Dates
Jan 29–31, 2027
Location
Bloom Holistic Retreat · Kingston, ON
Group size
34 people
Included
All meals
A quiet weekend on the water, an hour past the noise.
Bloom Holistic Retreat sits on the lake just outside Kingston, Ontario: cedar-shingle lodge, wide windows, water in every direction. For three days at the end of January, it becomes an Open Space retreat: phones in a box, no agenda to perform, and a held rhythm of sitting, walking, rest and real food.
You arrive Friday evening and leave Sunday around midday lighter, sharper, and reconnected to what matters. Below is the space you'll be sitting in.
The space you'll be sitting in. Tap any photo to see it larger.
The meditation hall
The living room
The dining hall
The food
The rooms
The lounge
Investment
What it costs
Every option includes your room, all meals, the sauna, and all yoga and meditation. The only difference is how the room is set up and how much privacy you want. Prices in CAD.
Bunk · limited to 8
$1,200
per person
A shared room with four single beds and its own bathroom. You're rooming with three others. Best value, and a great choice for first-timers.
Shared room · most spots
$1,400
per person
Your own bed in a room for two, with a private bathroom in the room. Coming solo? I'll pair you with a same-gender roommate. Coming as a couple? Take the room together as a king bed, same per-person price.
Private room · only 3
$2,600
total
The whole room and private bathroom to yourself, no roommate.
Early bird: $150 off any room, first 10 bookings only.
A $500 deposit reserves your spot and applies to your total. I'll email the balance details once you're booked.
Only 34 spots, and early-bird pricing ends at the first 10 bookings. Once they're gone, they're gone.
Reserve your spot · $500 depositIntention
Why we sit
Starting to meditate, or doing a meditation retreat, can feel intimidating or unrealistic alongside work. This retreat is a gentle introduction, offering many of the same benefits in a shorter, more accessible format.
It will also include some traditional yoga practices to complement and elevate your meditation practice. My intention is for everyone to leave feeling light, clear, and refreshed.
"We shape clay into a pot, but it's the empty space inside that makes it useful."
Schedule
The shape of the weekend
All times are approximate. We follow rhythm, not a clock.
Day one
Friday
Day two · silent through the afternoon
Saturday
Day three
Sunday
From past retreats
What people say
There comes a point in your career where the quality of your decision-making matters more than brute effort. This weekend gave me the clarity and space to make the biggest decisions in my business.
Having the space for your brain to just process things allowed me to work through so many different thoughts. It was really awesome, and actually very productive.
I'm always go-go-go in my business. Being able to step back, get some space and clarity, and connect with everyone here was incredible. I highly recommend it.
The practice
Noble silence
Noble silence means staying quiet, not only from talking, but from the constant signalling of a normal day: no messaging, no small talk, no performing for the room. It's a long-standing practice in traditional meditation retreats, used to recreate the conditions of solitude and give the mind room to approach stillness.
That stillness is where clarity, calm, and the kind of breakthroughs that never surface in a busy week tend to appear. Holding silence alongside other people is the powerful part: you get the depth of real solitude while still being supported by the group around you.
Your host
Benn Van Ryn
Benn sold his construction business to follow a simpler calling: helping busy people reconnect with themselves. He did his first Vipassana at nineteen, and now teaches mindfulness across North America through retreats built for high performers.
Nourishment
Meals & food
All meals are vegetarian and close to sattvic, a term from Ayurveda for foods traditionally chosen to support clarity of mind, calm energy, and easier digestion. Simple, nourishing cooking that doesn't overstimulate the nervous system, supportive fuel rather than indulgence.
Book your spot
Reserve your spot
Spots are limited to 34 and early-bird pricing is capped at the first 10 bookings. Your $500 deposit holds your place and comes off your total.
A quick note: I'm on my own silent retreat until late September, so replies may be slow. Everything you need is on this page, and your spot is secure the moment you book.
Not ready to book?
Leave your details and I'll follow up personally when a spot opens or the next retreat goes live.
Questions? Email benn@openspaceretreats.com. Replies may be slow while I'm on retreat until late September.
Questions
Good to know
What is the silence actually like?
About 18 hours of noble silence, from Friday night after dinner through to Saturday afternoon. You set down talking, messaging, and performing, and there's a gentle rhythm of meditation, yoga, walking, rest, and real food alongside the group, so you get the depth of solitude while still feeling supported. Phones and tech go away for the whole three-day weekend, so the container around the silence stays quiet too.
Do I need any experience?
None. It's built as a gentle introduction and still gives experienced meditators room to go deeper.
What's included in the price?
Your room, all meals, the sauna, and all yoga and meditation. You just get yourself to Bloom, near Kingston.
Can you handle dietary needs?
Yes. All meals are vegetarian and simple. Send your restrictions when you book and they'll be accommodated.
What's the deposit and refund policy?
A $500 CAD deposit reserves your spot and applies to your total. It's refundable until Nov 29, 2026, sixty days before the retreat. After that it's transferable to someone you send in your place.