Dharma Mountain — Hedalsvegen 1220, Norway

Meditation and retreat centre at the foot of Vassfaret, in Hedalen, Norway

At 7:30 on a January morning at Dharma Mountain, the day begins with meditation, and for ten days nobody speaks. That is the shape of Inner Joy, the Vipassana silent retreat scheduled for 19-29 January 2027. The pages describe the setting as snow, stillness and a night sky, with the Milky Way visible in winter. The centre sits in Hedalen in south Valdres, about two hours from Oslo, at the foot of the Vassfaret nature reserve. Forest, mountain and river are close at hand. Guests walk in silence, bathe in the river when the weather allows, or sit and listen to wind in the trees. On many retreats the surroundings are part of the practice. Without a car, the Valdresekspressen bus runs to Nes i Ådal, and the centre is about ten minutes from there by taxi. Dharma Mountain is built around the modern mystic Vasant Swaha, who teaches joy of life, meditation and love for oneself, for others and for nature. Much of what happens here, the centre says, has roots in what he has passed on. Visiting teachers lead retreats of three to ten days. The 2027 calendar includes a Mindfulness and Vipassana winter retreat with Jonathan Weber, Forrest Yoga with Tash Pope, a Silence Retreat with Unni Heim that draws on Biodanza, cacao and light ceremonies and mantra singing, and a four-day Mindful Self-Compassion retreat. Earlier seasons included a writing retreat. Guests sleep in cabins, in a single room, a bunk room or a loft, each with a bathroom or shared bath and a living room with a mini-kitchen. The centre also has a sauna, a creative room and a library of 300 meditation books. Meals are vegetarian, and one-to-one treatments are offered during some retreats. A voluntary offline option gives a break from the phone. The centre can also be rented by groups, with lodging and meals.

Traditions: Vipassana, Mindfulness, Mindful Self-Compassion, Forrest Yoga, Biodanza, Yin Yoga

Programs: Mindfulness and Vipassana Winter Retreat, Inner Joy 10-Day Vipassana Silent Retreat, Yoga Retreat with Tash Pope, Buddha Bootcamp, Rom for sjelen Silence Retreat, Mindful Self-Compassion Retreat, Writing Retreat, Group rental for workshops and retreats