Vipassana Retreats with Julia Harfensteller
„As someone with experience in Mahasi Noting retreats—characterized by a strict schedule with alternating sessions of one-hour walking and sitting, involving over 10 hours of meditation per day — the non-strict structure of the Julia retreat might seem less serious or dedicated at first. I was surprised to see how well it actually worked for me. Some of my personal tendencies, such as over-efforting (which tends to be amplified by Mahasi noting), did not manifest in full force during the retreat. As a result, I was able to make a significant leap in the depth of insights I have been cultivating.
The instructions I received during the retreat seemed simple, almost too simple, yet when followed, they delivered the promised results.
One thing that is stressed during the retreat is the importance over cultivating awareness in daily life, and not just on the cushion/during the retreat. I have found that following Julia advices the only thing preventing me from doing it were just my (wrong) beliefs, as soon as I gave it a real try, I was actually able to cultivate more and more awareness in daily life.“(Stefano, 10-day Vipassana retreat participant)
„Julia is very focused on the essential. The transformational aspect of the practice. She does not get stuck on formalities. This is what makes practicing with her so powerful. She is very talented at creating a group atmosphere conducive to this transformational process. Her inspirations and dharma-talks always derive from a place of spontaneity and authenticity. She embodies what she talks about. Throughout the retreat she was also available for one-on-one interviews.“ >> read more
(Olivia, 10-day Vipassana retreat participant)