As I write this, I am preparing to step into something that has become a grounding ritual in my leadership practice — the Vipassana for Executives course.

On May 7th, I’ll be stepping into something that has become a grounding ritual in my leadership practice — the Vipassana for Executives course.

I’ve been practicing Vipassana since 2016, when I took my first 10-day course in Mumbai. What began as a deeply personal experience has since become a cornerstone of how I lead, create, and reset each year.

This particular format is designed specifically for leaders, founders, and decision-makers navigating complexity and responsibility. The silence is structured. The container is intentional. And the outcomes are subtle but transformative.

Ten days. No phone. No work. No speaking. No reading. Just presence.

Just stillness.

It’s one of the most significant commitments I make to myself each year — and one of the most powerful.

In this newsletter, I wanted to share what Vipassana is, why I return to it year after year and why I believe silence is one of the most advanced strategies for high-performing leaders in complex, high-stakes environments.

What is Vipassana?

Vipassana is an ancient form of meditation, often described as “insight meditation.” It’s not a quick-fix technique or a self-care trend. It’s a disciplined method of observing the mind and body with clarity and equanimity.

Over the course of 10 days, in full silence, you observe yourself moment by moment, breath by breath — without reacting. Without numbing. Without reaching for stimulation or solutions.

The experience is profoundly intense, and yet deeply simple.

You begin to notice the constant motion of your mind. The patterns. The projections. The aversions. The attachments. The stories you’ve outgrown, but still unconsciously carry.

Vipassana isn’t about transcendence. It’s about precision. Presence. Clean observation.

And for me — it’s about leadership.

Why I Choose This Every Year

Vipassana has become a non-negotiable in my calendar. Not as an escape, but as a reset.

As someone who holds space for ambitious, high-performers every day — I know the cost of holding too much without release. I know how easy it is to run from meeting to message to milestone without ever asking: Is this still aligned? Is this still mine?

This is where the silence meets strategy.

When everything external is removed, all that’s left is clarity.

This is what allows me to coach with depth. To create with alignment. To advise without ego.

Because I lead from clarity — not from noise.

What I’m Walking In With

This year, I feel especially ready. These past 12 months have brought both deep expansion and quiet reckoning. I’ve experienced the graceful passing of my mother — a moment that grounded me in perspective — and I’ve moved through the unexpected transition of redundancy, which ultimately offered space for reinvention.

There’s been incredible momentum in my work, Flourishing Butterfly is growing in both reach and intimacy. The Clarity Method has landed exactly where I envisioned it would. The women I serve are stepping into their boldest chapters — and I feel honoured to be guiding them.

But as with every new season, there is also integration.

This retreat is my space to integrate the expansion. To quiet the visionary in me and honour the quiet wisdom underneath her.

I’m entering this experience with curiosity, reverence and a healthy respect for what will arise.

Because in Vipassana, you don’t control the breakthrough. You meet it.

What I’m Hoping For

I’m not walking in with a list of goals. I’m walking in with one commitment:

To listen.

To listen to what wants to evolve. To listen to what needs to be released. To listen to the parts of me that don’t speak loudly — but hold deep truth.

I’m not looking for another strategy. I’m seeking alignment that goes deeper than strategy.

That’s where I find the clarity that guides everything else.

For Leaders, Founders, and High-Performers Reading This

If you’ve ever felt like you’re running a race you didn’t design — I understand. If you’ve ever felt successful but out of sync — you’re not alone. If you’ve ever longed to pause but feared what the pause might reveal — you’re in good company.

There’s a power in intentional silence that no productivity tool can replace. There’s a brilliance in your stillness that’s just waiting to be heard.

You don’t need to go on a Vipassana retreat to access it. But you do need to make space.

Whether that looks like five minutes or ten days — your next level isn’t hiding in your calendar. It’s waiting in your clarity.

I’ll See You On the Other Side

During my time away, I won’t be on email or social media. My team will be supporting clients and projects while I’m offline and I’ll return with a full heart, sharper focus and renewed vision on May 19th.

Thank you for being part of my world — whether you’re a client, a reader, a fellow leader, or someone quietly evolving in the background.

May your next season be guided not just by ambition, but by truth.

You can learn more about the Vipassana for Executives by clicking here and the UK Executive course centre here 

I’ll see you on the other side.

— Sharon