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playing with silence

silent retreat weekend in the dutch countryside

NEW DATES: Friday, July 25th - Monday, July 28th, 2025

Herpen, The Netherlands

This was playing with silence winter 2024:

The first-ever edition ✹ November, 2024 ✹ Herpen, NL

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testimonials

Playing with Silence is an opportunity to say yes to something you rarely get to be a part of; a profound escape from reality. An invitation to play I'd suggest you accept. 

 

Seven strangers, myself included, bonded without words. Through conscious play, incredible homemade meals, crafts, and intense meditation sessions, we created real intimacy. The absence of speaking removed preconceived notions and allowed for genuine interaction, it made the reflections on my own year, much more potent. Silent, but not solitairy. 

Lily's bravery and artistry in creating this retreat elevated the weekend to a level I wasn't expecting.

 

Being part of the first edition, so personal and intimate should have been intimidating. After all, I only knew Lily from LinkedIn. Yet there was more than enough space to make my own decisions, and take what I needed. 

 

Lily drew from experiences and theories from her own path as an artist and designer. There's a reason behind every choice she made and where it consciously differs from a 'normal’ silent retreat. Which is why you are allowed to ask out-loud for the cheese during breakfast, and why there's a special ritual for entering into the silence. 

 

All these ingredients turned the retreat into a powerful weekend next to the woods in Oss that will forever impact my work as an experience designer. 

Tom Goulooze

Experience Designer & Facilitator 

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Endless slow, silly, summer days to discover the inner magic that arises while "doing nothing"
together

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playing with silence

retreat at a glance:

  • Two-and-a-half days of digital detox, collective silence, meditation, and creative (outdoor) experiences to feel more alive​

  • Friday, July 25th - Monday, July 28th, 2025. Arrival Friday evening at 17:30, departure Monday morning at 10:00

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  • Small, intimate group of 6 participants, led by two facilitators, Lily Higgins & Jennifer Kumer. Home cooking by Lily's husband, Tiemen

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  • Hosted in a cozy A-frame cabin (with a sauna) in the forested Maashorst Nature Reserve, near Herpen, NL

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  • Reachable in 2 hours or less by train & car from major Dutch cities. Pick-up available from Oss train station.​​​​

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OUR MAGICAL LOCATION

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About the retreat location: Bosburcht, Herpen NL

Bosburcht is a unique, A-frame cabin offering absolute tranquility and comfort in the forest. Tucked away at the end of a long driveway, this beautifully designed house can accommodate up to 10 people.

 

Enjoy direct access to walking paths in De Maashorst— a stunning natural reserve filled with forests, dunes, heathland, and wildlife.

 

The house features amenities including:

  • A wellness area in a separate building next to the main house, including a spacious sauna, Turkish steam room, and massage shower.

  • A large, private yard around the house for playing and relaxing

  • A covered and heated terrace with a fireplace for cozy evenings

  • A nearby lake for swimming in the Maashorst nature reserve

The Investment:
 Pricing & Accommodation Options (Summer 2025)

Bosburcht is an intimate venue, where all rooms are shared with one other person. The pricing below is all-inclusive for the whole retreat experience.

We'll send out a questionnaire about your sleeping preferences to make comfortable room matches. You're also very welcome to come with a friend or partner. These are the available rooms:​

4 of 7 TOTAL SPOTS AVAILABLE

SINGLE BED IN A 2-PERSON ROOM

  • Early Bird: €585 (+21% VAT) p.p.

DOUBLE BED IN A PRIVATE ROOM

  • Early Bird:  €585 (+VAT) p.p., if shared by a couple or two friends

SINGLE BED IN A 3-PERSON ROOM

  • Early Bird:  €565 (+VAT) p.p.

EARLY BEE 🐝

UNTIL MAY 16!

FULL PRICE:

€645

What's Included

  • Accommodation in the Bosburcht forest house for 3 nights

  • All retreat activities, including meditations, nature walks, creative experiences and of course tonssss of free play

  • All meals: We'll provide 3 vegetarian / vegan-friendly meals per day (you can share additional dietary needs in a form after you book)

  • Plenty of snacks, coffee, and tea available during the day

  • Unlimited access to on-site wellness facilities: Sauna, Turkish steam room, and massage shower

  • Round-trip transportation from and to Oss train station (within arranged timeslots) / Free parking on site at Bosburcht

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WHAT TO EXPECT

A different kind of silent retreat

Forget the image you have of a strict, somber, and solitary silent retreat. Playing with Silence will be a playful and communal experience. 

This is in contrast with Vipassana-style retreats (10 days, waking up at 4am, no reading, writing, etc). Playing with Silence is a great experience for folks who have never spent an extended period in silence but are curious about what it can unlock. 

We will follow a day-rhythm together, to give some structure to the silence.

 

We'll share meals, 2 meditations per day, optional silent activities, and plenty of free, self-directed time. You're more than welcome to read, write, draw, use the sauna and steam room, knit, go on walks, nap in the grass, swim in the lake, or whatever you like. 

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On Friday evening, upon arrival, there will be a festive dinner to get to know each other and voice our intentions for the weekend. Then, we'll enter the silence through an embodied experience ritual.

Saturday and Sunday will be fully silent days, which will begin with morning meditations at 8:15am.

 

On Sunday at sunset, we'll break the silence with a sharing circle. 

Monday morning we'll close the retreat, tidy up the house together, and depart Bosburcht by 10am.

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Booking your spot

Would you like to join us? We'd love to have you at the second edition of Playing with Silence!

To reserve your spot, you can send an email to lily@theinterventionbureau.com with your room preference.

Please include your billing information and I'll send you an invoice for the full amount of the retreat. 

Your spot is reserved upon receipt of payment. 

If you need to cancel, you may do so up until Friday, June 6th to receive a 95% refund of the full amount. 

If you cancel after June 6th, we are not able to offer a refund. However, you may transfer your spot to a friend without charge.

If you have any questions or doubts, don't hesitate to send me, Lily, an email!

〰  let the silence speak 〰

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playing with silence

Friday, July 25th - Monday, July 28th, 2025

Herpen, The Netherlands

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