Retreats
The Vedic meditation retreat.
Yoga · Breathwork · Meditation · Ayurvedic food
An intimate retreat at a secluded Portuguese quinta near Lisbon, going far deeper into the practice than daily life allows. You come back lighter, clearer, and genuinely rested.
From €1,860 per person · Six nights, near Lisbon
Overview
Deep self-discovery and healing.
Our unique and intimate retreat offers Vedic meditation, yoga and breathwork, fostering deep self-discovery and healing. Before the retreat you will need to begin your journey with Vedic meditation and have learned the rounding technique. Once signed on to the retreat you receive access to the app, where you have everything you need to prepare.
Rounding helps you tap into your subconscious, revealing transformational insights. This retreat takes you deep into your inner self and connects you to the world, providing experiences that stay with you well beyond your time here.
There is no instant solution to accumulated and inherited stress, so the retreat delves deeply into the Vedic science of rounding. Engaging in multiple rounds per day, often called ‘industrial strength meditation’, is a practice best suited to a retreat environment: a secure and nurturing space where you can truly unwind from external pressures, allowing genuine and enduring stress relief.
What to expect
A beautifully secluded location
A newly refurbished Portuguese quinta (farm) with a very calming effect all by itself. It is the perfect spot to go deeper in your practice.
Vedic rounding, daily
Once you have learned Vedic meditation, you dive deeper into the breath (pranayama) and the body (gentle yoga asana) every day. Over the course of the retreat this combination creates a feeling of deep rest and a full reset for the whole body and mind.
Home-cooked Ayurvedic food
Amábile Kolenda cooks for us with locally sourced produce: two meals a day plus snacks, carefully prepared to support the healing process your mind and body go through. Mornings are fasted, which deepens the experience.
The venue
A newly refurbished Portuguese quinta in Arrentela, around 30 to 40 minutes by car from Lisbon airport. Simple, beautiful rooms, a pool, and quiet in every direction. Designed for rest.
Why people come
Reasons our clients attend
Finding your purpose
You're ready to live a life of purpose bigger than yourself, to do something great for the world, yet you struggle to define what that purpose is.
Overthinking
Repetitive thoughts that you're unable to 'turn off', as well as comparison to others, doubting your abilities, regretting your choices.
Burnt out
Feeling restless, frustrated, tension in the body, low energy, struggling to prioritise, feeling that you're never quite 'done', decreased performance or motivation.
Disconnected
Feeling disconnected from yourself and others. Relationships feel challenging or strained, and you want to improve them but are not sure how.
In need of peace
Frustration over the inability to control things, unable to maintain a peaceful state of mind, longing to reduce complexity and have a breakthrough, feeling that something is missing yet unable to define what it is.
Unhealthy patterns
A tendency to rely on alcohol, drugs, technology, wealth creation or food to 'release' and to feel alive. Falling back into old patterns and making the choices we know are not good for us.
The practice
What is rounding?
Physical yoga (asana) was originally developed to get the mind ready to meditate, and the two work best combined. Rounding is a systematic procedure from the Veda that does exactly that: a specific sequence of easy yoga poses, balancing breathwork (pranayama) and meditation, performed in rounds to powerful effect.
Done in the proper progression, rounding lets deep-rooted stress release and brings the nervous system back into balance. The result is effortless purification of mind and body, and with it a greater state of happiness, clarity and peace.
It is easy to learn regardless of your physical fitness, and once learned you can use it at home, in whole or in part, for the rest of your life. The retreat is the deepest way to learn it.
Day by day
A typical day of rounding
The retreat begins at 3pm on the first day and concludes at 2pm on the last day.
Retreat testimonials
“I went on the meditation retreat to Portugal and can't even begin to describe how amazing it was. The people were really nice, food was awesome and Sam is a genuine caring teacher. On top of that, the meditation (rounding) retreat brought me to a calm state unlike anything I had experienced previously. I finally seem to get what meditation is about. Can highly recommend Sam as a teacher and his retreats!”
“Thank you Sam for a life-changing Vedic meditation retreat. I feel like years of stress and anxiety have been dissolved, my nervous system has been completely reset and I have come home to my true self after a stressful few months. If you're thinking of learning to meditate with Sam, don't hesitate. You will receive a transformative, sacred, life-long and personalised practice that goes far deeper than any other meditation or healing modality I've tried (and I've tried a lot!). Sam is a compassionate, heart-centred, wise and warm teacher and you will be in the best possible hands.”
The team
Meditation and yoga: Sam
Sam struggled with chronic fatigue syndrome for most of his twenties. With no known cure available in Western medicine, he chose to give meditation a try. From the first session he felt a level of relaxation he didn’t think possible, and the rest is history.
He now teaches the same technique all over the world, in person and via his meditation app, and offers these unique and small retreats to give students the opportunity to explore what true rest feels like.
Food: Amábile
Amábile Kolenda is a retreat chef, restaurant consultant, teacher and content creator. A natural chef, graduated in gastronomy and specialised in functional gastronomy, she has been teaching workshops, giving private classes and consulting for restaurants since 2013.
Curious about different ingredients, eating styles and ancient medicines, she knows how to combine the simplicity of the natural with the discovery of new flavours.
The food
Ayurvedic cooking, made to heal
Amábile cooks fresh, organic, vegan food with locally sourced produce: two meals a day plus snacks, carefully selected and prepared to support and enhance the healing process your mind and body go through over the course of the retreat.
Mornings are fasted, which supports your experience in the rounds. Lunch lands at noon and dinner at 7pm, both unhurried. Tell Sam about any dietary requirements when you book and we will do our best to accommodate them.
Your options
Staying at the quinta
Private
A double room to yourself with a private bathroom.
Shared twin
A twin room with single beds, sharing with one other guest.
Couple
A double room for the two of you, sharing together.
Included: accommodation for every night of the retreat, Ayurvedic organic vegan meals and teas, and the full programme.
Not included: flights, transfers, treatments and insurance.
A 50% deposit secures your spot, with the final payment due two weeks before the retreat. Dates, pricing and availability for the next retreat appear at the top of this page when booking is open.
Common questions
Do I need to learn Vedic meditation before attending?
Yes, this is a requirement for attending and taking part in the retreat. You can learn beforehand on one of Sam's group or private courses, and there is an additional discounted fee for learning once you sign up to the retreat.
What if I need to arrive late, or leave early?
Don't worry. We will keep your food warm and catch up with you for a chat later in the evening. Sam encourages everybody to take a day off after the retreat if at all possible, so you can enjoy all the positive energy you'll be feeling. But if you need to leave early on the last day, just let him know.
What do I need to bring?
You will receive a confirmation email with simple instructions covering everything you need.
Should I leave some time after I complete the Vedic meditation course?
It is completely up to you. Some people come on a retreat within a month of learning, and some choose to learn Vedic meditation during the retreat itself.
What food is included on the retreat?
Fresh organic vegan food that is locally produced. Let us know of any dietary requirements by email and we will do our best to accommodate them.
I have an injury. Can I still attend?
Of course. We can work around any physical ailment and you will still have a wonderful experience.
Do you have a refund policy?
Once paid, there is no refund, so make sure you are committed to the experience. If you can't make the retreat for whatever reason, you will have the opportunity to give your space to someone else.
How do I get there?
The venue is in Arrentela, Portugal, around 30 to 40 minutes by car from Lisbon airport. Sam will create a group so you can organise shared transport from Lisbon.
Come and rest properly.
Retreats are for people who already meditate; you can learn with Sam beforehand or during the retreat itself. Tell us where you are and your dietary requirements when you enquire, and we will guide you from there. If you are new, start with what Vedic meditation is.