5-Day Mindful Self-Compassion Silent Retreat
Explore how self-compassion brings more curiosity, warmth, and courage into your inner world, and your external relationships.
- 22 - 26 April, 2026
- Miri Piri Retreat Center, Italy
- Helle Laursen & Laura Bassi
- 825,- (ex. accomodation)
Deepening and nurturing relationships through self-compassion
The theme of this Self-Compassion silent retreat is our relationships, with ourselves and with others. Together we will explore how self-compassion can bring more curiosity, warmth, and courage into our inner world, while also supporting us in nurturing and sustaining our external relationships.
Through silence, meditation, gentle movement, mindful presence, and brief morning topics, we will create the conditions to reconnect more deeply with life and with those around you.
Why a silent retreat?
A silent retreat is a way to nourish your personal meditation practice and deepen your informal self-compassion practices.
It is life-enhancing for everyone who attends, and particularly important for those who work with acceptance-based teaching or interventions.
Silent retreats offer long-term benefits and a way to be in community with other human beings.
All guidance will be done in English, with possibility of translation to Italian if needed.
What to expect?
The program starts on the first evening (April 22, 5 pm). The following days, we will follow a program from 8 am to 9 pm every day.
You can expect various practices, like meditations, walks in nature, reflections, gentle movements, mindful presence, and short topics to set the tone and the inner work for the day.
The program alternates between group practices and time to reflect and practice on your own. A typical day program will be available later.
Cultivate grounded self-compassion, deepen your connection to nature, and experience the transformative power of silence in community.
Practical details
What's the agenda?
- Wednesday April 22, 2026: Arrival between 2 – 5 pm, program from 5 – 9 pm.
- April 23 – 25, 2026: Program from 8 am – 9 pm every day.
- Sunday April 26, 2026: The program ends at 1 pm
Who is this silent reatreat for?
- For people who want to deepen their self-compassion practice, with attention to how it works in relationship with others.
- For anyone who wants to train as a teacher in MSC, MBSR or similar programs.
- For graduates of MSC, MBSR or similar courses who want to strengthen their own practice, without the intention to teach.
- For people who already teach these programs and want to deepen their personal practice in a restorative setting.
This is Miri Piri Retreat Center
The retreat takes place at Miri Piri Retreat Center, a beautifully restored rural hamlet in Northern Italy, just one hour from the Milan Linate airport.
Miri Piri is the only seminar house in Italy built with ecological principles of bio-architecture. Surrounded by 13 hectares of forests and meadows, far from traffic and noise, it provides an ideal environment for silence and inner exploration. Meet Miri Piri here.
The vegetarian and vegan cuisine is lovingly prepared with organic, locally sourced ingredients, including spring water, homemade bread, and desserts.
What's the investment?
- Early bird: € 675,- (sold out)
- Ordinary: € 825,- (limited spots available)
Price of the accomodation:
- Shared room (2 or 3 beds): € 100,- per day
- Single room: € 130,- per day
About the accomodation
We have Miri Piri Retreat Center for ourselves these days. There are plenty of common spaces, both inside and outside. Some rooms have a shared bathroom.
Accomodation will be paid directly to the retreat center upon arrival. Miri Piri Retreat Center is one hour away from Milano airport. Transport info is available as a PDF.
Meet your teachers
Helle Laursen
Helle Laursen, MA, Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Teacher Trainer and supervisor. Level 2 IFS Practitioner, with a private practice in Denmark, and a special focus on relationships.
Teaches internationally for Center for MSC in USA, for the Self-Compassion Academy in the Netherlands, as well as in China.
Has a special interest and experience in working with caregivers, and teaches in public organizations in Denmark to social workers, and other professional caregivers.
Helle will offer the topic for each day, focusing on the wisdom in self-compassion and IFS, when it comes to navigating caregiver situations.
Laura Bassi
Laura Bassi, OMPT, Certified Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Teacher and Teacher Trainer. Coordinates the Italian community of MSC teachers.
Teaches MSC internationally in collaboration with the Center for MSC (USA) and Self-Compassion Academy (Netherlands).
Clinical physiotherapist, specialized in Orthopedic Manipulative Therapy and pelvic floor rehabilitation, with a private practice in Italy. Creator of “FisioCamera,” a project of educational graphics and animated videos for patients and physiotherapists.
Laura is our on-the-spot host who, as a true Italian, will manage all practicalities and ensure everything goes smooth and enjoyable. She’ll translate to Italian, if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Why a mindful self-compassion silent retreat?
When a silent retreat is based upon the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program, it focuses on explicitly cultivating inner warmth and wisdom. Many experiences this as a valuable add-on to more mindfulness based silent retreat.
Why a 5-day silent retreat?
This retreat offers not only a unique setting and focus on self-compassion, but also fulfills the requirements for most mindfulness and self-compassion-based Teacher Trainings.
How do I get to Miri Piri Retreat Center?
There will be guidlines available for you soon. Miri Piri is located approximately 1 hr from Mila Airport. Feel free to connect with Laura Bassi with practical questions. Click here
Why is there a theme for the retreat?
During the morning session, there will be a topic of the day. This topic highlights aspects of self-compassion practices that focus on relationships. The topic will offer food for thought that you can reflect upon in your practices during the day.
Our experience is that the combination of silence, meditation, nature, a safe space, and relevant topics to reflect upon sets the foundation for some deeply nourishing days.
What is the schedule for the days?
There will be a more detailed schedule available later, but the days will alternate between seated practices, gentle movement, walks in nature, and eating together in silence. There will be clear guidance for how to spend the days, and plenty of time to do practices together as well as on your own at certain times.
Accomodation will be paid seperately
Your registration is confirmed upon payment of the registration fee. When paying the fee, you are accepting the terms, and you are commiting to paying the accomodation fee upon arrival. The cost of accomodation is:
€100 per night in a sheared room (2 or 3 persons of same gender)
€130 per night for a single room.
Some rooms have own bathroom, other rooms share bathrooms.
I need a scholarship
Feel free to reach out to us for more information about the scholarships we offer. You can reach us here and book a 15 min online meet-up
What if I need to cancel my participation?
See our terms and conditions here.
For all courses that are offered through Nordic Compassion, and that take place in another country, there is in general, no option for refunds. If any kind of discount has been offered (ie, early bird, scholarship or other) there is no refunds possible. If the normal price of the program has been paid, a 50 % refund will be granted up to 8 weeks before the program starts.
In case of extraordinary unforeseen circumstances (serious illness, bereavement, medical emergencies) that would compromise your ability to participate in the program, if you let us know more than 2 weeks before the program begins, we will be able to refund 25 % of your payment. An administrative fee of €75 will apply.
If you are unable to participate, you are welcome to transfer your registration to another person. This is only possible with explicit written consent from the given teachers on the program, and teachers of the given program can turn down the new applicant if they find the need for that, without giving any explanation. Transferring a registration needs to be final and approved 2 weeks before the program begins.
If there is a waitlist for the program, your registration fee can be refunded if your seat is filled by another from the waitlist.
Refunds always refer to the program/course fee only, and do not include costs such as travel, accommodation, meals, visa fees, or any third-party services. We recommend that you have a travel insurance.
Do I need an insurance?
We highly recommend you have travel insurance in case your participation needs to be cancelled.
Nordic Compassion is not responsible for personal loss, damage, injury, or accidents occurring during a course or retreat.
If you are traveling to join a program, we expect you to have your own health insurance. We are not able to support you in case of an emergency and ensure proper medical treatment if you do not have adequate medical insurance.
When you leave the retreat
You are asked to engage in the retreat schedule. If that is not possible for you, or if other needs come up that may hinder your participation, you are expected to stay in contact with the teachers every day. If you choose to leave the retreat, there will be no reimbursement for your stay.
If the teachers believe it is not supportive for you to stay at the retreat, they will help you adjust the daily schedule ro your needs. If this is not possible, you may need to leave the retreat. The final decision will be made by the teachers.
Frequently asked questions
Mindful Self-Compassion is a training program that is based on scientific research and is accessible to everyone. The program emphasizes the practice of self-compassion and is rooted in mindfulness. MSC equips participants with vital skills and exercises to help them respond to difficult situations and challenging moments with kindness and care towards themselves.
It’s important to note that MSC is not a retreat in the traditional sense, as we encourage sharing experiences as part of the learning process. It’s also not considered psychotherapy. The program is designed to help individuals tap into their inner strength and learn to cope with difficulties, rather than the difficulties themselves being the topic of the conversation. This is also a key difference between MSC and therapy. Participants are expected to take responsibility for how they use these sources of strength to navigate challenging emotions and situations.
The Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program is designed for psychologically stable adults and is open to everyone. Studies have shown that self-compassion can improve emotional and physical resilience and may even act as a preventative measure. The program helps us learn to love ourselves unconditionally when we need it most. This process can be positive and energizing, but it can also be challenging and painful as difficult feelings may arise. The saying, “Love reveals everything but itself” captures this aspect of emotional healing, where feelings like sadness that were previously ignored can now be processed.
Prior experience with mindfulness and meditation is not necessary. However, participants should be comfortable exploring their inner experiences and feelings with their eyes closed. It’s important to note that this training is not suitable for individuals who are currently mentally unwell or under a lot of emotional stress as the intensive format of the training can be emotionally demanding. It also requires good self-reflective skills and the ability to take responsibility for one’s psychological and physical health and well-being.
The Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program was developed in 2010 by two innovative psychologists, Kristin Neff, PhD, and Christopher Germer, PhD. In 2003, Kristin Neff conducted groundbreaking research into self-compassion and its effects. Since 1980, Christopher Germer has been the first to integrate mindfulness and self-compassion into psychotherapy. The training has been further developed and is now offered worldwide on all continents. The effectiveness of the training’s various exercises and components has been extensively researched and provides a sound scientific basis for the training. For more information, please visit self-compassion.org or chrisgermer.com.
The MSC program is a mindfulness-based compassion training program designed to help participants experience self-compassion. The course includeses that can be easily integrated into everyday life. The training comprises education, guided short meditation exercises, reflection exercises, sharing experiences in small groups and large groups, and suggestions for homework. Typically, the training is offered in an 8-week format, only senior MSC teachers can provide the opportunity to experience the full MSC program in a more intensive format.
At the Self-Compassion Academy, our teachers are dedicated to providing a learning environment that is both safe and supportive. To ensure the safety of our participants, we kindly request that you disclose any relevant information about your physical and psychological health during the registration process. In case we find any reason to believe that this training may not be suitable for you, we may contact you post-registration.
If you are dealing with any psychological issues, we advise you not to participate in the intensive MSC program or the 8-week program. Instead, we suggest that you seek individual therapy to work on developing self-compassion. Individual therapy allows for a personalized approach that takes into account your unique needs and vulnerabilities, unlike a group setting.