JUST BE
Stepping Into Silence

BOONE, NC

You are invited to just be.

Stepping into Silence is a 4-day immersive experience designed personally by Art of Living Founder, spiritual leader, and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for individuals carrying responsibility to experience inner silence in a fun and light atmosphere. It delights beginners to advanced meditators alike for its ease, simplicity, and proven results.

We put so much effort into doing, building, striving, learning, and accumulating. Even self-care can become another task on the list of things we should be doing or perfecting. Discover what happens when you pause, unwind and let go.

There is dynamism and power in silence. Silence creates space for us to listen to ourselves. It allows inspiration and creativity to rise up.

This retreat is designed for anyone striving to be your best self while holding responsibility for your company, for your family, for the world. We want to take care of you.

The Perfect Program Structure


What to Expect

Shram means effort in Sanksrit. An ashram is any place where everything is taken care of for you to experience the joy, deep rest, and revelations that wisdom and meditative practices uncover. Stepping into Silence takes place in the award-winning Art of Living Retreat Center—a place of pristine beauty designed by Gurudev to serve as an ashram for you.

Care

A team of wellness concierges will work with you to facilitate your experience before, during, and after the retreat to support an optimal experience and make your experience effortless. Let us care for you.

Nourish
A team of chefs trained in restorative cuisine delivers a delicious menu of organic freshly prepared vegetarian food designed to deeply nourish, heal, and facilitate a profound experience during the meditative practices you will experience. Our team will work with you to accommodate dietary requirements.

Rest

Retreat to the award-winning Shankara Ayurveda Wellness each evening in rooms outfitted with queen beds, premium linens, and Ayurvedic body products.

Whether you are just beginning your meditation journey or hoping to go deeper into the practice, these few days will make the rest of your year more alive, productive, and full of energy. When you emerge from Stepping into Silence, you will feel recharged and refreshed, ready to take on all of your responsibilities with greater focus and unshakeable joy.

Profound Spiritual Immersion
Drop limiting beliefs, regrets, and worries, and tap into a bigger version of yourself in this retreat for anyone looking to recharge and refresh. You’ll return to your life more grounded, centered, and wise—filled with a joy unshaken by outer circumstances.
Perfect Program Structure
Your program consists of several days of silent contemplation, guided meditations, yoga, and advanced breathing techniques—all carefully crafted to give you a relaxing, supportive, and transformative atmosphere for your inner journey.

Includes

  • Daily yoga and meditation
  • Wisdom tools and techniques
  • Learning Sudarshan Kriya (SKY) and its benefits
  • Contemplative silence
  • Special guided meditations
  • Experience the 7-levels of your existence
  • Monthly reunions and reconnects
  • Access to AOL meditation app
  • Membership in our exclusive Facebook group.

Who is it for?

For those who have not taken the Happiness Program, an Art of Living Course, YESPlus, or SKY Breath meditation workshop and would like to learn the tools and techniques to begin a meditation practice and experience the power of silence—gentle, light, and easy.

The Silent Component
You’ll spend the first full day of the program learning breathing techniques and other tools to manage and calm the mind, which includes talking processes. You’ll enter into silence after dinner on day two. There are ample opportunities for questions during designated talking periods.

Please note, because we want to ensure you get the full experience, attending all of these sessions is important, so make your travel plans accordingly.

Day 1
7:30–9:30 pm  The Secret of the Breath

Day 2
7:30–8:30 am  Morning Yoga
10:00 am–12:30 pm  The Rhythms of Life
3:00–5:00 pm  Deepening Our Experience
7:30–8:30 pm  Practices to Calm the Chatter in the Mind

Day 3
7:30–8:30 am  Daily Dive Group Practice
10:00 am–12:30 pm  Step Into the Silent Zone
3:00–5:00 pm Soaking in the Silence
7:30–8:30 pm  Wisdom to Deepen Your Silence and Q&A

Day 4
7:30–8:30 am  Daily Dive Group Practice
10:00 am–12:30 pm  Guided Meditations
3:00–5:00 pm Experiencing the Deeper Self
7:30–8:30 pm  Understanding the Modes/Tendencies of the Mind and Q&A

Day 5
7:30–8:30 am  Daily Dive Group Practice
10:00 am–1:00 pm  Gradual move out of silence and returning home instruction

  • Charlotte (CLT) is the closest airport to fly into.
  • From CLT to Boone is a 2-hour ride. Book your travel according.
  • Day 1 check-in time is 3:00 pm; dinner is included on this day.
  • Day 5 checkout time is 10:00 am; we’re happy to hold your luggage in Registrations. Lunch is also included on your final day. Book your return flight anytime from 5:00 pm onward, keeping the commute and course session in mind.

Options for Transportation between CLT and AOLRC

NamePhone No.Website
Hickory Hop Shuttle Service828.327.2340hickoryhop.com
High Country Limo828.898.9595highcountrylimo.com
High Country Black Car828.387.1977highcountryblackcarservice.com
John Olson’s Car Service704.608.8455 
Blue Bird Transporation828.989.7286Blue Bird of Boone
Abby Cab828.475.2988abbycab.com
Uber or LyftBook on the app on arrival. 

On-Campus Program FAQs

Unless otherwise indicated, our programs are open to participants 18 years of age and older. 

For room reservations, Ayurveda Wellness Retreats, and Art of Living Retreat Center (AOLRC) signature retreats, we have the following cancellation policy:

  • Refunds are available (less a $50 processing fee) up to eight days before your program or stay.
  • Nonrefundable credit toward a future AOLRC program or stay (less a $50 processing fee) is available if you give notice between seven and one day(s) before your program or stay. Credit may be applied to any AOLRC program or stay for one year following date of issue.
  • No credit or refund is available if you cancel on the arrival day, if you do not show up, or if you leave an event early for any reason. No refund will be available if you attend a program and are dissatisfied with its presentation or content.
AOLRC reserves the right to cancel a program at any time. If AOLRC cancels a program, you will receive a full refund. Some programs may have special cancellation policies; see individual workshop descriptions. For all other retreats, please be sure to check the registration page specific to that retreat.

Yes, we ask that guests with food allergies simply inform us so we can communicate those needs to our chef. Typically, we label potential allergens such as gluten, dairy, and nuts.

We do have lodging and event venues that are ADA-compliant. Due to the topography of our mountain campus, some are easier to access than others, so please speak to Guest Services (800.392.6870) prior to registering to ensure we can best accommodate your needs. We also have shuttles that run frequently throughout the campus.

From
$1495
based on accommodations
Register

Art of Living Retreat Center

Google Reviews

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Location

639 Whispering Hills Road
Boone, NC 28607
800.392.6870

Discover deep rest and rejuvenation on our tranquil mountaintop campus set amidst 380 acres of pristine forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Boone, North Carolina.  

Weekend of Creativity Wellness Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Plan your special day over a delicious whole-foods breakfast.
  • Walk our beautiful labyrinth or hike one of our scenic nature trails and reconnect with your inner self.
  • Express your creativity and have some fun playing with and shaping clay in your pottery class.

AFTERNOON

  • Mingle with like-minded visitors over lunch in the Dining Hall.
  • Cook up something new together in our Ayurveda cooking class or get clever on the canvas in a painting class.
  • Unwind with a relaxing spa treatment. Choose from a warm oil massage, energizing facial, or rejuvenating Netra Tarpana treatment and let our professional therapists pamper you. (Additional spa treatments available here.)
  • Recharge in the steam room.

EVENING

  • Browse our shop for crystals, jewelry, scarves, and more.
  • Nourish your body with a healthy dinner.
  • Take in the spectacular sunset or join the fireside concert.

Discover Ayurveda Solo Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Energize your mind, body, and spirit with morning yoga or meditation class.
  • Savor a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
  • Self-reflect as you leisurely walk our beautiful labyrinth.
  • Rest, replenish and rejuvenate with Abhyanga therapy—a detoxifying warm oil Ayurveda massage that incorporates warm, aromatic oils, rhythmically massaged into your body, cleansing, relaxing, and re-energizing the body and mind.

AFTERNOON

  • Grab some delicious chai and relax in our cafe or take in the majestic views on our deck.
  • Plan your afternoon over a nourishing lunch.
  • Connect with nature while hiking or walking one of our many breathtaking mountain trails.
  • Return to the spa for a Basti session to rejuvenate your joints! Stiff joints are bathed in warm medicated oil and massaged to deepen the therapeutic effects that increase lubrication and promote smooth flexibility and mobility.

EVENING

  • Get creative and have fun in our painting studio or kitchen.
  • Refuel your body with a tasty and healthy dinner.

Rejuvenating Bliss Solo Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Gaze at the sunrise while filling your lungs with fresh mountain air and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.
  • Sow a new level of calm and balance into your life with a Yoga or meditation class.
  • Enjoy a delicious whole-foods breakfast.
  • Cleanse your soul with a leisurely walk on one of our beautiful nature trails.

AFTERNOON

  • Nourish your body with a healthy and nutritious lunch.
  • Make a new memory with a cooking, painting, or pottery* class (*additional cost).
  • Choose from the widest selection of Ayurvedic therapies in the US for whole-body nourishment and renewal and let our professional therapists do all the work while you relax and rejuvenate.
  • Unwind in the steam room.

EVENING

  • Stop by our bookstore and explore our collection of new and classic self-care and spiritual resources.
  • Grab a fresh, calming herbal tea and curl up with a good book in your cozy room.

Mother-Daughter Wellness Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Plan your special day over a delicious whole-foods breakfast.
  • Retreat into relaxation with a mother-daughter spa treatment. Choose from a warm oil massage, energizing facial, or rejuvenating Netra Tarpana treatment and let our professional therapists pamper you. (Additional spa treatments available here.)
  • Recharge in the steam room.

AFTERNOON

  • Enjoy a decadent Mexican hot chocolate and reminisce in our cozy cafe.
  • Browse our shop for crystals, jewelry, scarves, and more.
  • Mingle with like-minded visitors over lunch in the Dining Hall.
  • Explore our captivating campus or head out on one of our guided mountain trail hikes.
  • Cook up something new together in our Ayurveda cooking class.
  • Self-reflect as you leisurely walk our beautiful labyrinth.

EVENING

  • Feed your body with a healthy dinner.
  • Take in the spectacular sunset or join the fireside concert.

Girlfriends Wellness Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING
  • Energize your mind, body, and spirit together with morning yoga or meditation class.
  • Catch up over a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
  • Connect with nature and reminisce while hiking one of our many mountain trails.
AFTERNOON
  • Plan your afternoon over a nourishing lunch.
  • De-stress with a girlfriends spa treatment, like our relaxing signature massage, hydrating facial, or energizing Marma session, and let our therapists work their magic. (Additional spa treatments available here.)
  • Get creative and have fun in our painting studio or Ayurveda food kitchen.
  • Grab some delicious chai and relax in our cafe or take in the majestic views on our deck.
EVENING
  • Plenty of time for bonding during a dinner.
  • Visit our shop and grab some souvenirs, rejuvenating herbal supplements, and restorative health products from Shankara’s all-natural beauty line.
  • Dance and sing at Kirtan.

Couples Wellness Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Gaze at the sunrise while filling your lungs with fresh mountain air and reminisce on the moments that connected you.
  • Bring a new level of calm and balance to your relationship with a Yoga or Meditation class.
  • Enjoy a delicious whole-foods breakfast together.
  • Walk or hike one of our beautiful nature trails and reconnect with each other, nature, and oneself.

AFTERNOON

  • Share a healthy and nutritious lunch.
  • Make a new memory by taking a workshop or educational class, or create a new experience together with a pottery*, watercolor painting, or cooking class (*additional cost).
  • Reduce tension and stress with a couple’s or individual Ayurveda spa treatment. Choose from the widest selection of Ayurvedic therapies in the US for whole-body nourishment and renewal.
  • Unwind in the steam room together.

EVENING

  • Stop by our bookstore and explore our collection of self-care and spiritual resources or spend time reading in the cafe.

Small Group Inquiry Request

Note: You will receive an email confirming our receipt of your inquiry.

Our peak season runs April–November, so space fills up quickly during that time.