We frequently receive the question what the Monastery is and how it is connected to life in the Guesthouse.

The Níjar Monastery Guesthouse aims to be a place where one can explore the nature of Silence in different intensities. That goes for its guests and also for its residents. Indeed we share in communal living but it is also part of our daily routine to respect each others solitude and silence.

Silence is much more than the absence of noise. As Yoginâm recently wrote: “There is a silence, a silence that has always been, a silence that we unconsciously know.” This Silence, in its permanence, is always and already there.

However, it is in the noise of living that most people search for their individuality. Silence is often avoided and remains hidden by ongoing chatter, background music or ongoing thinking in an inner dialogue. Nevertheless, it is in Silence that we come closer to our true nature. It is in Silence that we are truly able to listen.

Touched by Silence
In Nâm Monastic Living Silence plays a central role. The monks have freed themselves from the demands, bonds and programs of ordinary living. Together with Yoginâm they carry the pure spiritual endeavour. By doing so they serve Life and continue the ancient mystical way. This creates a unique opportunity.

Nowadays we emphasise the importance of material and mental goods and miss the cultivation of a spiritual life. But in order to live in harmony the latter is equally important. To cultivate the allowance of Silence is a necessary step to take. To that the Níjar Monastery Guesthouse offers a door.

Entering the Guesthouse is like entering a different realm where, at the gate, you leave the way of the world for a short or longer period behind. Of course life goes on but priorities differ. For the residents taking care of the garden, buildings, household and the guests is a way of taking care of life itself. For the guests there is the opportunity to shift their attention away from the things that normally occupy their world and make space for what lies beyond the habitual self. They allow themselves to be touched by Silence, while the staff takes care of the practical needs.

In the meantime: figs are abundantly harvested and dried; the land is prepared for new crops and seedlings are being planted; the citrus fruits are well on their promising way; a rich olive harvest is announcing itself; pomegranates, appels and different kinds of peppers are colouring the garden; a rainstorm has unexpectedly quenched the thirsty land and decorated it with the colours of the rainbow and, last but not least; Jasmine flowers once again enchant our evenings with their wonderful smell.