Prama Wellness Center — Local services in Marshall

I just participated in a four-day Silent Meditation and Yoga Retreat at Prama Wellness Center. I flew from Washington, D.C. but it was totally worth it! I'm a total beginner in meditation (but with some experience in Japanese Zen meditation), intermediate level in Yoga, and never had to keep my mouth shot for more than a couple of hours in my life! But... Wow! The four days of silence set the long-needed (and well-deserved!) stage for self-concentration and rediscovery. The retreat took place in a clean mountain lodge type facility surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges of Appalachian, Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains. Meditation sessions, three time a day for 30 or 45 minutes each, and wonderful flow Yoga and Qi Gong sessions by Susan, for 1.5 hours each session twice a day. The two teachers, Howard and Sid, are the wisest old men alive you would ever meet! They are nothing short of hermits, I think. I swear I saw them floating inches above the floor when they were in meditation! They teach you and guide you through the wonders of meditation and life - one of the students commented after the first mediation, before silence started, that she felt no boundary between herself and the universe around her. So well said, I thought! I felt that way, too. They also teach you all the techniques, theories, principles, and history of meditation and Yoga and much more. Howard is also a great storyteller, too. The daily Yoga sessions, the comfortable facility, and the super delicious and healthy vegetable-based fresh meals set the perfect stage for the effective focusing of our minds. It was just an amazing new type of experience for me. And now that I'm back home... how do I bring all the delicious lessons that I learned from Howard and Sid into my chaotic daily life???...

I have an MBA and am retired from a career consulting high tech companies in Austin. Not a woo woo guy.

I have experience with similar cleanses at the Optimum Health Institute (OHI) near Austin. After multiple stays at OHI, I moved to Asheville and gave Prama a try. SO GLAD I DID!

While I will always love and respect OHI, I soundly prefer Prama's cleanse approach. I had grown weary of the wheatgrass at OHI. Prama simply uses 2 juice meals each day and an evening Broth bowl which made the experience MUCH MUCH better for me while still providing a challenging deep reset.

Then there is Ramesh... I had some apprehension about "Is this guy going to have an enlarged 'guru' ego or be extreme or dogmatic?" OMG, Ramesh's open minded wisdom and lack of dogma BLEW ME AWAY! Ramesh is a healer with a passion and humility that truly inspires. By the end of the stay, he had gently helped EACH OF US correct where we were off course.

Prama basically stands for Balance. My life will be WAY more balanced as a result of my stay there and I will definitely return...

I recently attended a weekend long silent retreat and would recommend it for someone who is new(er) to meditation, yoga, or the retreat experience rather than someone who is looking to deepen or challenge their practice. The facilities are adequate. The food (all vegan) is excellent. The programming is okay, but not particularly creative or varied. The facilitators did not seem well versed in best practices of adult education, but there is permission to make things your own which was helpful. The yoga was primarily stretching or restorative based, and did not offer any kind of flow. As a first experience it likely would be fine and the price point makes...