THE HEART OF THE RETREAT
耳根圓通
Perfect penetration through the faculty of hearing
Guided by the Bodhisattva Kwan Yin's practice of perfect penetration through hearing, this method does not rely on visualisation or analysis. It returns awareness to its original sensitivity, allowing the Qi channels, chakras and karmic imprints to unwind naturally. Through listening, body, speech and mind are purified without force.
In Yantara's experience, it dissolves the barriers of limited perception to reveal the true nature of our being.
In this present age, often described as the Age of Degeneration, the Bodhisattva Kwan Yin reveals the Dharma through sound as a living transmission and resonance. The practice of Perfect Penetration through the Faculty of Hearing is one such gate, preserved within lineage and revealed when conditions are ripe.
Participants are guided through posture, breath, mantra, and meditative listening, learning how sound becomes a bridge from form to formlessness. Empowerment is given not to accumulate technique, but to stabilize recognition.
Listening at the water's edge, Yakushima.
ON THE WORD ITSELF
What an Esoteric Retreat Actually Means
The word esoteric simply means "inner." Where many retreats offer relaxation, or information about meditation, an esoteric retreat offers something more intimate: teachings transmitted directly from teacher to student, and understanding that arises through experience rather than explanation.
In a retreat with Yantara Jiro, this means the practice is not merely described but lived. Methods preserved within lineage are shared in person, supported by guidance attuned to each participant's experience as it unfolds. Subtle discoveries during practice, such as the movement of Qi, the exploration of the body–mind, and the deeper nature of awareness, are approached openly and with clarity, so that what is often hidden becomes recognisable and understood.
There is nothing secretive or mysterious to fear. The esoteric is not reserved for the few, but revealed to those who are sincere. Beginners receive exactly what they are ready to hold, experienced practitioners find a depth that meets them where they are. Every teaching remains grounded, practical, and verifiable through one's own direct experience.
THE NINE DAYS
How the Practice Is Built
Over nine days and eight nights the practice unfolds gradually and with precision. Every element is woven to bring body, speech and mind into alignment with presence.
Element 01
Meditation & Ear-Faculty Penetration
At the heart of the retreat lies the practice of ear-faculty perfect penetration. Through seated meditation and conscious listening, sound becomes a doorway into non-dual awareness. This is the core teaching of the retreat, the single thread that, once followed, unravels all the rest.
Element 02
Morning Qigong & Energy Accumulation
Each day begins with breath and movement that align Heaven and Earth within the body, awakening the meridians and stabilizing vitality. Many practitioners notice a marked shift in energy and wellbeing within the first few days.
Element 03
Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls Integration
Natural frequencies invite a deep settling of the nervous system, encourage the free flow of Qi, and attune the practitioner to subtle resonance beyond the conceptual mind.
Element 04
Sun, Ocean & Forest Practice
Through direct engagement with Yakushima's Pure Qi, the rhythmic duality of ocean waves, and the deep stillness of Yakushima's ancient forests strengthens the core and steadies the heart.
Element 05
Foundations of the Path
Clear understanding of why we meditate and what the true aim is. The teachings illuminate the 18 Elements, comprising the six sense faculties, their six objects, and the six consciousnesses that arise between them, revealing how experience is constructed and why the ear faculty offers so direct a gate to liberation. Common meditation pitfalls and the recognisable forms of distraction are also explored, so that obstacles become familiar landmarks to transcend rather than sources of discouragement.
Element 06
Discernment & Protection in Practice
As meditation deepens, visions, sensations, and unusual experiences may arise. Yantara offers guidance on recognising what is genuine, distinguishing insight from illusion, and remaining unattached to either. The teachings also address how negative energies may affect a practitioner during meditation, how to avoid them, and how to remain stable, grounded, and protected, allowing practice to unfold with confidence rather than fear.
Element 07
Dharma Dialogue & Open Inquiry
Throughout the retreat, an open space is held for questions on meditation experiences, doubts, and challenges. Yantara offers insight into the energetic, physical, mental, and emotional changes that arise through practice, as conversations unfold spontaneously into emptiness, listening, sound, meditation phenomena, and the nature of illusion. Every question is welcome, from the first-time meditator to the seasoned practitioner, creating a shared atmosphere of openness, learning, and inspiration. In Yantara's experience, this is often where the teachings sink in most deeply.
Element 08
The Esoteric Path: Celestial Beings & Spiritual Guardians
For those who are ready, the teachings open a little deeper into the esoteric world: the celestial beings, their traits and the conditions of their realms, and the relationship practitioners share with Spiritual Guardians. Guidance is offered on connecting with these guardians respectfully and working with them to support and protect one's practice.
WHO THIS RETRET IS FOR
Those Ready to Move from Effort into Receptivity
This retreat welcomes practitioners of all levels who feel called to step aside from daily momentum and offer a period of undivided attention to refinement, clearing and quiet remembrance.
It naturally draws those with an affinity for awakening through sound, and those whose practice is ready to move beyond effort into receptivity.
WHAT YOU CARRY HOME
Methods That Keep Working After You Leave
Each participant departs with a clear sense of where they stand on the path and how to continue. The retreat offers a set of practical, proven methods that can be practiced anywhere, anytime, together with the discernment to recognise and avoid common meditation pitfalls.
As these techniques continue to ripen through practice, what remains is a confident, embodied understanding of the true nature of sound and awareness, realised not through theory or concepts alone but through direct experience. It flows naturally into daily life, and into your relationship with yourself, with others, and with the world.
Beyond the nine days, a community of fellow listeners continues to walk together on this path of Return to True Listening.
YOUR TEACHER
From the beginning, awakening has never belonged to words, concepts, or methods. It has been carried through listening, through silence, from heart to heart and mind to mind, within living lineages.
Across cultures and eras, yogis and realized teachers have safeguarded different gates of entry into the Dharma and for good reasons. Each era receives the teachings it can hold. In times of obscuration and distraction, the path becomes simpler, more direct, and more compassionate.
Created by Yantara Jiro, this retreat is a lineage-based transmission that integrates structured instruction with direct experience. His teachings arise from decades of disciplined practice and contemplative maturation in this ageless method, guided by inner transmission and realisation rather than personal interpretation. What is shared is only what can be practiced, embodied, and verified.
The fruit of this practice flows through every facet of his work and teachings: his voice and singing, his albums and performances, the Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls, and the sacred journeys and teachings he leads. Each is a different expression of the same listening.
Yantara Jiro
YOUR GROUP LEADER
Singapore Quantum Leader, Sound Universe International. Sarleia travels with the group throughout the nine days and is your first point of contact for anything practical — arrivals, rooms, transport and the rhythm of each day.
Sarleia Betty
WHERE YOU WILL STAY
Samana Hotel, above the Yakushima Coast
Beautiful rooms with modern amenities, quiet places to sit alone, and shared spaces where the circle gathers. The practice room opens directly onto the water.
DATES
23 April – 1 May 2027
9 days, 8 nights
LOCATION
Yakushima, Japan
Samana Hotel, Kagoshima Prefecture
DAILY SCHEDULE
e.g Morning Qigong at 6:00am, main session 10:00am - 6:00pm
ACCOMMONDATION
Twin share or single
Oceanfront, breakfast daily
CONTRIBUTION
Retreat Rates
All rates are per person, for nine days and eight nights at Samana Hotel, including the full programme of teaching and practice.
ROOM
until 12 Dec 2026
EARLY BIRD
from 13 Dec 2026
STANDARD
Twin room
USD 6,400
USD 6,900
Single room
USD 7,500
USD 7,900
Registration closes 22 January 2027. Places are limited and held in the order enquiries are received.
What is included
✔ Nine days and eight nights at the luxury Samana Hotel
✔ Daily buffet breakfast
✔ Most lunches
✔ Two dinners
✔ Rental cars and petrol on the island
✔ All park entrance fees
✔ All organising, workshops and retreat leading by
✔ Yantara Jiro and team
What is not included
-
Any visa required for entry to Japan
-
International and domestic flights
-
Personal expenses — drinks, laundry, telephone and similar
-
Travel and health insurance — please ensure you are covered
BEFORE YOU COMMIT
Cancellation Policy
Because accommodation, vehicles and teaching are committed well in advance, cancellation terms are strict. Please read them before confirming your place.
IF YOU CANCEL
CANCELLATION FEE
Before 30 Nov 2026, 23:59 USD 1,000
1 Dec 2026 – 20 Dec 2026, 23:59 USD 3,000
21 Dec 2026 – 12 Jan 2027, 23:59 USD 5,000
From 13 Jan 2027, 00:00 No refund
All times are Japan Standard Time. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
GETTING THERE
Arriving on the Island
Please plan to arrive on Yakushima Island by 23 April 2027. Daily flights to the island are very limited, so we strongly recommend booking your tickets promptly once your registration is confirmed.
Once you have secured your international flights, send us your arrival and departure times and we will suggest suitable connecting flights.
We are unfortunately unable to accommodate early arrivals or late departures, and cannot arrange accommodation outside the retreat dates.
Public transport on Yakushima is very limited, so the group travels by rental car — included in your rate, petrol and park entrance fees along with it. Some participants have generously volunteered to drive, perhaps if you too, which is, to our mind, one of the best seats for seeing the island.
A Gentle Digital Pause
A retreat devoted to listening asks for a quieter relationship with the noise of daily life. Participants are warmly invited to set aside phones, messages, and social media for the duration of the retreat, allowing attention to rest fully in practice rather than scattering outward.
During sessions, phones are kept switched off or silent and out of sight. Should staying in touch be necessary, a brief window during breaks can be used to check messages mindfully, while mindless scrolling and social media are gently set aside altogether. Participants with family or work responsibilities are encouraged to arrange an emergency contact through the retreat organisers beforehand, so that nothing needs to be carried in the mind.
This is offered not as a rule imposed, but as a gift to oneself. Many find that within a few days of stepping away from the screen, the senses grow brighter, the mind settles more readily, and the practice of listening begins to deepen on its own. Yakushima's ancient forests, often beyond the reach of any signal, lend their quiet support.
Dietary Discipline & Energetic Care
Simple vegetarian meals support energetic clearing and clarity of mind. The retreat is held as a complete vegetarian practice, in accordance with lineage principles of purification.
What to Bring
Trekking shoes
Hiking water bottle
Ziplock bags, to keep precious items dry
Any medication you need
Waterproof backpack
Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
Hand towels for hiking
Your travel insurance documents
QUESTIONS
Good To Know
Is this retreat suitable for all ages?
Any trekking is kept to a minimum, on easy and moderate routes. This retreat is focused on stillness; only on certain days are selective outdoor activities held, where the classroom expands outward.
How will we move about the island?
By rental car, included in your rate together with petrol. Public transport on Yakushima is very limited. Some participants kindly volunteer to drive.
Do I need any previous meditation experience?
No. Beginners receive what they are ready to hold, and experienced practitioners find depth that meets them where they are. The enquiry form asks about your practice simply so Yantara can prepare.
Begin with an Enquiry
RESERVE A PLACE
Tell us a little about yourself and which room you would prefer. Yantara's team will write back with the full itinerary, travel guidance and the deposit details to confirm your place.
Early bird rates hold until 12 December 2026. Registration closes 22 January 2027.
Return to True Listening · Yakushima, 23 April – 1 May 2027 · connect@yantarajiro.com
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