September 2015 was my first year attending a silent retreat. 7 days of silence filled with dharma talks, mindful walking and self-compassion meditations. What led me to explore a silent retreat came down to a number of things, but what I left with, was more than I was ever expecting. It was such a powerful experience that I made the commitment to myself to attend each year for my birthday. There are many benefits to attending a silent retreat. Personally, at the time, I was