Seven-Day Retreat at Mandali, 25 April–2 May 2027: Transparent Body, Luminous World: The Tantric Path of Non-Duality

This seven-day non-dual retreat at Mandali Retreat Centre in Quarna Sopra, in the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province of Italy, is led by Rupert Spira. It is a week of guided meditation and dialogue on the Tantric yoga of sensation and perception, and it suits anyone drawn to the non-dual understanding, whether seeking peace, truth, love or simply time with friends.

The theme is "Transparent Body, Luminous World." Awareness, having recognised its own being, turns again toward the body, the senses and the world. Through guided meditations, Rupert shows how the peace inherent in being's knowing of itself gradually saturates experience, until the density of the body and the otherness of the world are suffused with pure knowing. The body becomes impersonal like the world, and the world becomes intimate like the body.

What to Expect

The days follow a steady rhythm of meditation, dialogue and shared meals. Each day includes guided meditation in which we rest in being, as being, and dialogue in which the non-dual understanding is discussed. Evenings are lighter: friends may relax together, watch a film, or share poetry and music.

- Arrival day (Sunday): check-in from 2:00 to 6:00pm, dinner from 6:00 to 7:00pm, and a first guided meditation from 7:45 to 9:00pm.
- Monday to Saturday: guided meditation from 7:30 to 8:30am, breakfast, a second guided meditation from 11:30am to 12:30pm, lunch at 1:00pm, meditation and dialogue from 4:30 to 6:30pm, then dinner from 6:30 to 7:30pm.
- Closing day (Sunday): breakfast without meditation, meditation and dialogue from 10:00am to 12:00pm, lunch, and departure by 2:00pm.

This is the second of two back-to-back weeks at Mandali, with one day between them. Guests are welcome to attend both. A livestream is available, with two of the dialogue sessions open to live questions.

About Rupert Spira

Rupert Spira is a meditation teacher whose work centres on Advaita Vedanta, the non-dual philosophy rooted in Indian classical thought, together with the devotional practice of Sufism. Born in London, he encountered the poetry of Rumi at fifteen, which opened the way to the contemplative traditions he has explored for five decades. Soon afterwards he learned the Mevlevi Turning at Colet House in London, a practice combining movement, prayer and meditation. He then met Dr. Francis Roles, a student of Shantananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the North of India. His teaching draws on both the direct-path inquiry of Advaita and the heart-centred practice of the Mevlevi order.

The Setting

Mandali sits on a hilltop just over an hour from Milan, with views of Lake Orta and the Swiss Alps beyond. Guests have access to the spa and pool, and to the natural landscape around the centre. One yoga class is offered each day, first come, first served.

Rooms include lake-view and garden-view singles, twin or double rooms in both views, and four-person gender-allocated dormitories. Commuter tickets are available for those staying off-site, and nearby options include Hotel Monte Mazzoccone, House Yvonne, House Thomas and Casa Belvedere.

All meals are vegetarian and served buffet-style, with vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free dishes available if requested in advance. The kitchen cannot guarantee against cross-contamination.

The nearest airport is Milan Malpensa, roughly 80 minutes by car, with a coach service from the airport. Taxis in the area are limited, so transfers should be arranged ahead.

Before You Go

The retreat is open to all levels. It involves seated and guided meditation and dialogue, and no yoga postures are required. It is held in English. Residential tickets include three vegetarian meals and refreshments each day, the guided sessions, spa and pool access, and the chosen accommodation. Travel and airport transfers are not included. Limited partial scholarships are offered for in-person attendance. The deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable, and the balance is refundable only as the cancellation terms set out.