NOTE: Online and Residential options available.
residential Retreat CHECK-in opens at 1:00pm ET and retreat begins at 6:00pm ET.
8-day Hybrid Retreat with Oren Jay Sofer, Dawn Scott, Jessica Morey
Metta means goodwill or lovingkindness in the ancient Buddhist Pali language. Metta meditation cultivates our innate capacity for an open and loving heart. Said to have been taught by the Buddha himself, this practice develops concentration, fearlessness, a sense of belonging, happiness, and a greater ability to love. When well cultivated, metta practice also provides a secure foundation for resilience and wise engagement amidst uncertainty and pain.
This is a silent, intensive meditation retreat focusing on the development of lovingkindness, open to both new and experienced meditators.
Teachers will provide formal instructions in the classical method of metta meditation, using the silent repetition of phrases along with additional methods for the development of this powerful quality. Our time will include instructions for sitting and walking meditation practice, Q&A, talks about the teachings, and meetings with the teachers. An optional daily period of mindful movement will be offered. Some experience with mindfulness meditation is recommended but not required. All are welcome!
Teacher Support: The teachers on this retreat offer their teachings freely. They do not receive compensation from IMS program fees and rely on the generosity of students for their livelihood. There will be an opportunity to offer a donation to the teachers at the end of the retreat. Read more about this practice here.
This residential retreat is full with a short waitlist. NOTE that you must create an account on IMS’s website to join the waitlist. Instructions can be found on IMS’s website.
Questions?
This event is being run by the Insight Meditation Society. For any questions related to this retreat, please email IMS at rc@dharma.org.
The online retreat is offered as broadcast-only and will include: teacher-led meditation instructions and Dharma talks broadcasted live from the IMS Meditation Hall. This program will be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing after the live sessions. On-demand videos will be available to registered participants only for 90 days. Please note that there is no direct interaction with the onsite teachers.
ABOUT THE TEACHERS
OREN JAY SOFER
Oren Jay Sofer, a CNVC Certified Nonviolent Communication Trainer, teaches workshops and retreats on meditation and communication internationally. His teaching emphasizes how awareness practice and communication training deepen one another in a synergistic manner. He holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University and is certified as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for healing trauma. Oren is a husband, a father, and the author of several books including Your Heart Was Made For This, and the best-selling title, Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication.
DAWN SCOTT
Dawn Scott has been practicing Insight Meditation since 2008 and served as the Family Program Coordinator for eight years at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She is a graduate of the Insight Meditation Society’s 2017 – 2021 teacher training program, a co-principal teacher of Marin Sangha, and is a core teacher of Spirit Rock’s Liberation, Emptiness, and Awareness Practices (LEAP) Program and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and Insight Meditation’s joint program, Exploring the Heart of Freedom. Dawn has a deep love of long retreat practice and the Buddha’s liberating teachings.
JESSICA MOREY
Jessica Morey is a meditation teacher and contemplative coach with three decades of practice. She began meditating as a teenager on retreats at the Insight Meditation Society and graduated from the IMS teacher training program in 2021. Jess brings a sense of playfulness and care to her teaching, with a focus on integrating meditation into our relationships and everyday life. Her approach is grounded in psychological insight and skillful communication, making her teaching both accessible and practical. Before teaching full-time, Jess studied engineering and worked in clean energy finance. She later founded Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, a nonprofit offering in-depth mindfulness and compassion training to youth. More recently, she helped create the Contemplative Semester, a three-month immersion program for young adults.
GINA LAROCHE (Assistant)
Gina LaRoche started her meditation practice in 2000, and was introduced to Insight Meditation while attending her first residential retreat in 2010. Deeply transformed by the Dharma, Gina integrates its teachings into her daily life and work. A 2017 graduate of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader Program; founding teacher of Elm Community Insight in New Haven, Connecticut; and former IMS Board member, she co-holds the monthly POC sit at Cambridge Insight Meditation Center. Coauthor of The 7 Laws of Enough: Cultivating a Life of Sustainable Abundance, Gina is known for her compassionate teaching style and dedication to making mindfulness accessible to all.
SABRA SAPERSTEIN (Movement)
Sabra Saperstein lives in Portland, Maine, and works at Frith Farm where she is a cook and community weaver. She is devoted to building healthy relationship with the land and community, and cultivating new culture centered on the sacred. She received her yoga teacher certification from 8 Limbs Yoga in 2003 and began offering Mindful Movement while working at Insight Meditation Society. It is a combination of yoga, qi gong and intuitive movement and is a gentle practice suitable for people of all ages. The primary intention of Mindful Movement is to invite one’s awareness into the body, thereby creating more grounding, flow of life force and sense of connectedness.