The retreat will be held primarily in silence.

Bentinho will most likely remain silent throughout, with his silent presence (and absence of person-consciousness) being the teaching and transmission. He may or may not give some instructions or pointers. But don’t expect sessions, personal interactions and explanations from him—these may arise spontaneously in small quantities, or not at all.

Practical and logistical instructions will come from the team, as well as individual support or facilitation where needed.

There will likely be one designated window per day where speaking and connecting with others is welcomed. These windows are not fixed nor certain yet, but will most probably be implemented around meal times or after dinner, during optional 1-2 hour evening campfire segments for instance.

Such windows can distract some, but they can also serve some to “blow off some steam” and help ground/integrate their purifying, austere desert focus into normalcy and non-significance through lighthearted banter, sharing of experiences, laughter and connection. These segments will be kept relatively brief as not to throw off the momentum of the depth of participants’ silence-attunement, and they will be optional to attend. You’re always free to remain in silence and solitude for the entire retreat if that is your wish.

We will give you a wristband you can wear when you wish to signal to other participants that you don’t wish to be interacted with at that time, which you can wear even during social/meal windows.

Self-reliance/silence is the general recommendation.

The rhythm will be simple: solo meditation, rest, meals, minimal social decompression windows, sleep, and daily windows in Bentinho’s presence during silent group meditations.

The days are designed to strip away activity and invite and purify you ever-deeper into silence; into Source-being.

The pristine, silent and beautiful desert vibes will facilitate this excellently.

Outside of meal times and group meditation moments with Bentinho, you are free to go on little walks near the camp, retreat to your tent, nap, find a spot in the shady canyon or somewhere in the wide-open expanse of the desert, and enjoy silence in your own way wherever you feel drawn to walk or sit.

So what’s the daily schedule? Different shades of pure being and non-doing.

The retreat will take place in the Middle Eastern desert. For privacy and logistical reasons, the exact location will be shared with participants once their application has been accepted. All practical details, including travel and transportation guidance, will also be provided at that time to ensure a smooth and supported arrival.

Unlike other retreats, there won’t be daily talks or Q&A.

The “teaching” is the silent presence, the desert and the immersion beyond personality.

There will be at least one designated window per day where Bentinho will sit together with the entire group.

Other than that, he’ll be around, nearby, and likely mingling during meal times, albeit without verbally teaching and possibly without personally relating with anyone (or very little).

In other words: Bentinho may or may not speak, and he may or may not teach in words, and he may or may not even say hi to you.

So don’t apply if you’re looking for teachings, or if you’re looking for interactions with Bentinho as a personality or teacher.

Read his ME book instead, if you desire teachings.

Bottom line: If you apply for the Desert Immersion, let it be for the purity of silence, and to deepen your own oneness with God-within-you.

Late October in the desert brings warm days (25–30°C / 77–86°F) and cool to cold nights (10–15°C / 50–59°F). Each participant will have their own tent and sleeping bag provided, but we recommend bringing additional warm layers to stay comfortable, especially at night.

Yes, there will be eco-friendly toilets and simple showers on site.

You’ll have your own individual tent and bedding. The setup is simple, yet supportive of the retreat environment.

Individual tents will be spaced at least 10 meters (possibly more) apart from one another, to ensure a sense of solitude even during the night.

And if truly desired, your tent can be moved to other areas or a bit further away from other participants.

Traditional, nourishing desert meals will be provided daily—breakfast, dinner, and midday snacks—along with plenty of safe drinking water throughout the immersion.

There will be two buffets each day:

Carnivore Buffet – (available at an additional charge).

Traditional Buffet – featuring rice, fruit, vegetables, meat, a variety of salads, breads, sweets, and more.

While we won’t have a dedicated vegan-only buffet, the Traditional Buffet naturally offers many options for vegetarians and vegans, including bread, vegetables, salads, rice, and legumes. This way, everyone will find something nourishing and satisfying to enjoy.

Plenty of fruit will be available throughout the day as a snack or as supplement to your meals.

If you have this doubt, this probably isn’t the retreat for you.

For those who are ready—who have laid the necessary psychological and spiritual groundwork, are familiar with Bentinho’s Self-Realization teachings, and feel the call to step through this alchemical portal with confidence and joy—the immersion will feel like a natural and powerful next step. It will feel like the silent immersion inherent in this retreat’s setting and blueprint is clearly calling to you from within, without any doubt in your mind about whether the silence will be too intense.

A clear emergency protocol will be in place. Staff are trained in first aid and can arrange immediate transport to the nearest medical facility if needed.

Yes. While silence will be maintained for the most part, you can approach team facilitators or on-site staff if you need something.

Yes. After your registration has been completed, you'll receive a detailed email containing everything you need to know.

You will also be invited to the exclusive Massaro University Desert Immersion participant space with the team where you can ask your questions and get oriented, as well as get to know the other participants.

This group could prove to be a very lovely resource pre and post-retreat. The purity of having endured extended silence and close-to-nature simple living with other like-hearted seekers of Truth, tends to engender a higher kind of friendship which transcends all differences and distortions; where the central quest of Creation’s ultimate intention (Source-realization and embodiment) is shared in earnest between these selves.