The Schedule is here as a guide and is subject to modifications.

Arrival Day 1
Guests are welcome to arrive from 14:00 hrs on the 17th of November. 1-2-1 meetings will start at 16:00hrs. Dinner will be served at 19:00 hrs and there will be an Introduction session from 20:30 hrs.

Day 2 & 3
06:15 - 06:30 Arise and Dress
06:30 - 07:00 Instructions / Dyad
07:00 - 07:30 Movement
07:30 - 07:45 Tea and Snack
07:45 - 08:30 Dyad
08:30 - 09:00 Breakfast
09:00 - 09:45 Dyad
09:45 - 10:30 Dyad
10:30 - 11:30 Walking/Spa Contemplation
11:30 - 12:15 Dyad
12:15 - 13:00 Working contemplation
13:00 - 13:45 Lunch
13:45 - 14:30 Dyad
14:30 - 15:15 Sharing and talk
15:15 - 16:00 Open session
16:00 - 16:45 Dyad
16:45 - 17:00 Tea and snack
17:00 - 18:15 Rest and Shower
18:15 - 19:00 Dyad
19:00 - 19:45 Dinner
19:45 - 20:15 Dyad
20:15 - 20:45 Dyad
20:45 - 21:30 Walking/Spa Contemplation
21:30 - 21:45 Tea and Snack
21:45 - 22:30 Dyad / Contemplation
22:30 - 06:15 Sleeping Contemplation

Day 4
Schedule same as Day 2 & 3 except,
19:45 - 20:30 Dyad
20:30 - 21:15 Closing Session
21:15 Celebration

Day 5
Integration day. Relaxation, conscious movement and bodywork sessions (optional), sharing, hiking, Spa, pool. A precious time to enjoy the sweet flowing moments.

Day 6
Rest and relaxation, Closing Circle, lunch and departure

Health & Safety
Please, note, that if you are following any form of mental health therapy / using any medication / have a recent history of any substance addiction (in the last 6 months) / you are in any kind of a recovery process, please, before you book your spot, reach out to the retreat provider via info@the-drunkenmonk.com, so you can find out together, if this retreat is suitable for you. This precaution serves to secure the maximum safety for you as well as the whole group dynamic and it ensures the quality delivery of the retreat effect. Please note, that in the case of not following this precaution, the retreat provider reserves the right to remove the participant from the retreat process. Thank you for your understanding.

Please note, that this retreat is a very profound individual journey of self discovery. In case you wish to experience this program with your relatives, partners or friends, we highly recommend to book different dates or at least don’t share a room together. You can also contact us before you book, so we can find together an arrangement, which won’t interfere into your EI process.