About the Phuket Meditation Center

The Dharana Meditation and Retreat Center on Phuket Island has been founded in October 2009 by Tobi Warzinek and his wife Parn Sakda. Tobi has an extensive background in traditional Buddhist philosophy and meditation practice. His spiritual journey started in the year 2002. He spent 7 years in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Switzerland as a student. Since 2009, he has also studied and practiced within the Buddhist Forest Tradition in Thailand. He spent the last two decades focused on practicing and transmitting the essence of a universal spiritual path. Find out more about Tobi…

Parn grew up in a culture where spirituality and meditation are an inseparable part of daily life. She has been introduced to mindfulness practice at a young age, when she first went to school. She has been organizing our retreats, workshops and events, working tirelessly to ensure that our guests are comfortable and well taken care of. Parn is also working as a certified Life coach. More information on her work is coming soon…

Dharana – Name & Logo

“Dharana” is a Sanskrit word describing unwavering attention or single-pointed focus. Such a concentrated state allows us to see ourselves and this world in a clear and direct way. It gives rise to deeper discernment, transcending words and concepts. The benefit of such insight is that it leads to the end of all fabricated misery, all pain that exists within oneself. It is this non-distraction that we refer to in our practice. We can say that in our case, the word “Dharana” points to a unified and sincere practice without any unnecessary add-ons or distractions. It simply works – here and now!

Our drop-like Logo illustrates this further. There’s the red dot in the center. It stands for deep insight or true self-knowledge. Once we have established insight into the nature of mind, this becomes our core practice. Concentrating on and merging with what is true liberates us from identification with cyclic or transient appearances. This is illustrated by the white cycle around the red dot. It opens and turns into a sharp tip instead of fully surrounding the central dot. The tip shows that right practice leads to a clear and empty mind, sharp and ready to work with whatever arises. Discovering and relaxing into this luminous knowing quality of the mind is what our practice actually points to.

What We Do

Throughout the past decade we have been running group meditation sessions, retreats, courses and workshops on the subject of mindtraining and consciousness. While most of the background of our teacher Tobi is within the Buddhist tradition, our teachings are focussed on universal mechanics of spiritual practice. Our teachings are accessible to everyone who seeks to understand themselves on a deeper level. If you come to visit us, we will introduce you to what is true and timeless, beyond thoughts, philosophies, opinions, believe-systems, religions and conceptions. Everything we do is geared toward the highest form of self-knowledge and insight.

By understanding the mind and its functions directly and deeply, we can actually learn to let go of suffering and unnecessary pain. Those who practice meditation regularly and sincerely develop various skills to help them cope with and transcend stress. Happiness arises naturally when stress and suffering come to an end. A person that is able to free the world from their own pain and misery becomes a true source of healing. We will show you how to free yourself and the world from the heavy clouds that cover the light of your heart. We do this with three simple trainings that encompass all aspects of life.

Why We Do It

Throughout life we had many encounters with darkness, suffering and pain. During such times, the blessings of our friends and teachers, their instructions and the light of truth helped us to grow and evolve. We always found a refuge in our practice. It provides us with a stable center, simple stillness, great joy and a vibrant sense of aliveness. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have received qualified guidance from our teachers throughout the last two decades. It is thanks to their blessings and continuous encouragement that the Phuket Meditation Center exists. We believe that this is an amazing gift that should be passed on to those who sincerely seek happiness and truth. We could not imagine doing anything else. May you receive the highest blessings!

Dharana is a Spiritual Home

Throughout the past years we have noticed that those who get the most out of our work have two basic qualities. Sincerity and a certain degree of disenchantment. They are quite disillusioned and dissatisfied with a lifestyle mostly based on sensuality and materialism. Our work deeply resonates with people who have a love for what is practical, kind and true. You will enjoy our program if you are looking for real answers to restlessness, dissatisfaction and suffering. And if you have been living the life of a spiritual seeker, we invite you to finally come home and arrive.

Some seekers are tired of empty promises, fancy fantasies, abstract philosophies, soothing delusions, dishonest teachers and superficial new-age spirituality. We would like to open our doors to people who seek something that’s honest, down to earth and practical. Our program is for all those who desire profound rest, presence, clarity and sanity in a world that is becoming more noisy, fast-paced and insane by the day. If this sounds like you, we would be happy to see you soon at one of our upcoming events.