Entering the silence and making space for yourself and what is moving within you. A silence retreat at Klooster Westerhûs offers you a warm and safe bed for this adventure. 

The beautiful, hushed building of Monastery Westerhûs, the rhythm of daily celebrations and the meadowland all around form the welcoming home of the silent retreat. 

After the introduction and introduction on Monday evening, we go into silence. In the silence you have all the time and space for yourself. You seek your own way in it, in the midst of the others. This is a beautiful and intensive process in which you are invited to listen to what is stirring in you. Thus silence brings you closer to what is essential to you, closer to the source. You may also encounter unrest or sadness. These too are allowed to be there in the silence. 

Each day we meet as a group for a meditative activity and you are given suggestions to become more and more at home in silence. Each day there is also an opportunity for a short personal conversation with your facilitator. On the last day of the retreat, we break the silence and close together. 

The silent retreats last from Monday afternoon 3:30 p.m. to Friday afternoon 1 p.m. For the first time in the Advent season of 2026, there will also be a longer silence retreat, from Monday afternoon to Sunday 1 p.m.  

Retreat in Brief: 

• Experiencing what a few days of silence brings you 

• Living along to the rhythm of the monastery 

• Personal guidance 

• A comfortable private room where you can stay quietly 

• Beautiful location in the Frisian countryside 

Practical information

Stilteretraites dates:

• 1 – 5 december 2025, 1e week van advent (wachtlijst geopend)
• 23 – 27 februari 2026 (1e week van de veertigdagentijd) 
  Begeleiding: Corrie Bark- Bakker en Saskia Leene. Deze retraite is geaccrediteerd door: Stichting Kwaliteitsregister Geestelijk Verzorgers (SKGV) voor 8 studiepunten.
• 29 juni – 3 juli 2026
  Begeleiding: Corrie Bark-Bakker en Saskia Leene .Deze retraite is geaccrediteerd door: Stichting Kwaliteitsregister Geestelijk Verzorgers (SKGV) voor 8 studiepunten.
• 30 november – 6 december 2026 (1e week van advent) 
  Begeleiding: Tytsje Hibma en Saskia Leene. Deze retraite is geaccrediteerd door: Stichting Kwaliteitsregister Geestelijk Verzorgers (SKGV) voor 10 studiepunten.

Guidance
The guidance team consists of Corrie Bark-Bakker, Tytsje Hibma and Saskia Leene. All three are spiritual directors and monastics outside the gate. For more information, please contact Saskia Leene, s.leene@nijkleaster.frl 

Sign up:

We ask you to fill it out to see if the retreat matches your expectations. Upon receipt of the completed questionnaire, we will contact you and you can proceed with finalizing your reservation. 

Information about the rhythm of Klooster Westerhûs can be found in the guest brochure.

Costs: 

silence retreat 5 days: 

2025: € 500

2026: € 525

7-day silence retreat 2026: €725

The Stilteretraites 2025 are fully booked. We are working with a waiting list. For inclusion on the waiting list, please send an email to: reservering@nijkleaster.frl

Compass Fund 

For reimbursement of expenses, please contact our compassion fund http://www.nijkleaster.frl/compassiefonds/