Walking in the woods in the moonlight, strolling along the banks of a stream, meditating in the Mediterranean herb garden are just some of the activities offered by the Preidlhof Spa that take us away from the noise pollution and auditory input overload we are constantly subjected to.
Surrounded by a jungle of sounds, we often can no longer even recognize silence as a primary need, and addicted to acoustic stimulation, as soon as we find ourselves enveloped in the silence of home, we turn on music or television.
And when there are no external inputs, it is the noise of our thoughts that keeps our minds busy, pulling us away from feeling and listening to ourselves.
And instead, silence reduces anxiety and stress increasingly fueled by the hustle and bustle of daily life, it supports a positive mood and the ability to concentrate, it promotes relaxation and learning, and it improves the quality of sleep.
Silence is depth and introspection, it helps the interiorization of experiences and the immersion in ourselves.
It is a powerful tool to amplify the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that Preidlhof's Transformational Wellness Retreats are able to activate.
Since 2021 Preidlhof has been certified as a “Quiet Stay” by Quiet Park, a nonprofit association that has been searching for quiet places to protect and enhance for more than 50 years. The certification is awarded after accurate noise pollution measurements and audits to ensure the ability to promote silence and regeneration inside and outside.
“We value this recognition by an association whose mission and values we share. Silence represents a source of continuous healing, regeneration, creativity. I learned its healing power during many meditation retreats, understanding, however, that silence of the mind is necessary to benefit from the regenerating silence of nature and vice versa,” explains Patrizia Bortolin, Wellness Designer and Holistic Spa Consultant who created The Preidlhof Way wellness philosophy.
“Scent of Silence” is one of the activities offered by Preidlhof to relearn how to enjoy silence: an evening walk along the stream that runs alongside the Resort or along the Adige River, while breathing air that is among the purest in the world, to savor the quiet of the mountains after the sun goes down. The connection with the scents, colors, and sounds of nature and the self-observation help to develop a beneficial sense of inner peace and deep self-awareness.
Or discovering the mountains, even at night, accompanied by the wisdom of Irmgard Moosmair and local guides: a tour of Lake Vernago, a sensory immersion in the forest on Monte Tramontana, a climb on Monte Sole or a walk to the impressive Parcines Waterfall are just some of the special destinations to admire as we let stuck emotions flow and open our minds again.
Apple Journey is a unique sensory analysis experience: on the Mediterranean terrace, overlooking the surrounding apple orchards, we learn to taste, observe and develop the natural intelligence of the senses using the most characteristic local product in the Venosta Valley, the apple.
In order to grow and become, we need space and stillness, and silence is a fundamental condition to listen deep inside and to truly look at ourselves.
“Your heart is trying to tell you something, but you have not yet been able to hear it because your mind has been full of noise,” wrote Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh. And when we can hear the heart, accompanied by the rustle of the wind in the branches of the trees, the rush of water flowing in the river, the chirping of birds, the crunching of dry leaves under our feet, then we find the purest form of silence we can experience: the stillness of the noise of the mind.
And so, again using the wonderful words of Thich Nhat Hanh, “[...] the silence seemed different. It was true silence because everyone had stopped thinking.”