Insight Meditation Winter Solstice Retreat:
Embracing the Dark, Inviting the Light
with Oren Jay Sofer, Heather Sundberg, and Dawn Scott
In this online retreat, we will emphasize centering ourselves at the time of the holidays and the New Year, quieting our minds, grounding in our bodies, opening up our hearts, and using inquiry to help give energy to our practice. There will be a special emphasis on opening to the darkness, including to our difficulties and challenges, as well as to the coming light -- to our beauty, joy, wisdom, and love. The retreat will include complete meditation instructions, sitting and walking meditation, daily loving kindness practice, daily Qigong practice, evening talks, practice discussions, and a Winter Solstice ceremony.
Dates: Friday December 18, 2pm PT / 5pm ET – Thursday December 23, 10:30am PT / 1:30pm ET
Cost: Sliding Scale, plus a donation to the teacher(s) and retreat staff.
(Audit option available for $175 - see Spirit Rock’s registration for details)
Spirit Rock offers a range of reduced rate scholarships for young adults, BIPOC practitioners, and others. See registration page for details. All sessions will be recorded and available for 3 months to registered participants. Registration closes Friday Dec 17 at 11:59pm PT.
Questions?
This event is being run by the Spirit Rock Meditation Center. For any questions related to registration, scholarships and/or continuing education, please contact them here. For questions related to the content of this program or event, feel free to get in touch with us here instead. Please be sure to include the date and title of the event in your email!
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.
Heather Sundberg
Heather Sundberg has taught Insight Meditation since 1999 and is a graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS Teacher Training Program. For the last 25 years, Heather has studied with senior teachers in the Insight Meditation and Tibetan traditions and has sat 1-3 months of retreat a year for almost 20 years. She was the Spirit Rock Family & Teen Program Teacher & Manager for a decade, and serves on the Spirit Rock Teachers Council. Since 2011, she has been a Teacher at Mountain Stream Meditation Center and sister communities in the Sierra Foothills, and also teaches nationally, especially at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Her teaching emphasizes embodiment, compassion, and practical wisdom.
Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott has been practicing insight meditation since 2008, is a Diamond Heart practitioner, and currently serves as the Family Program Coordinator at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She teaches teen retreats at Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme) and is a Teacher-in-Training in the 2017-2021 IMS Teacher Training Program.
Photo by Ryan Hutton on Unsplash