NOTE: in-person Retreat registration opens at 2:30pm PT. Retreat begins at 6:00pm PT / 9:00pm ET.
Hybrid Meditation Retreat with Oren Jay Sofer, Cara Lai, Jessica Morey, Yong Oh, & David Cabrera
The Buddhist path includes practices to cultivate four powerful and transformative qualities—kindness, compassion, joy, and balance. These qualities are innate human capacities, and can also be developed into more reliable dwelling places for the heart. Known as the Brahma Viharas, or “sublime homes,” these states can serve as powerful supports for wellbeing, wholeness, concentration and the maturing of insight practice.
There will be both residential and online options to participate in this silent meditation retreat. We will explore techniques for developing each of the four sublime states, as well as ways to release the obstacles that often get in the way of living with more ease, happiness, and peace. Our time together will include silent and guided sitting meditation, walking meditation, Dharma talks, instructions, Q&A, and small group meetings with the teachers.
This retreat is appropriate for both beginning and more experienced meditators.
Teacher Support: The teachers on this retreat offer their teachings freely. They do not receive compensation from Spirit Rock 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.
Questions?
This event is being run by the Spirit Rock Meditation Center. For any questions related to registration or scholarships, please email Spirit Rock at srmc@spiritrock.org.
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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.
Cara Lai
Cara Lai has spent most of her life in pursuit of meaning and happiness, which landed her on a cushion for much of her adult life. Throughout many mind-body adventures including many long-term retreats, she has explored the concentrated mind, chronic illness, the value of pleasure, the power of maternal energy, and connection to the earth. In the past, Cara has worked as an artist, wilderness guide, social worker and psychotherapist. Now she finds herself intently focused on the dharma path, practicing both on and off the cushion in unconventional ways, and using intuition as her guide. She tries her best to teach from the most authentic and vulnerable place she can muster, and is still learning about the contentment of simply existing.
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.
Yong Oh
Yong is a Dharma Council teacher at the Durango Dharma Center and a core teacher for Sacred Mountain Sangha, and is also a visiting teacher for other community centers across North America. He teaches retreats at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Big Bear Retreat Center, and Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center. He is a graduate of the 4-year Insight Meditation Society Retreat Teacher Training program, Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s 2-year Community Dharma Leaders program, and the Sacred Mountain Sangha 2-year Dharmapala training, taught by his primary teachers Kittisaro and Thanissara. Yong is also a retired acupuncturist, is passionate about Nature and Dharma, and has particular interests in devotional expression, supporting caregivers, and offering teachings to communities of color in the Dharma.
David Cabrera (movement teacher)
David Cabrera has practiced Vipassana meditation since 2007 and received certification through Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach’s Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program in 2021. Incorporating many years of martial arts studies, David is Laoshi in Chen Taiji and has taught mindful movement, Qi Gong, Taiji for since 2011 and was trained by the International Tiancai Chenjiagou Federation USA under Sifu Kam Lee. David also specializes in Somatic Integration healing practices. Being of Afro Cuban Asian heritage, David comes from a long lineage of Afro Cuban abolitionists who have devoted their lives to equality and liberation for all people of color in Cuba. David is also a Grammy award winning musician in the Latin music industry and a devout father and husband.