The Heart Awakening - Metta Meditation Retreat

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The Heart

Awakening

Metta Meditation Retreat · Koh Phangan, Thailand

June 19 – 23, 2026 Koh Phangan, Thailand 12 places only All levels welcome

Remember your center. Come back to your heart.

The world challenges us in many ways: relationships with our loved ones can get tricky, work and finances put more and more pressure, global events are far from peaceful. On top of all of this we have our personal issues, whether they are about our physical health or psychological states.

Under all of this, it's very easy to lose the most important thing — our center. When our attention is constantly drawn to external events and stimulation, we forget our very nature — a kind and loving heart, which abides in stillness and peace.

This retreat is an opportunity for you to remember. Remember that your personal reality starts from your center. Remember how good it feels when you can channel love and kindness. Remember that stillness and peace are the core of your being and nothing external can take them away.

Five days from now, something will be genuinely different. Not because your circumstances changed, but because your relationship with your own mind did.

Metta is the practice of inclining the mind toward love and happiness. And what the mind turns toward consistently, it starts to become. Less angry. Less judgmental toward yourself and others. More compassionate. More connected to your own life.

That doesn't stay on the cushion. It comes home with you.

This retreat is for you if

You are too hard on yourself, on others, or on the world. You want more genuine connection with your partner, your friends, your family, and yourself. You are looking for more peace, or a deeper sense of purpose. Whether you have never meditated before or are an experienced practitioner, you are welcome here as you are.

What is Metta?

Metta is the Pali word for loving-kindness, the wholehearted wish for beings to be happy. Rooted in the Buddhist and Vipassana traditions, loving-kindness meditation is one of the most powerful contemplative practices in the world.

It is also one of the most misunderstood. Metta is not a feeling you wait for. It is a practice you cultivate deliberately, systematically, and with great care.

Modern research confirms what Buddhist teachers have known for centuries: a consistent Metta practice reduces stress, builds compassion, quiets the inner critic, and changes how you relate to yourself and the world around you. Happiness, real and unconditional, is what Metta points toward. And it is already here, waiting to be uncovered.

What we will explore together

Over five days we move through a carefully designed arc. We begin with ourselves. We open toward the people closest to us, and toward those we barely know. We meet the people who have caused us harm. And finally we open toward all beings, so that nothing the external world presents can close our heart. Each day builds on the previous one. You will be guided and supported throughout the retreat.

• Loving-kindness toward yourself — the foundation of everything

• Karuna — compassion for yourself and others

• Anger release — meeting what is difficult with awareness rather than resistance

• Metta in relationships — the people you love and the ones who challenge you

• Mudita — finding joy in the happiness of others

• Universal loving-kindness — expanding the heart beyond boundaries

  
  

The experience includes

Each day is designed to work together. The yoga opens the body, the meditation opens the heart, and the teachings give you a framework to carry both into your life. Nothing here is filler. Every element has a reason.

• Opening cacao ceremony

• Heart-opening yoga every morning

• Sitting and walking Metta meditation

• Dhamma talks and guided meditations

• Private guidance and support available upon request

  
  

What people say

"I came wanting to learn how to love myself and be kind to myself. I left with real skills for how to handle sadness, worry, anger, and relationships. It was transformational for me."

Hala · Israel

"This retreat gave me the practices and tools to cultivate abundance from within. If you're looking for healing or fulfillment from outside yourself, you will always be lacking. Metta changes that."

Jerome · Koh Phangan

"A soft and sweet way of working with your problems — at the same time very, very effective. It helped me see the beauty I already have. I would recommend it to people all around the world."

Sabine · Copenhagen

Video testimonials & reviews →

Your guides

Teaching together since 2021 · 1,000+ practitioners · Koh Phangan

We met here, at Wonderland Healing Center, in 2020. Yoga, meditation, and a shared belief that inner work is the most important work kept drawing us together. We built a life, a practice, and now a retreat from that same place. Bringing you back to Wonderland feels like coming full circle.

David - Metta & Dhamma teacher · Yoga teacher

For twenty years, depression, anxiety, and addiction were David's constant companions. When everything fell apart at once, he didn't rebuild it. He walked away from it. Three thousand kilometres through the Appalachian Mountains, twelve hours a day, a tent and a backpack and his own thoughts. No internet, no distractions, no escape from himself. That walk became the longest meditation retreat of his life. It led him to Vipassana, to years of teaching at a dedicated retreat centre, and eventually to Metta.

He completed 200- and 300-hour yoga teacher trainings and has been teaching daily for five years. He spent nearly four years at Indriya Retreat living, teaching, and managing, during which he sat and assisted numerous Vipassana retreats and led dedicated Metta retreats. At this retreat he will be guiding all Metta sittings, walking meditations, and Dhamma talks.

Kira - Yoga teacher · Somatic practitioner

Kira's first Vipassana retreat showed her something she hadn't known she was missing. Everything happening in her outer world was a reflection of patterns running quietly inside, ones she had never thought to examine. She found that those patterns could be seen, and that what can be seen can be changed. Change what is happening inside, and the outside takes care of itself. That understanding has shaped everything she has taught.

Kira has been teaching yoga since 2013, trained in Russia, China, and India, with deep roots in Hatha, Vinyasa, and Therapeutic Yoga. Her studies in eastern philosophy, Vipassana, Tibetan Buddhism, and somatic therapies bring a rare depth to her teaching. She overcame a serious back injury and now weaves therapeutic approaches into her classes, meeting each student where they are. At this retreat she leads the morning yoga sessions and the evening experiential practices that give the Metta work a home in the body.

Learn more about us →

The venue

Wonderland Healing Center

We fell in love with this place before we even planned a retreat here. The gardens are lush and immaculately kept, the food is genuinely delicious, and the whole team clearly cares about the details. The moment you walk in, it feels like Wonderland.

Learn more about Wonderland →

Investment

Intimate by design - We keep this retreat small. Twelve people. Small enough that everyone is seen, heard, and supported. That is not an accident. It is how real change happens.

Retreat schedule overview

We flow with the group — this is a guide, not a script.

Day 1

Arrival & opening circle

From 4:00 PM · Cacao ceremony · First meditation · Dinner

Day 2

Loving-kindness toward yourself

Yoga · Metta sitting & walking · Dhamma talk · Group sharing

Day 3

Opening toward others

Yoga · Metta for loved ones & neutral people · Yoga Nidra · Group sharing

Day 4

Difficult people & all beings

Yoga · Forgiveness & anger release · Dhamma talk · Group sharing

Day 5

Integration & closing ceremony

Yoga · Final sitting & walking · Dhamma talk · Closing circle by noon

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need meditation experience?

Not at all. This retreat is genuinely suited to both complete beginners and seasoned practitioners. If you have never meditated before, you will be guided clearly through every session from the ground up. If you have an established practice, the structured arc, extended sitting time, and depth of the curriculum will meet you where you are.

What is the difference between Vipassana and Metta meditation?

Vipassana and Metta are often described as two wings of the same bird. Vipassana trains the mind to observe reality as it is. Metta cultivates the heart's natural capacity for warmth, compassion, and care. David's background is in Vipassana, and the Metta practice we teach here grows directly from that foundation. Whether you come with a Vipassana background or no meditation experience at all, you will find this retreat approachable, grounded, and genuinely transformative.

What is included in the price?

All meals, coffee, teas, and herbal drinks throughout the retreat are included. All meals are plant-based and vegan-friendly. Wonderland's kitchen is excellent. Additional items like fresh coconuts, smoothies, and ice cream are available to purchase separately. Pick-up and drop-off at Thong Sala pier is also included.

What should I bring?

Pack as you would for any trip: comfortable clothing for yoga and meditation, personal items, and whatever you need to feel at home. All yoga mats, meditation cushions, and practice supplies are provided. An open heart is the most important thing.

Can I pay in instalments?

Yes. A deposit of €100 is due at the time of booking to secure your place. Payment plans are available — just ask us. To keep your early bird price, the final balance must be paid at least two weeks before the retreat begins. European guests can pay via SEPA bank transfer with no fees.

What time is check-in and check-out?

Check-in is from 2:00 PM on June 19, though you are welcome to arrive earlier and join us for lunch. The programme begins at 4:00 PM. On June 23, the closing circle ends by noon.

Is transport from the ferry included?

Yes. We offer pick-up and drop-off at Thong Sala pier. Just let us know your arrival and departure times when you register.

How do I get to Koh Phangan from abroad?

Fly into Koh Samui Airport (USM) — the closest option, with direct connections from Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur — or Surat Thani Airport (URT) on the mainland. From either airport you take a short ferry to the island. The ferry from Koh Samui takes around 20 minutes; from Surat Thani around two hours. If you'd like help planning your route, just reach out.

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellations more than 30 days before the retreat start date receive a full refund minus a €50 admin fee. Within 30 days, the €100 deposit is non-refundable but transferrable to a future retreat. Full details on our Refund Policy page.

Ready to come home to your heart?

Only 12 spaces · Early bird ends May 15

Questions? WhatsApp us · metta.heartofsantosha.com