A place dedicated to practice and mindfulness
Pian dei Ciliegi is a Vipassana meditation center immersed in the natural surroundings of the Piacenza hills. A place for practice, silence and sharing, where you can deepen your meditation through retreats and meetings guided by Italian and international teachers.
Free online meetings
Throughout the year, Pian dei Ciliegi offers online meetings open to everyone: opportunities to meditate together, listen to teachings and deepen the practice of the Dhamma.
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Everything you need to know about retreats
Clear answers to the most frequently asked questions to help you take part in meditation retreats with awareness and peace of mind.
Is a retreat suitable for everyone, or are there situations in which it is not recommended?
A meditation retreat certainly offers great benefits, as it encourages the development of moment-to-moment awareness throughout the days of practice.
However, this training requires sustained practice and a certain degree of psychological stability. Therefore, if you have recently experienced a traumatic event, have been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, or are experiencing severe depression or anxiety, this may not be the best time to attend a retreat.
An intensive meditation retreat requires psychological balance and resilience; therefore, we invite you to keep these aspects in mind before registering for a retreat. If you are under the care of a mental health professional, it is advisable to discuss this with them.
You can also contact us at info@piandeiciliegi.it and get in touch with the meditation teacher to make sure that the retreat conditions are suitable for you at this time in your life.
Tinnitus: We would also like to point out to those who suffer from tinnitus that the condition may become more noticeable in the quiet environment of the retreat and the center. Please keep this in mind if you decide to register. To sleep more comfortably, we suggest bringing white noise headphones.
What should I bring?
- Comfortable clothing
- Enough changes of clothes to cover at least 10 days of your stay
- Bed sheets or a sleeping bag, and a pillowcase (the Center provides them for 5 euros)
- Towel
- Personal hygiene items
- Any necessary medication
- Meditation cushion or bench (the Center has meditation cushions if you do not have your own). Individual mats are provided in the meditation hall.
- Indoor slippers
- Notebook and pen
- Umbrella for rainy periods
- Digital or otherwise silent watch (optional)
- Flashlight for moving around outdoors early in the morning or in the evening (optional)
- Earplugs (optional)
- Insect repellent for the summer (optional)
*For longer retreats, it is possible to use the Center’s washing machine for a contribution of 5 euros per wash
What is a typical day like?
This is an example of the daily schedule. Depending on the teachers, this schedule may vary; wake-up time may be at 4 instead of 5 (very rarely), the day may end at 9 p.m. instead of 10 p.m., and meal times, the Dhamma talk and evening meditation sessions may also vary.
We recommend that practitioners follow the schedule as closely as possible, to facilitate the development of mindfulness and concentration, but of course everyone will be free to manage their own practice – within certain limits – so that they can feel comfortable.
5.00-6.00 WAKE-UP and WALKING MEDITATION
6.00-7.00 SITTING MEDITATION
7.00-8.00 BREAKFAST
8.00-9.00 WORK and WALKING MEDITATION
9.00-10.00 SITTING MEDITATION
10.00-11.00 WALKING MEDITATION
11.00-12.00 SITTING MEDITATION
12.00-13.30 LUNCH and REST
13.30-14.00 WALKING MEDITATION
14.00-15.00 SITTING MEDITATION
15-00-16.00 WALKING MEDITATION
16.00-17.00 SITTING MEDITATION
17.00-18.00 TEA BREAK/WALKING MEDITATION
18.00-19.00 SITTING MEDITATION
19.00-19.30 WALKING MEDITATION
19.30-20.30 DHAMMA TALK
20.30-21.00 WALKING MEDITATION
21.00-22.00 METTA PRACTICE OR OTHER CONTEMPLATIONS
22.00-5.00 REST
How can I get to Pian dei Ciliegi?
The Association’s headquarters is a former hotel situated in Bulla di Monte Santo (Ponte Dell’Olio, PC) at the foot of Monte Santo, a place steeped in history, nestled amongst oak woods at 600 metres above sea level.
The natural surroundings ensure peace and quiet, as well as clean, healthy air. From Monte Santo, the hills rise, following a succession of minor valleys, up to the Apennine ridge, offering numerous routes of natural and scenic interest.