The Inner Pilgrimage - A Meaningful Start into 2026

## A Contemplative Retreat for Inner Peace and Strength for a Demanding Life

### As one year quietly fades…

and another gently approaches…
there’s often a subtle pull inside.

A sense…
that we don’t want to fall back
into the same old rhythms,
the familiar patterns,
the expectations that no longer feel alive.

Something in us wants to begin differently —
more consciously,
more meaningfully.

And for many of us,
after years of building,
achieving,
and doing everything we once hoped for…
another question begins to whisper underneath it all:

What truly matters now?

When the striving softens,
and the world finally grows quiet…
a deeper longing rises.

Not for more to accomplish.
Not for more to manage.
But for something real.
Something that feels like truth.

The Inner Pilgrimage is for these exact moments —
when freedom feels strangely heavy,
when the old tools no longer bring clarity,
when the next step is no longer outward…
but inward.

It isn’t about resolutions.
It isn’t about goals.
It isn’t about pushing harder.

It’s about listening again.
It’s about coming home to yourself before the year unfolds.
It’s about giving yourself a gentle, meaningful inner boost —
so you can begin 2026 grounded, clear, aligned…
and quietly connected to what truly matters.

### Essence

In a world that constantly asks for more —
more effort,
more speed,
more responsibility —
this weekend offers a simple invitation:

Pause.
Breathe.
Come home.

The Inner Pilgrimage is not a journey outward.
It is a soft descent inward —
into stillness,
into presence,
into the quiet clarity that has been waiting beneath the noise.

You won’t be traveling far.
But you may return changed.

This is a space to rest.
To listen.
To rediscover the strength and peace within you
that daily life so easily consumes.

> The most meaningful journeys are not those that take us far away,
> but those that bring us deeply home.

## Program Overview

The morning begins slowly.
A settling.
A gentle arriving into your body, your breath, your presence.

• A welcome into stillness
• A quiet talk: What does it mean to walk a pilgrimage of the soul?
• Guided inner reflection: Where am I on my path right now
• Time for journaling, sensing, or resting
• A soft morning of wordless presence — a Vigil of Stillness

Short lunch break,
softened…
opened…
ready for a different kind of listening.

###

The afternoon continues in quiet.
Not with effort,
but with ease.

• A meditation
• A talk: Coming home — living from what you discovered
• A gentle dialogue circle or short reflective moments
• Tea shared in silence
• Time for integration, writing, or contemplation
• A symbolic closing ritual
• Ending the day in silence, presence, and gratitude

You return to your life
not with pressure,
but with clarity…
with strength…
with a renewed sense of direction from within.

### Atmosphere

Soft.
Unhurried.
Warm.
Human.

A space where silence isn’t empty —
it’s full of something deeper.
A space where you don’t have to perform,
pretend,
or hold yourself together.

Just be.
As you are.

Light, healthy snacks will be offered
as a small act of mindful feasting —
simple, nourishing, grounding.

Nothing loud.
Nothing forced.
Just presence,
warmth,
and the quiet company of others
walking their own inner path.

### Good to Know

Date: Sunday, Jan 18th, 2026
Time: 09:30 am–5:00 pm
Location: Vienna
Language: English
Facilitator: Dieter Langenecker – Modern Elder & Meaning Counselor
What to bring: Comfortable clothing, journal or notebook, an open heart
Refreshments: Light snacks and tea provided (breaks in silence)

Contribution
Participation in The Inner Pilgrimage is offered on a trust and appreciation basis.
Rather than a fixed fee, you are invited to choose the contribution that feels right for you —
one that honours both your current situation and the value you receive from the experience.
As a gentle orientation:

• € 30 · Supported rate – for those who currently need to care for their budget
• € 45 · Standard rate – the regular contribution that sustains the event
• € 75 · Supportive rate – for those who wish to help make the retreat accessible to others

All contributions include guidance throughout the weekend, reflection materials, and mindful snacks and tea prepared in a spirit of simple feasting. (includes drinks, tea, coffee, and healthy cookies)

Spots are limited to keep the space quiet and personal.

Dieter Langenecker
Modern Elder · Meaning Counselor
www.langenecker.com

Watch this short video: https://youtu.be/oDIeSXdBhSo