Silence as Method / BLACK SEED in Umbria

Our coverage of the yoga retreat at Aethos Saragano, November 2025.

BLACK SEED, held at Aethos Saragano in November, offered a retreat centered on continuity and sustainable practice rather than transformation. Led by Francesca Carol Rolla and Melissa Mayr, it combined yoga, nervous system awareness and a restrained environment to provide practical tools that integrate naturally into daily life.

BLACK SEED took place in November at Aethos Saragano, a restored borgo set within the Umbrian landscape. From the beginning, the retreat was conceived as a space for continuity rather than escape. Led by Francesca Carol Rolla and Melissa Mayr, BLACK SEED was intentionally shaped to move away from prescriptive wellness formulas, offering instead a practice grounded in clarity, repetition, and long-term sustainability.

Rather than building momentum through emotional intensity or narrative promise, the retreat privileged structure and presence. The focus was not on achieving a particular state, but on creating conditions in which the body could regulate itself without pressure. This approach reflected the organizers’ shared belief that meaningful change occurs through consistency and attention, not disruption.

Aethos Saragano played a fundamental role in this vision. The borgo’s quiet architecture and functional elegance supported a natural slowing of pace. There was no sense of artifice or excess. The environment did not compete with the experience but held it, allowing participants to settle without distraction. Time expanded gently, shaped by space rather than schedule.

The daily rhythm followed a clear and deliberate cadence. Yoga practices took place twice a day, with more dynamic sessions in the morning and calmer ones in the evening. This repetition was central to the BLACK SEED method. Instead of variation or escalation, the practices returned to familiar movements, encouraging deeper perception over time. The emphasis was on sensing rather than performing, allowing each participant to meet the practice where they were.

Francesca Carol Rolla’s teaching was defined by precision and attentiveness. Her use of silence was intentional, leaving space for participants to develop trust in their own bodily intelligence. Instructions were offered sparingly, creating an atmosphere in which listening became more important than correction. The practice unfolded without judgment or expectation, reinforcing autonomy rather than dependence.

Melissa Mayr complemented this approach through a grounded and accessible integration of breath and nervous system awareness. Her guidance translated complex physiological principles into practical tools that could be applied beyond the retreat setting. Together, their work formed the basis of the BLACK SEED method, developed through years of experience, including time spent in the Himalayas, and adapted to contemporary life where rest and presence are often absent by default.

Silence was woven naturally into the retreat. Walks through the surrounding village were conducted without conversation, not as a formal exercise, but as an invitation to observe without commentary. These moments allowed attention to rest on sensation and environment, reinforcing the retreat’s emphasis on simplicity and direct experience.

Food followed the same philosophy of care and balance. Meals prepared by the CECI restaurant were nourishing and considered, supporting the rhythm of the days without excess. One afternoon was dedicated to a shared cooking experience, during which participants prepared traditional dishes together. The atmosphere was light and collaborative, allowing cooking, eating, and conversation to unfold organically.

Design elements, created in collaboration with CAPSULA, were integrated seamlessly into the environment. The objects supported the practices without drawing attention to themselves, reflecting a shared sensibility in which form serves function and presence is felt rather than displayed.

By the end of the retreat, participants did not experience a sense of rupture or withdrawal. Instead, they left with practical tools that could be integrated into daily life: a clearer relationship with breath, a heightened awareness of unnecessary urgency, and a renewed capacity for genuine pause. BLACK SEED did not aim to redefine participants’ lives in dramatic terms. Its impact lay in offering adjustments that are realistic, sustainable, and enduring.

At its core, BLACK SEED proposed a form of care rooted in trust. Trust in the body’s ability to respond when given the right conditions. Trust in repetition over novelty. Trust in practices designed not for momentary effect, but for continuity. In doing so, it articulated a quiet but confident vision of well-being, one that remains present long after the retreat itself has ended.

Silence as Method / BLACK SEED in Umbria

Credits:

Words: Maria Diegues / @maadiegues
Editor: Anca Macavei / @ancamacavei
Location: Aethos Saragano /  @aethossaragano

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