Online Insight Meditation Retreat
This four-day, at-home retreat will explore the practice of Insight Meditation and the liberating effect of moment-to-moment mindfulness.
This retreat is an opportunity to cultivate a sense of refuge amidst intensity. Beneath the frenzy of these times, something is stirring deep in our minds. Change and loss are somehow always startling, and it takes time and tenderness for the heart to catch up. This moment can act like a magnet, tugging at our hearts; what comes to the surface depends on how we direct our minds. Fear takes us into a spiral of distraction and anxiety, while love will call our goodness to the fore.
Practicing within our own homes offers an unusual opportunity. Our home can be a place of comfort, as well as the site of unconsciousness. Our habit energies are often strongest there. At-home retreats allow us to integrate this contemplative path into our living space, creating visual and temporal reminders of the practice in our living quarters.
We will, of course, be doing this together. In a time of isolation, finding community can be especially meaningful. Our retreat will provide a structured immersion in meditation practice, guided instructions, small group practice meetings, Qi Gong and Dharma talks while also allowing the flexibility to practice in a rhythm that accommodates your life.
Cost:
No fee. Offered on a donation basis, which can be made at the end of the retreat.
A $35 refundable deposit* is required for registration. Your deposit will be refunded after the attending the first full day of the retreat.
* THIS RETREAT IS NOW FULL. You may add your name to the waitlist below and we will notify you of any cancellations.
Retreat times:
Wednesday, Aug 12 5 pm - Sunday, Aug 16, 10:00 am PT (Full schedule below)
Registration Information:
Retreat Schedule
All Times Pacific Daylight Time
August 12 – Opening Night
5:00 p.m. Orientation
5:30 p.m. Welcome & Opening Session
7:00 p.m. End of Day
August 13 - 15
6:30 a.m. Early morning meditation
8:25 a.m. Arrive and Settle
8:30 a.m. Morning Instructions and Sitting Meditation
9:30 a.m. Walking Meditation (OR Practice Meeting if assigned)
10:00 a.m. Sitting Meditation
10:45 a.m. Walking Meditation (OR Practice Meeting if assigned)
11:15 a.m. Sitting Meditation
12:00 p.m. Lunch/Practice/Take Care of Life as You See Fit
3:25 p.m. Arrive and Settle
3:30 p.m. Qi Gong
4:00 p.m. Stretch Break
4:15 p.m. Dharma Talk
5:00 p.m. Free time
7:30 p.m. Lovingkindness Practice
8:15 p.m. End of Day
August 16
6:30 a.m. Early morning meditation
8:30 a.m. Closing Session
10:00 a.m. End of Retreat
About the Teachers
Oren Jay Sofer
Oren Jay Sofer teaches workshops and retreats on meditation and communication nationally. A member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council, he holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University, is a Somatic Experiencing for healing of trauma, and is a certified trainer of Nonviolent Communication. Oren is also the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication.
Matthew Brensilver
Matthew Brensilver, PhD, is a member of the Guiding Teachers Executive Group and Teachers Council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. For more than a decade, he taught for Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. He lectures at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center about the intersections between mindfulness and mental health. Matthew has a background in research on addiction pharmacotherapy and is interested in the unfolding dialogue between dharma and science. He is the co-author, with Oren, of two forthcoming books on mindfulness for adolescents.