Open Path Retreat at Nada Hermitage

with Pir Elias Amidon

April 11 - 18, 2013  •  Crestone, Colorado, USA

This is an annual one-week solitary retreat held at Nada Hermitage, a Carmelite Monastery on a high desert plateau beneath the Sangre de Christo Mountains in Crestone, Colorado. Nada provides us with an ideal location both for our daily gatherings and for individual solitude, contemplation, and silence.
ThisIretreat is primarily intended for those who have taken either a year-long Open Path training or who are familiar with nondual approaches to spiritual awakening, such as Advaita, Zen, Dzogchen, Sufi, or Christian mysticism. The morning talks and meditations, and the optional individual work with Elias, are focused on recognizing and sustaining the transparent presence of open awareness that is our natural state. If you have a question about what is meant by this focus, or about your readiness to attend such a retreat, contact Pir Elias at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Structure of the Retreat
There is a limit of 10-12 retreatants. Each retreatant has her or his own very lovely self-sufficient hermitage at Nada. Much of the time you will spend alone, in meditation, study, writing, walking – whatever you wish. Each hermitage has a small kitchen that is stocked with food; you prepare all your meals, except for one group dinner on the final evening. Every morning we meet for about two hours, to share a silence, a talk or guided meditation, with opportunity for questions and discussion.
Thoseiwho would like an individual session with Elias following the morning gathering can arrange it then, otherwise everyone returns to their solitude for the rest of the day. If you want to keep your solitude and not join one or more of these gatherings, that's fine too. We may also choose to gather in the early evenings for a musical meditation.
Thereiwill be a sizeable selection of books on nondual mysticism for you to borrow during the retreat, plus there is a large library available for our use at Nada.

Travel Logistics
Unless you come by car (see driving instructions here), it is best to fly to Alamosa, Colorado (through Denver). Crestone is one hour's drive from the Alamosa airport. You can hire a taxi for this drive ($80); if several people arrive on the same flight this cost can be shared. Try to schedule your incoming flight to Denver so that you can connect with the 3:00 PM flight from Denver to Alamosa on September 20, and schedule your departing flight from Denver after 1:00 PM on September 27, so that you can leave on the 10:45 AM flight from Alamosa to Denver.
Youican also check with us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it before you confirm your flights, as we may be able to arrange a shuttle from and to the Denver Airport if there are a number of people arriving and departing close to the same time.

Cost
The cost for the retreat is $750. This includes the retreat fee, your hermitage, and food provisions. No deposit is necessary, but since space at the retreat is very limited we would appreciate it if you would let us know as early as possible if you need to cancel so that we can open your place to someone else. Payment may be made by check or cash upon arrival at the retreat.

To Register
To register, if you have attended a year-long Open Path training, simply write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it of your wish to attend the retreat. Since there is a strictly limited number of retreat spaces, we suggest you register soon. If you have not attended an Open Path Training, write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name, address, email address, telephone number, and a brief description of your background in spiritual traditions or experience.

Visit the Nada Hermitage website by clicking here.