Nâm Retreat, the Quran and Meaningful Living

Nâm Retreat of Silence

Sitting silently
Doing nothing
Rain falls
And the grass grows by itself

Zen-poem

Beginning on 28 December, the Nâm Retreat of Silence will take us into the new year. Through a daily rhythm of meditations and silence, the retreat offers space to pause and reconnect with the essence of being. Unique techniques are used to guide the participants into meditative states. As the days pass, the gentle rhythm of the breath anchors you in the present; thoughts settle, and the inner space of silence deepens. A daily online HarpMood with Yoginâm in Spain significantly enriches the retreat. The sounds in the HarpMood reflect the state of those present. Through tuning the harp in different moods, Yoginâm guides the retreat in such a way that hidden barriers can surface and dissolve. The Asharum provides a safe environment to support this transformative process.

As the Nâm Retreat of Silence at the end of this year is fully booked, we are very happy to welcome you for the next retreat in April. If taking part in the Nâm Retreat feels like too big a step you might consider one of our Weekends of Silence instead. The next Weekend of Silence begins on 30 January.

A Nâm Selection from the Quran

Last month a new book by Yoginâm was published: “A Nâm selection from the Quran”. The front cover is modest, white and simple like with most of the other books. When opening the book the beautiful and intriguing Arabic script immediately captures your attention.

The introduction begins:

Although I was living in an islamic environment and shared in its customs, I had only glanced superficially at some translations of the Quran. I was not really caught by it. It is only now, when I finally decided to make an effort and read the Quran in Arabic, that I discover a very different book. Both clear and ambivalent, both ordered and seemingly incoherent. I discovered a richness in meaning that is often lost in translation.

Struck by how close the text is to Nâm, Yoginâm explains how he began to make some notes on these correspondences.

Gradually it turned round and I found in the Arabic text of the Quran a beautiful way to explain Nâm and the Ethics of Nâm.

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Thenewly published book has a way of its own. Lying open on the floor, the electrician saw it when he made his round through the house. Pleasantly surprised by the familiarity in relation to his Arabic background he asked: ‘Are you reading Arabic?’ After a brief explanation his curiosity grew and he began reading the Arabic text with the translation underneath. “Yes, that is correct” he commented. He then started reading the longer quotation above the other; “No that is not right,” he said. But not entirely sure of his own judgement, he took his phone and looked it up, “Yes, indeed, it is correct”

“A Nâm Selection from the Quran” is now available for online order.

Meaningful Living

This course explores a particular perspective on life, using meditation, imagination and contemplation. A central challenge in this journey is the aspect of letting go of preconceived ideas and a strong identification with the self, in order to attune to something beyond - an unknowable reality that cannot be grasped by the mind. As Yoginâm explains,

Attuning in the first place involves a humility; a readiness to listen and discover. It also involves not imposing your programmes on everything. They are the obstacles that make you deaf and blind. Attuning is an all-in transformation: ultimately a transformation into Abbah.

Yoginâm, "A Nâm selection from the Quran’, 2025

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Despite its structured programme, each course develops a character of its own. Last month, we had a small group of five participants, with whom we ventured into largely unfamiliar territory.
The differences in experience were clearly felt, ranging from someone with deep life and spiritual experience to another for whom everything was entirely new, with others in between. It was beautiful to see how these differences complemented one another.
Naturally, each participant faced their own challenges. For the person who had been exploring spirituality through Taoism and Zen Buddhism, the challenge was to remain open and not fall into the habitual comparison with what he had learned before, concluding, “I already know this.” Such an attitude can easily close a door rather than open one. Given how difficult it is to let go of one’s own ideas, there was deep respect for the way he navigated this challenge.
By contrast, for the participant to whom everything was new, openness came more easily. With nothing to measure against, there was simply an invitation to engage with the material, unburdened by preconceived ideas.
The process unfolded harmoniously, showing how people at different stages of life can enrich one another.

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Thank you very much! I really needed this, and you have taught me a lot once again. It was important to me.

Participant of Meaningful Living

If you have serious questions about life, and the idea of gradually letting go of your personal story resonates with you, you are welcome to join the next course in February.

Visitors in November

The visitors who came to the Asharum in November were relatively young—a fact they themselves noticed.

One guest said he had been surprised by the low average age; he had expected to be one of the youngest. The place, and the drum as part of the meditation, brought him a deep sense of peace—something he had not expected to experience so quickly.