Newsletter Níjar, May Edition 2025
Cari amici,
As you may have heard the whole of Spain and Portugal had lost power for about ten hours straight. An historical event that for some people appeared as a disaster but that also gave rise to some remarkable experiences. Suddenly the wheel stopped turning, creative solutions had to be found and people needed to take care of each other. Here, in the Garden, emergency back-up systems came in handy for watering the garden and providing an alternative way of cooking. In the evening candles came out and decorated the rooms with a cosy atmosphere.
In the city of Almería a kind of intimacy occurred that probably was more normal in the early days, before the abundant availability of electricity. Suddenly people walked more straight and were more present in the streets since nobody was able to use their mobile phone or computer for a while. A tangible field of contact had revived city life and coloured the atmosphere. In the night we looked up and were impressed by the mind dazzling millions of stars that emerged in the sky. Amazing to realise that they are always there although normally they are mostly invisible, veiled by the lanterns in the streets and beyond the reach of our habitual gaze at all kinds of screens. I wonder how it was in the days that the stars told us night after night that we are living in a vast and unknowable cosmos. It is known that the Stoics made a good habit of watching the sun rise at the beginning of the day and to see it sink behind the horizon again at the end of it, just to remember that.
The power outage emerged around noon during the fourth day of a Nâm Silence Retreat. In contrast to the turmoil that it caused throughout many parts the Iberian Peninsula, nothing really changed here for the participants. Luckily we were somewhat prepared and the staff was able to set up the most necessary alternative facilities; cooking on gas, providing light by candles and watering the garden by using a generator to power the pump. It showed very concrete that being in a state of retreat indeed provides a very different experience. For the guests that already had been silent and meditating for three days the vast and beautiful starry night resonated as the face of an unknowable wide yet intimate Beyond.
In this months journal we share with you a diverse palet of guest experiences.
The first impression was written by Peter:
A Journey into Nâm
This past April, I traveled to the Garden of Nâm for a Silence Retreat—a journey I had meant to take a year earlier, but life had other plans. When the opportunity finally came, I stepped into it quietly, with no expectations, no research, no need to know more than I already did.
It was my girlfriend who first told me about Nâm. She had been to the Garden in Níjar several times before. But I didn’t want the details—I wanted to arrive blank, open, untouched by anyone else’s story.
Arrival
My daughter brought me to the airport. I flew, landed, and was warmly met by Hubertus. (There was a lesson in that very first encounter—if you ever meet Hubertus, ask him.)
Then the garden. The moment I stepped into it, I felt it—an embrace. Warmth, love, presence. Not just from the people, but from the place itself.
On the first day, the program was gently introduced, and I met the other guests—seven of us in total. No pressure, no obligations. Just the invitation to be, and if we wished, to help out with small daily tasks: cooking, cleaning, tending the garden.
I chose to build a few cabinets by hand—no power tools, just simple tools and quiet focus. Whenever there was space, I worked. It grounded me. It was perfect.
The Practice of Silence
I have little experience with meditation. I had no idea what to expect.
But the first meditation of the day with Yoginâm was extremely refined and very special. And then came the second one, with Human on the drum. Something beautiful happened, something shifted. Tears streamed down my face. I remember thinking, There are still 23 meditations to go… what more will happen? And so it did: Visions. Feelings. Insights. One more time, I cried – Deeply touched
It is difficult to put into words what happens in those silences. I can only speak for myself—but I would recommend this retreat to anyone with even a sliver of openness.
The Garden as Teacher
And then—there is the garden. Every morning began there. Every meditation ended there. It became my walking meditation—my own Kin Hin. Each day, the garden revealed something new. It felt alive, responsive, quietly generous.
The departure that wasn’t
I stayed one more day after the retreat ended. Then I flew home. And as we landed in the Netherlands, I realised: I didn’t want to get off the plane.
I wanted to turn around and go straight back to the Garden of Nâm
With love,
P.
The second impression shows an inspiration that Grant had during the fourth day of Silence. Right after a meditation he went straight to his room to make notes and kept writing a list of keywords that came to mind. Later he asked Chat GPT to help him to shape it into two daily reminders to take home. He specifically asked to orchestrate the words into prayers with depth and meaning. Here is one of them:
The third impression was written by Daantje, the daughter of one of the participants.
Daantje arrived during the third day of silence of the retreat and had to wait speaking with her mother for 2 more days. In the meantime she went her own way, exploring the surroundings and enjoying the serenity of the Garden:
Finding Stillness in the Garden of Nâm
Last week, I spent a few days at ‘The Garden of Nâm’ in Níjar with my mother, looking for a bit of time away together. Apart from a few stories, I didn’t know much about this place before our visit. When I arrived, my mother was already participating in a Silence Retreat for a few days.
During my stay, I was deeply impressed and genuinely surprised by the beauty of this area. Beyond its stunning location nestled in the mountains, The Garden of Nâm radiates a unique sense of peace and warmth. The garden is lovingly tended to each day, the meals were delicious, and everyone who lives there contributes in their own way to keep the place thriving. I felt incredibly welcomed and was amazed at how thoughtfully everything had been put together.
Though I didn’t join the meditations or the retreat sessions, I still found a deep sense of calm during my stay. I left my everyday worries behind for the week, spending most of my time reading, hiking, and capturing the breathtaking landscapes with my camera. I especially loved sitting in the garden’s pavilion, with its stunning view of the surrounding mountains and a perfect vantage point over the lush grounds. It quickly became my favorite spot.
As a busy teenager, finding this kind of peace isn’t always easy for me. During the two days of silence, I initially struggled. I found it confronting to be alone with my thoughts, without anyone to share them with. But by the end of day two, when the silence was lifted, I realized just how much I had needed this time to turn inward. In the days that followed, I felt lighter in a way I hadn’t expected. I even found myself overwhelmed at times by all the talking once the silence had ended.
In a short time, I came to feel at home in this special place, and I truly hope to return someday soon.
Below are a few of the photos I captured during my stay.
The final impression is yet without words. Adam has participated in many Silence Retreats before. Upon departure he expressed the intent to bring the Nâm Silence Retreats to his Island. He may write a few lines later when he has returned to Australia. After the retreat Adam went for an extensive walk through the mountains up to Huebro. Huebro is the town from where we get our fresh and natural spring water. As a conclusion of this months Journal we share a nice time-lapse that gives a good taste of the surrounding space and the beauty that he has found.
We hope that you have enjoyed these diverse impressions of last months living in the Garden of Nâm. Next month we will be looking back on the current Zhineng QiGong Retreat with Wabke & the upcoming Shamanic Retreats with Anna Montis and visitors from Sardinia.
Did you know:
- That chameleons can be found on the beaches of Cabo de Gata?
- That by far most of these beaches are untouched by commercial activities?
- That we finally cleaned a big pile of old material with Galician precision?
- That the new rooms have become very beautiful and can now be found and booked on the website? On a clear day one can even spot the mediterranean sea from the window!
- That Shahla, a new long stay resident, has come to live with us? And that Ullie, a new caretaker, has joined us too. Welcome to the Garden of Nâm!
- That thyme, sage, rosemary and oregano are richly growing and that malva, elder, pomegranate, the olives, several cacti and roses are abundantly blooming and that also the carob, medlar, artichoke and mulberry are doing very well?
Saludos cordiales 🙏🏽
