Length 5-7 nights (residential)
October
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 Dates: April 2022 - May 2024 Sliding Scale: $13,700 - $3,700. Code: DPPT22 PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 - May 2024 All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
Dates: April 2022 – May 2024
Sliding Scale: $13,700 – $3,700. Code: DPPT22
PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 – May 2024
All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock Meditation Center:
Retreat 1: April 30, 2022 to May 6, 2022
Retreat 2: November 11, 2022 to November 17, 2022
Retreat 3: April 15, 2023 to April 21, 2023
Retreat 4: November 11, 2023 to November 17, 2023
Retreat 5: April 28, 2024 to May 4, 2024
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES
- A minimum total of 50 nights residential retreat practice in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition
- A minimum total of 5 years daily dharma practice
- A letter of recommendation from a sponsoring teacher (someone who currently teaches at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, Gaia House or is a recognized vipassana teacher), knows you and your meditation practice, and is supportive of your application to DPP
- For those who identify as white, completion of a White Awake multi-week program, either through Spirit Rock or through other respected organizations
- Personal and interpersonal maturity regardless of age, including:
- Maturity displaying emotional and relational intelligence, including the capacity to work with personal suffering
- Interpersonal maturity, to navigate relational difficulties with peers and teachers
- Interest and capacity to interact with people who will have different histories, stories and views than your own and a willingness to engage and discover with others
PROGRAM DETAILS:
Become a part of a community that will challenge, broaden, and vitalize your understanding and embodiment of the earliest Buddhist teachings. The Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP), designed as an intensive lay practice period, offers a comprehensive curriculum on the Buddha’s early teachings over two years. In addition to attending five 6-night in-person residential retreats, participants commit to maintaining a formal daily meditative practice, monthly coursework, monthly group meetings, a monthly “dharma buddy” meeting and contact with a mentoring teacher over the full period of DPP.
While the retreats are a very powerful part of the program, most of DPP is the personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats. Students who participated in the past six cycles of DPP reported a profound impact on their own meditation practice, providing a focus and inspiration for deepening their understanding of Buddhism, and bringing the dharma alive in new and unexpected ways.
We use the Dharma, our meditation practice, and our Sangha to explore the ways suffering and freedom are created in our own hearts, including an exploration of the gross and subtle manifestations of social suffering, and its impact on personal and collective well-being. Our intention is to create a diverse and vibrant community of dedicated practitioners who support one another in waking up and in bringing more wise compassion into the world. We are committed to having a minimum combined 50% BIPOC and LGBTQI+ participation in DPP.
Please note: DPP is not a teacher training program. Spirit Rock does periodically offer programs such as the Community Dharma Leaders Program, which trains participants in leading community dharma communities, the Dharma & Yoga Training Program for aspiring yoga teachers, and the Mindful Leadership Program geared toward leadership in social and environmental justice.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS and REQUIREMENTS
- Attendance at all five 6-night residential retreats
- Completion of monthly readings, practices and reflections with personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats.
- Attending a monthly teacher-led group meeting. Traditionally DPP groups have formed in San Francisco, Marin County, the SF East Bay, Redwood City, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver, BC and have met in person and now groups may be offered by zoom. The groups are asked to support the teachers with dana.
- Monthly meetings with “dharma buddies” in the program
- Maintain regular contact with mentoring teacher focusing on formal practice, DPP homework, and personal dharma development and integration. Mentoring meetings may be offered monthly or every other month, in person or by zoom at the teacher’s discretion, and will be offered held on a dana basis. We encourage you to reach out to teachers (including your sponsoring teacher) to see if they might be willing to mentor you in DPP. If needed we will support you in finding one.
- Interest and commitment to increase individual awareness of structural oppression internalized oppression and privilege (class, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.)
- The practice of dana (generosity) to support program teachers, group leaders and mentoring teachers
- Meeting all financial obligations outlined in this application relating to program fees
- Access to email and the internet, either through your own computer, through a DPP buddy, or through a family member or friend who would be willing to pass along all the messages related to DPP.
APPLICATION TIMELINE and PROCESS
June 1 – August 15, 2021 – Applications accepted between these dates. Incomplete applications without an attached digital photo cannot be processed.
August 15, 2021 – Deadline to submit application. All applications sent after this date will be put in a waitlist reserve to only be reviewed if space opens up in the program.
October 1, 2021 – Notification of your status will be sent no later than this date via email.
November 1, 2021 – Commitment and payment deadline; 25% deposit required at time of acceptance; $100 non-refundable fee for all applicants, if cancel prior to Jan 1, 2022.
Applications will open June 1, 2021. Close August 15, 2021.
A few things to consider and gather before getting started:
- This is an online-only application. You will receive a copy of your submitted application upon its completion.
- Allow yourself at least 30 minutes or more to complete this entire application.
- Gather details on your previous retreat experience; you will have to list your retreat time; Example format: date (month/year), location of retreat (what center), teacher(s), style of retreat (metta or vipassana, etc.), # of nights.
- Digital photo of yourself (headshot/”selfie”); take or choose a digital photo of yourself to be attached at the end of the application.
- Get prior approval from your sponsoring teacher before listing them on the application. You will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring teacher.
- The form is compatible with mobile, tablet and computer devices.
TUITION
Participation in DPP requires a financial commitment. Payment plans are available for all levels of the sliding scale. Scholarship support is available to help with payment of fees but it will be limited. A 25% deposit will be due upon acceptance.
Sliding Scale:
Supporter – $16,900 (guaranteed single room)
Benefactor – $13,700
Sustainer – $10,700
Base – $7,700
Scholarship Sliding Scale:
Scholarship Rate 1 – $5,700
Scholarship Rate 2 – $3,700
Tuition includes:
- Accommodations and meals at all five residential retreats
- All handouts and program materials
- Access to social media and online community building groups
Tuition does NOT include:
- Teacher support (dana)
- Transportation costs to/from your home to Spirit Rock
- Dana for mentor teacher support and monthly group teacher support
IMPORTANCE OF SANGHA
With the spread of mindfulness outside of traditional Theravadin countries, often taught by teachers with little direct contact to the Pali teachings, every generation must take time to find the roots of their understanding in the recorded words of the Buddha and his earliest community. If we study alone, we often feel a limited understanding of these ancient texts, yet together they can come more alive. Also, many past students of DPP have forged life-long friendships from within the program.
During free time around non-silent meals on the retreats, and any time in the months between retreats, students are encouraged to organize self-led student groups on topics of shared interests. This is to further extend the Dharma presented formally by the program teachers and to raise topics not covered in the formal DPP curriculum.
All who meet the prerequisites are welcome to apply. Spirit Rock and the organizers of DPP7 are deeply committed to creating a community of practitioners from diverse backgrounds and cultures – a mix of races, genders, ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities – to support each other’s Dharma practice.
Testimonials from Past DPP Participants
One of the things I’ve appreciated most about my practice on silent meditation retreats is the chance to just drop my habitual patterns of relating to people. Upon re-emerging into the world of social contact after a silent retreat, I have usually noticed subtle shifts in how I relate to people: over time, some of my habitual patterns have gotten weaker. With the interactive practices offered in the DPP, the shifts have been dramatic. Mindful interactive practices were for me a radical experience of authenticity in communication. Having experienced that level of authenticity and sharing in a safe environment, I find myself more willing to be authentic in daily life interactions. For me, the DPP has been as much about exploring community as about exploring the Dharma. The experience of trust and intimacy with such a large group of people has been extremely powerful. — Rachel
One of the greatest benefits of the DPP program was the “Dharma Buddy” element. For years I sat silent retreats with total strangers who now, thanks to DPP, are my closest friends. It doesn’t matter who you choose to be your dharma buddy; each of us is a teacher and a student in our own unique way. I started out buddying up with an acquaintance who was in the program, and then a total stranger asked to be my buddy, so we became three. And then, during the course of the two years, I deeply connected with several other people who I adopted (or perhaps they adopted me) as dharma buddies. I speak on the phone or email those is distant cities, and we visit each other. Those who are local have formed a Kalyana Mitta (Dharma Friends) group that meets monthly. By the end of the program I had more than a half dozen close dharma buddies with whom I will undoubtedly continue sharing the dharma for years to come. — David
As a parent, the DPP gave me the focus and permission to deeply commit to my practice for two years. While I was uncertain initially about the impact on my family, the depth of practice has deeply served us and I have come much closer to the parent I always wanted to be! — Maureen
Participating in DPP has been one of the best experiences of my life. After two years of guided practice and study of the dharma, I feel confident and happy to go on with my life with a sense of meaning and connectedness. This is the greatest gift from life one can get. — Alicia
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
View Bonnie's profile.
-
Gullu Singh
Gullu Singh
View Gullu's upcoming programs or profile.
-
John Martin
John Martin
View John's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Kaira Jewel Lingo
Kaira Jewel Lingo
View Kaira Jewel's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith
View Tempel's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Wednesday to Wednesday, October 20 - 27, 2021 (7 nights). Code 304R21. Sliding Scale: $350-$2450, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 3:00-5:00 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. RETREAT TO BE HELD
Event Details
Dates: Wednesday to Wednesday, October 20 – 27, 2021 (7 nights). Code 304R21.
Sliding Scale: $350-$2450, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
Do you wish to understand more deeply what mindfulness and awareness are? The Buddha taught mindful awareness as a direct path to liberation.
Mindful awareness allows us to be present with clarity, insight, and equanimity. It is the foundation for wisdom, compassion, and awakening. Though Buddhist teachings offer ways to cultivate mindfulness, we will explore how this quality is naturally available.
In this silent meditation retreat, we will explore this innate quality of awareness – what it is and how to recognize, cultivate, and abide in awareness. We will inquire into what interferes with knowing and stabilizing in mindful awareness both in meditation and in ordinary activity. As mindfulness grows, we will see how this innate wakefulness is available in every moment.
There will be sitting and walking meditation, dharma talks, inquiry, and Q&A. Ideally, participants have attended at least one silent mindfulness retreat.
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). While we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
Hemera Fellowships – are you eligible? Learn more…
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Teacher(s)
-
Hakim Tafari
Hakim Tafari
View Hakim’s upcoming programs and profile.
-
Howard Cohn, MA
Howard Cohn, MA
View Howard's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Leslie Booker
Leslie Booker
Booker brings her heart and wisdom to the intersection of Dharma, embodied practice, and activism. She began working with system-involved populations in 2005 and was a senior teacher and Director of Trainings with Lineage Project for 10 years, and facilitated an intervention on Riker's Island from 2009-2011 through NYU. Booker shares her expertise nationally on creating culturally responsive environments and changing the paradigm of self and community care. She has spoken at Mind&Life Institute’s International Symposium, Contemplative Minds in Higher Education, and Mindfulness in Education conferences, as well as at universities across the country. She is a co-founder of the Yoga Service Council at Omega Institute, and the Meditation Working Group of Occupy Wall Street. Booker is a co-author of Best Practices for Yoga in a Criminal Justice Setting, a contributor to Georgetown Law’s Center on Poverty and Inequality’s report on Gender & Trauma, YOGA: The Secret of Life, and Sharon Salzberg's book Happiness at Work. Booker is on faculty with the Engaged Mindfulness Institute and Off the Mat Into the World. She is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Mindful Yoga and Meditation training (2012), Community Dharma Leaders’ Training (2017), and will complete Spirit Rock’s Teacher Training in 2020. View Booker's upcoming programs.
-
Mark Coleman, MA
Mark Coleman, MA
View Mark's upcoming programs or profile.
November
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 Dates: April 2022 - May 2024 Sliding Scale: $13,700 - $3,700. Code: DPPT22 PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 - May 2024 All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
Dates: April 2022 – May 2024
Sliding Scale: $13,700 – $3,700. Code: DPPT22
PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 – May 2024
All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock Meditation Center:
Retreat 1: April 30, 2022 to May 6, 2022
Retreat 2: November 11, 2022 to November 17, 2022
Retreat 3: April 15, 2023 to April 21, 2023
Retreat 4: November 11, 2023 to November 17, 2023
Retreat 5: April 28, 2024 to May 4, 2024
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES
- A minimum total of 50 nights residential retreat practice in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition
- A minimum total of 5 years daily dharma practice
- A letter of recommendation from a sponsoring teacher (someone who currently teaches at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, Gaia House or is a recognized vipassana teacher), knows you and your meditation practice, and is supportive of your application to DPP
- For those who identify as white, completion of a White Awake multi-week program, either through Spirit Rock or through other respected organizations
- Personal and interpersonal maturity regardless of age, including:
- Maturity displaying emotional and relational intelligence, including the capacity to work with personal suffering
- Interpersonal maturity, to navigate relational difficulties with peers and teachers
- Interest and capacity to interact with people who will have different histories, stories and views than your own and a willingness to engage and discover with others
PROGRAM DETAILS:
Become a part of a community that will challenge, broaden, and vitalize your understanding and embodiment of the earliest Buddhist teachings. The Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP), designed as an intensive lay practice period, offers a comprehensive curriculum on the Buddha’s early teachings over two years. In addition to attending five 6-night in-person residential retreats, participants commit to maintaining a formal daily meditative practice, monthly coursework, monthly group meetings, a monthly “dharma buddy” meeting and contact with a mentoring teacher over the full period of DPP.
While the retreats are a very powerful part of the program, most of DPP is the personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats. Students who participated in the past six cycles of DPP reported a profound impact on their own meditation practice, providing a focus and inspiration for deepening their understanding of Buddhism, and bringing the dharma alive in new and unexpected ways.
We use the Dharma, our meditation practice, and our Sangha to explore the ways suffering and freedom are created in our own hearts, including an exploration of the gross and subtle manifestations of social suffering, and its impact on personal and collective well-being. Our intention is to create a diverse and vibrant community of dedicated practitioners who support one another in waking up and in bringing more wise compassion into the world. We are committed to having a minimum combined 50% BIPOC and LGBTQI+ participation in DPP.
Please note: DPP is not a teacher training program. Spirit Rock does periodically offer programs such as the Community Dharma Leaders Program, which trains participants in leading community dharma communities, the Dharma & Yoga Training Program for aspiring yoga teachers, and the Mindful Leadership Program geared toward leadership in social and environmental justice.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS and REQUIREMENTS
- Attendance at all five 6-night residential retreats
- Completion of monthly readings, practices and reflections with personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats.
- Attending a monthly teacher-led group meeting. Traditionally DPP groups have formed in San Francisco, Marin County, the SF East Bay, Redwood City, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver, BC and have met in person and now groups may be offered by zoom. The groups are asked to support the teachers with dana.
- Monthly meetings with “dharma buddies” in the program
- Maintain regular contact with mentoring teacher focusing on formal practice, DPP homework, and personal dharma development and integration. Mentoring meetings may be offered monthly or every other month, in person or by zoom at the teacher’s discretion, and will be offered held on a dana basis. We encourage you to reach out to teachers (including your sponsoring teacher) to see if they might be willing to mentor you in DPP. If needed we will support you in finding one.
- Interest and commitment to increase individual awareness of structural oppression internalized oppression and privilege (class, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.)
- The practice of dana (generosity) to support program teachers, group leaders and mentoring teachers
- Meeting all financial obligations outlined in this application relating to program fees
- Access to email and the internet, either through your own computer, through a DPP buddy, or through a family member or friend who would be willing to pass along all the messages related to DPP.
APPLICATION TIMELINE and PROCESS
June 1 – August 15, 2021 – Applications accepted between these dates. Incomplete applications without an attached digital photo cannot be processed.
August 15, 2021 – Deadline to submit application. All applications sent after this date will be put in a waitlist reserve to only be reviewed if space opens up in the program.
October 1, 2021 – Notification of your status will be sent no later than this date via email.
November 1, 2021 – Commitment and payment deadline; 25% deposit required at time of acceptance; $100 non-refundable fee for all applicants, if cancel prior to Jan 1, 2022.
Applications will open June 1, 2021. Close August 15, 2021.
A few things to consider and gather before getting started:
- This is an online-only application. You will receive a copy of your submitted application upon its completion.
- Allow yourself at least 30 minutes or more to complete this entire application.
- Gather details on your previous retreat experience; you will have to list your retreat time; Example format: date (month/year), location of retreat (what center), teacher(s), style of retreat (metta or vipassana, etc.), # of nights.
- Digital photo of yourself (headshot/”selfie”); take or choose a digital photo of yourself to be attached at the end of the application.
- Get prior approval from your sponsoring teacher before listing them on the application. You will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring teacher.
- The form is compatible with mobile, tablet and computer devices.
TUITION
Participation in DPP requires a financial commitment. Payment plans are available for all levels of the sliding scale. Scholarship support is available to help with payment of fees but it will be limited. A 25% deposit will be due upon acceptance.
Sliding Scale:
Supporter – $16,900 (guaranteed single room)
Benefactor – $13,700
Sustainer – $10,700
Base – $7,700
Scholarship Sliding Scale:
Scholarship Rate 1 – $5,700
Scholarship Rate 2 – $3,700
Tuition includes:
- Accommodations and meals at all five residential retreats
- All handouts and program materials
- Access to social media and online community building groups
Tuition does NOT include:
- Teacher support (dana)
- Transportation costs to/from your home to Spirit Rock
- Dana for mentor teacher support and monthly group teacher support
IMPORTANCE OF SANGHA
With the spread of mindfulness outside of traditional Theravadin countries, often taught by teachers with little direct contact to the Pali teachings, every generation must take time to find the roots of their understanding in the recorded words of the Buddha and his earliest community. If we study alone, we often feel a limited understanding of these ancient texts, yet together they can come more alive. Also, many past students of DPP have forged life-long friendships from within the program.
During free time around non-silent meals on the retreats, and any time in the months between retreats, students are encouraged to organize self-led student groups on topics of shared interests. This is to further extend the Dharma presented formally by the program teachers and to raise topics not covered in the formal DPP curriculum.
All who meet the prerequisites are welcome to apply. Spirit Rock and the organizers of DPP7 are deeply committed to creating a community of practitioners from diverse backgrounds and cultures – a mix of races, genders, ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities – to support each other’s Dharma practice.
Testimonials from Past DPP Participants
One of the things I’ve appreciated most about my practice on silent meditation retreats is the chance to just drop my habitual patterns of relating to people. Upon re-emerging into the world of social contact after a silent retreat, I have usually noticed subtle shifts in how I relate to people: over time, some of my habitual patterns have gotten weaker. With the interactive practices offered in the DPP, the shifts have been dramatic. Mindful interactive practices were for me a radical experience of authenticity in communication. Having experienced that level of authenticity and sharing in a safe environment, I find myself more willing to be authentic in daily life interactions. For me, the DPP has been as much about exploring community as about exploring the Dharma. The experience of trust and intimacy with such a large group of people has been extremely powerful. — Rachel
One of the greatest benefits of the DPP program was the “Dharma Buddy” element. For years I sat silent retreats with total strangers who now, thanks to DPP, are my closest friends. It doesn’t matter who you choose to be your dharma buddy; each of us is a teacher and a student in our own unique way. I started out buddying up with an acquaintance who was in the program, and then a total stranger asked to be my buddy, so we became three. And then, during the course of the two years, I deeply connected with several other people who I adopted (or perhaps they adopted me) as dharma buddies. I speak on the phone or email those is distant cities, and we visit each other. Those who are local have formed a Kalyana Mitta (Dharma Friends) group that meets monthly. By the end of the program I had more than a half dozen close dharma buddies with whom I will undoubtedly continue sharing the dharma for years to come. — David
As a parent, the DPP gave me the focus and permission to deeply commit to my practice for two years. While I was uncertain initially about the impact on my family, the depth of practice has deeply served us and I have come much closer to the parent I always wanted to be! — Maureen
Participating in DPP has been one of the best experiences of my life. After two years of guided practice and study of the dharma, I feel confident and happy to go on with my life with a sense of meaning and connectedness. This is the greatest gift from life one can get. — Alicia
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
View Bonnie's profile.
-
Gullu Singh
Gullu Singh
View Gullu's upcoming programs or profile.
-
John Martin
John Martin
View John's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Kaira Jewel Lingo
Kaira Jewel Lingo
View Kaira Jewel's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith
View Tempel's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Wednesday to Wednesday, November 3-10, 2021 (7 nights). Code 306R21. Sliding Scale: $350-$2450, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE
Event Details
Dates: Wednesday to Wednesday, November 3-10, 2021 (7 nights). Code 306R21.
Sliding Scale: $350-$2450, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Prerequisite: Completion of a mindfulness meditation class or retreat (online or in-person) and a regular mindfulness practice.
Description:
We will train in three interrelated modes of practice. First, we will settle and stabilize our minds and bodies, becoming more concentrated, through sitting and moving forms of meditation, including regular Qigong.
As we settle, we will become better able to closely examine our experience of our bodies, thoughts, and emotions, and the general patterns of experience, on the personal and universal levels. We will see more clearly when we are reactive, when we suffer, and when there is a thick sense of self. Plus, we will learn to be more with the impermanent flow of experience.
We will also tune in more, as we settle and see, to an increasingly unconfined and luminous awareness beyond reactivity, which is a source of freedom, wisdom, and compassion in retreat practice and in daily life.
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). While we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Teacher(s)
-
Beth Sternlieb
Beth Sternlieb
View Beth's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Devon Hase
Devon Hase
View Devon's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Donald Rothberg, PhD
Donald Rothberg, PhD
View Donald's profile.
Event Details
Dates: Friday to Wednesday, November 12-17, 2021 (5 nights). Code 308R21. Sliding Scale: $250-$1750, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE
Event Details
Dates: Friday to Wednesday, November 12-17, 2021 (5 nights). Code 308R21.
Sliding Scale: $250-$1750, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
Come explore the deep well-being and peace available from learning to live with awareness and understanding the Dharma deeply. Join us to develop a clear, kind presence of mind and heart that can support becoming a more wise, balanced, compassionate human being. This retreat will emphasize a relaxed continuity of attention in sitting, walking, eating and all other daily activities.
We will enter into a contemplative Buddhist retreat period, simplifying our lives by letting go of reading, writing, cellphones, computers, sexual activity and recreational drugs/alcohol to help settle our minds and hearts. The retreat will be supported by guided meditations, Dharma talks, and time for questions in small groups.
Note: Dharma is for everyone but intensive silent retreat is only recommended for those with sufficient psychological stability. This retreat is not appropriate for those with recent trauma, fragile mental health, or who cannot be in silence for 5 nights.
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). While we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
Hemera Fellowships – are you eligible? Learn more…
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Teacher(s)
-
Anushka Fernandopulle
Anushka Fernandopulle
View Anushka's profile.
-
Jean Esther
Jean Esther
View Jean's profile.
-
Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey
Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey
Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey aims to inspire the skills, determination, and faith necessary to realize the deepest human freedom. He is the resident teacher for Vipassana Hawai’i and when off-island teaches across the US, Canada, and in Burma. Learn more at www.dolessforpeace.org
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Sunday, November 29-December 5, 2021 (6 nights). Code 312R21. Sliding Scale: $300-$2100, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. RETREAT TO BE HELD ON
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Sunday, November 29-December 5, 2021 (6 nights). Code 312R21.
Sliding Scale: $300-$2100, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
The foundational Buddhist meditation practices are the collecting and clarifying of the mind, and cultivating the conditions for Insight. On this retreat we will look carefully and practice creating the conditions that allow the meditation practice to flourish and wisdom to arise. Specific guidance will be given around the different aspects of practice will be offered with an emphasis on the practitioner knowing what and why they are doing the practice they are and what the results that may follow. Open to all interested meditators with a willingness to investigate and experiment with their practice approaches.
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). While we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
Hemera Fellowships – are you eligible? Learn more…
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Teacher(s)
-
Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott
View Dawn's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Jessica Morey
Jessica Morey
Jessica is the executive director and lead teacher of Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme). She began practicing meditation at age 14 on teen retreats offered by the Insight Meditation Society (IMS). Jessica has attended longer retreats in Asia and the US, and is a founding board member and lead teacher for iBme teen retreats. Before joining iBme, Jessica worked in clean energy and climate policy and finance. She holds a BA in Environmental Engineering and Masters degrees in Sustainable Development and International Affairs. Her published works range from the chapter ‘Ordinary Awakening’ in Blue Jean Buddha to Conflict Resolution of the Boruca Hydro-Energy Project: Renewable Energy Production in Costa Rica. She combined these areas of passion in an article in the Shambhala Sun, Bodhi Trees, about the relevance of Buddhist practice to heal our relationship with the natural world. She loves yoga, being outside and dancing in any form.
-
Marjolein Janssen
Marjolein Janssen
View Marjolein's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Oren Jay Sofer, SEP
Oren Jay Sofer, SEP
View Oren's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Susie Harrington
Susie Harrington
View Susie's upcoming programs or profile.
December
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 Dates: April 2022 - May 2024 Sliding Scale: $13,700 - $3,700. Code: DPPT22 PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 - May 2024 All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock
Event Details
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
Dates: April 2022 – May 2024
Sliding Scale: $13,700 – $3,700. Code: DPPT22
PROGRAM DATES: April 2022 – May 2024
All retreats held in-person at Spirit Rock Meditation Center:
Retreat 1: April 30, 2022 to May 6, 2022
Retreat 2: November 11, 2022 to November 17, 2022
Retreat 3: April 15, 2023 to April 21, 2023
Retreat 4: November 11, 2023 to November 17, 2023
Retreat 5: April 28, 2024 to May 4, 2024
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES
- A minimum total of 50 nights residential retreat practice in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition
- A minimum total of 5 years daily dharma practice
- A letter of recommendation from a sponsoring teacher (someone who currently teaches at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, Gaia House or is a recognized vipassana teacher), knows you and your meditation practice, and is supportive of your application to DPP
- For those who identify as white, completion of a White Awake multi-week program, either through Spirit Rock or through other respected organizations
- Personal and interpersonal maturity regardless of age, including:
- Maturity displaying emotional and relational intelligence, including the capacity to work with personal suffering
- Interpersonal maturity, to navigate relational difficulties with peers and teachers
- Interest and capacity to interact with people who will have different histories, stories and views than your own and a willingness to engage and discover with others
PROGRAM DETAILS:
Become a part of a community that will challenge, broaden, and vitalize your understanding and embodiment of the earliest Buddhist teachings. The Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP), designed as an intensive lay practice period, offers a comprehensive curriculum on the Buddha’s early teachings over two years. In addition to attending five 6-night in-person residential retreats, participants commit to maintaining a formal daily meditative practice, monthly coursework, monthly group meetings, a monthly “dharma buddy” meeting and contact with a mentoring teacher over the full period of DPP.
While the retreats are a very powerful part of the program, most of DPP is the personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats. Students who participated in the past six cycles of DPP reported a profound impact on their own meditation practice, providing a focus and inspiration for deepening their understanding of Buddhism, and bringing the dharma alive in new and unexpected ways.
We use the Dharma, our meditation practice, and our Sangha to explore the ways suffering and freedom are created in our own hearts, including an exploration of the gross and subtle manifestations of social suffering, and its impact on personal and collective well-being. Our intention is to create a diverse and vibrant community of dedicated practitioners who support one another in waking up and in bringing more wise compassion into the world. We are committed to having a minimum combined 50% BIPOC and LGBTQI+ participation in DPP.
Please note: DPP is not a teacher training program. Spirit Rock does periodically offer programs such as the Community Dharma Leaders Program, which trains participants in leading community dharma communities, the Dharma & Yoga Training Program for aspiring yoga teachers, and the Mindful Leadership Program geared toward leadership in social and environmental justice.
PROGRAM COMPONENTS and REQUIREMENTS
- Attendance at all five 6-night residential retreats
- Completion of monthly readings, practices and reflections with personal engagement with the eight-fold path in the six months between retreats.
- Attending a monthly teacher-led group meeting. Traditionally DPP groups have formed in San Francisco, Marin County, the SF East Bay, Redwood City, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver, BC and have met in person and now groups may be offered by zoom. The groups are asked to support the teachers with dana.
- Monthly meetings with “dharma buddies” in the program
- Maintain regular contact with mentoring teacher focusing on formal practice, DPP homework, and personal dharma development and integration. Mentoring meetings may be offered monthly or every other month, in person or by zoom at the teacher’s discretion, and will be offered held on a dana basis. We encourage you to reach out to teachers (including your sponsoring teacher) to see if they might be willing to mentor you in DPP. If needed we will support you in finding one.
- Interest and commitment to increase individual awareness of structural oppression internalized oppression and privilege (class, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.)
- The practice of dana (generosity) to support program teachers, group leaders and mentoring teachers
- Meeting all financial obligations outlined in this application relating to program fees
- Access to email and the internet, either through your own computer, through a DPP buddy, or through a family member or friend who would be willing to pass along all the messages related to DPP.
APPLICATION TIMELINE and PROCESS
June 1 – August 15, 2021 – Applications accepted between these dates. Incomplete applications without an attached digital photo cannot be processed.
August 15, 2021 – Deadline to submit application. All applications sent after this date will be put in a waitlist reserve to only be reviewed if space opens up in the program.
October 1, 2021 – Notification of your status will be sent no later than this date via email.
November 1, 2021 – Commitment and payment deadline; 25% deposit required at time of acceptance; $100 non-refundable fee for all applicants, if cancel prior to Jan 1, 2022.
Applications will open June 1, 2021. Close August 15, 2021.
A few things to consider and gather before getting started:
- This is an online-only application. You will receive a copy of your submitted application upon its completion.
- Allow yourself at least 30 minutes or more to complete this entire application.
- Gather details on your previous retreat experience; you will have to list your retreat time; Example format: date (month/year), location of retreat (what center), teacher(s), style of retreat (metta or vipassana, etc.), # of nights.
- Digital photo of yourself (headshot/”selfie”); take or choose a digital photo of yourself to be attached at the end of the application.
- Get prior approval from your sponsoring teacher before listing them on the application. You will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring teacher.
- The form is compatible with mobile, tablet and computer devices.
TUITION
Participation in DPP requires a financial commitment. Payment plans are available for all levels of the sliding scale. Scholarship support is available to help with payment of fees but it will be limited. A 25% deposit will be due upon acceptance.
Sliding Scale:
Supporter – $16,900 (guaranteed single room)
Benefactor – $13,700
Sustainer – $10,700
Base – $7,700
Scholarship Sliding Scale:
Scholarship Rate 1 – $5,700
Scholarship Rate 2 – $3,700
Tuition includes:
- Accommodations and meals at all five residential retreats
- All handouts and program materials
- Access to social media and online community building groups
Tuition does NOT include:
- Teacher support (dana)
- Transportation costs to/from your home to Spirit Rock
- Dana for mentor teacher support and monthly group teacher support
IMPORTANCE OF SANGHA
With the spread of mindfulness outside of traditional Theravadin countries, often taught by teachers with little direct contact to the Pali teachings, every generation must take time to find the roots of their understanding in the recorded words of the Buddha and his earliest community. If we study alone, we often feel a limited understanding of these ancient texts, yet together they can come more alive. Also, many past students of DPP have forged life-long friendships from within the program.
During free time around non-silent meals on the retreats, and any time in the months between retreats, students are encouraged to organize self-led student groups on topics of shared interests. This is to further extend the Dharma presented formally by the program teachers and to raise topics not covered in the formal DPP curriculum.
All who meet the prerequisites are welcome to apply. Spirit Rock and the organizers of DPP7 are deeply committed to creating a community of practitioners from diverse backgrounds and cultures – a mix of races, genders, ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities – to support each other’s Dharma practice.
Testimonials from Past DPP Participants
One of the things I’ve appreciated most about my practice on silent meditation retreats is the chance to just drop my habitual patterns of relating to people. Upon re-emerging into the world of social contact after a silent retreat, I have usually noticed subtle shifts in how I relate to people: over time, some of my habitual patterns have gotten weaker. With the interactive practices offered in the DPP, the shifts have been dramatic. Mindful interactive practices were for me a radical experience of authenticity in communication. Having experienced that level of authenticity and sharing in a safe environment, I find myself more willing to be authentic in daily life interactions. For me, the DPP has been as much about exploring community as about exploring the Dharma. The experience of trust and intimacy with such a large group of people has been extremely powerful. — Rachel
One of the greatest benefits of the DPP program was the “Dharma Buddy” element. For years I sat silent retreats with total strangers who now, thanks to DPP, are my closest friends. It doesn’t matter who you choose to be your dharma buddy; each of us is a teacher and a student in our own unique way. I started out buddying up with an acquaintance who was in the program, and then a total stranger asked to be my buddy, so we became three. And then, during the course of the two years, I deeply connected with several other people who I adopted (or perhaps they adopted me) as dharma buddies. I speak on the phone or email those is distant cities, and we visit each other. Those who are local have formed a Kalyana Mitta (Dharma Friends) group that meets monthly. By the end of the program I had more than a half dozen close dharma buddies with whom I will undoubtedly continue sharing the dharma for years to come. — David
As a parent, the DPP gave me the focus and permission to deeply commit to my practice for two years. While I was uncertain initially about the impact on my family, the depth of practice has deeply served us and I have come much closer to the parent I always wanted to be! — Maureen
Participating in DPP has been one of the best experiences of my life. After two years of guided practice and study of the dharma, I feel confident and happy to go on with my life with a sense of meaning and connectedness. This is the greatest gift from life one can get. — Alicia
QUESTIONS? Please email us.
Teacher(s)
-
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
View Bonnie's profile.
-
Gullu Singh
Gullu Singh
View Gullu's upcoming programs or profile.
-
John Martin
John Martin
View John's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Kaira Jewel Lingo
Kaira Jewel Lingo
View Kaira Jewel's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith
View Tempel's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Sunday, November 29-December 5, 2021 (6 nights). Code 312R21. Sliding Scale: $300-$2100, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. RETREAT TO BE HELD ON
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Sunday, November 29-December 5, 2021 (6 nights). Code 312R21.
Sliding Scale: $300-$2100, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
The foundational Buddhist meditation practices are the collecting and clarifying of the mind, and cultivating the conditions for Insight. On this retreat we will look carefully and practice creating the conditions that allow the meditation practice to flourish and wisdom to arise. Specific guidance will be given around the different aspects of practice will be offered with an emphasis on the practitioner knowing what and why they are doing the practice they are and what the results that may follow. Open to all interested meditators with a willingness to investigate and experiment with their practice approaches.
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). While we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
Hemera Fellowships – are you eligible? Learn more…
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Teacher(s)
-
Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott
View Dawn's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Jessica Morey
Jessica Morey
Jessica is the executive director and lead teacher of Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme). She began practicing meditation at age 14 on teen retreats offered by the Insight Meditation Society (IMS). Jessica has attended longer retreats in Asia and the US, and is a founding board member and lead teacher for iBme teen retreats. Before joining iBme, Jessica worked in clean energy and climate policy and finance. She holds a BA in Environmental Engineering and Masters degrees in Sustainable Development and International Affairs. Her published works range from the chapter ‘Ordinary Awakening’ in Blue Jean Buddha to Conflict Resolution of the Boruca Hydro-Energy Project: Renewable Energy Production in Costa Rica. She combined these areas of passion in an article in the Shambhala Sun, Bodhi Trees, about the relevance of Buddhist practice to heal our relationship with the natural world. She loves yoga, being outside and dancing in any form.
-
Marjolein Janssen
Marjolein Janssen
View Marjolein's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Oren Jay Sofer, SEP
Oren Jay Sofer, SEP
View Oren's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Susie Harrington
Susie Harrington
View Susie's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Saturday, December 6-11, 2021 (5 nights). Code 314R21. Sliding Scale: $250-$1750, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. REGISTRATION OPENS Wednesday, August 25th 9:00
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Saturday, December 6-11, 2021 (5 nights). Code 314R21.
Sliding Scale: $250-$1750, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
REGISTRATION OPENS Wednesday, August 25th 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
This silent retreat will focus on cultivating the quality of lovingkindness (metta in Pali), infusing our hearts, minds and bodies with a strong caring wisdom. Awareness as developed through mindfulness practice leads to clarity, insight and understanding. Loving kindness practices open the heart, allow a kind embrace of ourselves, and connect us intimately with all of life. The fusion of these qualities helps us to respond more compassionately to the challenges that we encounter in ourselves and in the world.
Qigong is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation. Qigong perfectly complements traditional sitting meditation practice and has a long and well-established history connected to contemplative traditions. On this retreat the loving kindness practices will be supported by periods of guided instruction as well as Qigong meditation, and regular meetings with the teachers. All are welcome to attend!
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). While we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
Hemera Fellowships – are you eligible? Learn more…
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Teacher(s)
-
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH
View Bonnie's profile.
-
Teja Bell
Teja Bell
View Teja's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Vinny Ferraro
Vinny Ferraro
View Vinny's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Monday, December 27, 2021-January 3, 2022 (7 nights). Code 320R21. Sliding Scale: $350-$2450, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. Lottery Applications Open: September
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Monday, December 27, 2021-January 3, 2022 (7 nights). Code 320R21.
Sliding Scale: $350-$2450, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
Lottery Applications Open: September 1st – September 21st
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
This is a traditional Insight Meditation (vipassana) retreat with sitting and walking in silence, and regular meetings with teachers. Each day there will be systematic meditation instructions, dharma talks and movement practice. We will mark the turning of the year with a late evening sitting and simple ceremony on New Year’s Eve. In celebration of the New Year, our focus will be on cultivating loving awareness and embracing each moment as fresh and new. All are welcome.
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Financial Information:
Sliding Scale: $350-$2,450; 7 nights including food and lodging.
Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford: your generosity supports Spirit Rock, staff, and your fellow practitioners. Any amount offered above the Base rate is a tax deductible donation to Spirit Rock, and your generosity will enable and support the participation of others. These fees do not include dana for the teachers.
Benefactor – $2,450
Sustainer – $1,750
Base – $1,225
Mudita/Karuna Scholarship (for anyone who needs financial assistance, including fixed income folks) – $350*
BIPOC Scholarship (for Black, Indigenous, and/or Persons of color) – $350*
Young Adult Scholarship (for young adults age 18-26 years) – $350*
*Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). While we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
Teacher(s)
-
Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott
View Dawn's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Eugene Cash
Eugene Cash
View Eugene's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Hakim Tafari
Hakim Tafari
View Hakim’s upcoming programs and profile.
-
Pamela Weiss
Pamela Weiss
View Pam's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Solwazi Johnson
Solwazi Johnson
View Solwazi's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tuere Sala
Tuere Sala
View Tuere's profile.
January
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Monday, December 27, 2021-January 3, 2022 (7 nights). Code 320R21. Sliding Scale: $350-$2450, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. Lottery Applications Open: September
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Monday, December 27, 2021-January 3, 2022 (7 nights). Code 320R21.
Sliding Scale: $350-$2450, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
Lottery Applications Open: September 1st – September 21st
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
This is a traditional Insight Meditation (vipassana) retreat with sitting and walking in silence, and regular meetings with teachers. Each day there will be systematic meditation instructions, dharma talks and movement practice. We will mark the turning of the year with a late evening sitting and simple ceremony on New Year’s Eve. In celebration of the New Year, our focus will be on cultivating loving awareness and embracing each moment as fresh and new. All are welcome.
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Financial Information:
Sliding Scale: $350-$2,450; 7 nights including food and lodging.
Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford: your generosity supports Spirit Rock, staff, and your fellow practitioners. Any amount offered above the Base rate is a tax deductible donation to Spirit Rock, and your generosity will enable and support the participation of others. These fees do not include dana for the teachers.
Benefactor – $2,450
Sustainer – $1,750
Base – $1,225
Mudita/Karuna Scholarship (for anyone who needs financial assistance, including fixed income folks) – $350*
BIPOC Scholarship (for Black, Indigenous, and/or Persons of color) – $350*
Young Adult Scholarship (for young adults age 18-26 years) – $350*
*Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). While we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
Teacher(s)
-
Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott
View Dawn's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Eugene Cash
Eugene Cash
View Eugene's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Hakim Tafari
Hakim Tafari
View Hakim’s upcoming programs and profile.
-
Pamela Weiss
Pamela Weiss
View Pam's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Solwazi Johnson
Solwazi Johnson
View Solwazi's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tuere Sala
Tuere Sala
View Tuere's profile.
Event Details
Dates: Tuesday to Sunday, January 4-9, 2022 (5 nights). Code 332R22. Sliding Scale: $250-$1900, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. Registration opens approximately 9:00 a.m. Pacific
Event Details
Dates: Tuesday to Sunday, January 4-9, 2022 (5 nights). Code 332R22.
Sliding Scale: $250-$1900, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
Registration opens approximately 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
Many people are feeling weary from the effects of the pandemic, or they are dealing with countless other life challenges. Many have become quite identified with their “situation” and consequently are feeling anxious, worried, contracted, limited, and insufficient.
The Buddha’s teachings and meditation practices remind us of the ever-present possibility of “waking up” to a sense of our well-being, presence, and true nature that does not depend on circumstances.
This silent insight meditation (vipassana) retreat is designed for both new and experienced meditators. The retreat includes systematic instructions in vipassana meditation, following the four foundations of mindfulness. The retreat will also include lovingkindness meditation, meetings with teachers, and evening talks highlighting the central teachings of the Buddha and their practical application to our lives.
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). Scholarships are limited to TWO per calendar year for on-land retreats. And, while we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Teacher(s)
-
Hakim Tafari
Hakim Tafari
View Hakim’s upcoming programs and profile.
-
Howard Cohn, MA
Howard Cohn, MA
View Howard's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Susie Harrington
Susie Harrington
View Susie's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Tara Mulay
Tara Mulay
View Tara's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Monday, January 10-17, 2022 (7 nights). Code 334R22. Sliding Scale: $350-$2660, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. Lottery Applications Open: September
Event Details
Dates: Monday to Monday, January 10-17, 2022 (7 nights). Code 334R22.
Sliding Scale: $350-$2660, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
Lottery Applications Open: September 24 – October 14, 2021.
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
Mettā, or lovingkindness, practice is the cultivation of the intention of benevolence as the orientation of our heart and mind. It is also a path to wisdom. We develop our capacity for mettā through meditation (which is practiced steadfastly on retreat) in order for it to manifest in an ongoing way in our daily lives.
In this retreat, we will learn the formal practice of mettā along with its companion practices of compassion, joy, and equanimity. All four of these practices – known as the Brahma Viharas or Divine Abodes – strengthen self-confidence, self-acceptance, and steadiness of mind and heart, revealing our fundamental disposition toward kindness. We will be joined on one day of the retreat by Sylvia Boorstein, a beloved, longtime teacher of mettā.
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Financial Information:
Sliding Scale: $350-$2660; 7 nights including food and lodging.
Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford: your generosity supports Spirit Rock, staff, and your fellow practitioners. Any amount offered above the Base rate is a tax deductible donation to Spirit Rock, and your generosity will enable and support the participation of others. These fees do not include dana for the teachers.
Benefactor – $2660
Sustainer – $2030
Base – $1330
Reduced – $840
Mudita/Karuna Scholarship (for anyone who needs financial assistance, including fixed income folks) – $350*
BIPOC Scholarship (for Black, Indigenous, and/or Persons of color) – $350*
Young Adult Scholarship (for young adults age 18-26 years) – $350*
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). Scholarships are limited to TWO per calendar year for on-land retreats. And, while we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
Room Occupancy Update:* All January retreats will continue to have single room occupancy for all attendees. As of March 27th, the first retreat following our monthlongs, we will return to double occupancy rooms (only 16 of 80 rooms are double occupancy). Most of our rooms are single occupancy. We will also return to offering a “guaranteed single room” rate and they will be limited. This rate guarantees you a single room while helping to support scholarships and all we do here at Spirit Rock.
*Subject to change depending upon COVID-19 situation.
Teacher(s)
-
Donald Rothberg, PhD
Donald Rothberg, PhD
View Donald's profile.
-
Gullu Singh, JD
Gullu Singh, JD
View Gullu's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Kaira Jewel Lingo
Kaira Jewel Lingo
View Kaira Jewel's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Melvin Escobar
Melvin Escobar
View Melvin's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Pawan Bareja, PhD, SEP
Pawan Bareja, PhD, SEP
View Pawan's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Sylvia Boorstein, PhD
Sylvia Boorstein, PhD
View Sylvia's upcoming programs or profile.
Event Details
Dates: Sunday to Friday, January 23-28, 2022 (5 nights). Code 338R22. Sliding Scale: $250-$1900, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s). Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Departure Time: 11:00 a.m. Registration opens Thursday, September 30, 2021;
Event Details
Dates: Sunday to Friday, January 23-28, 2022 (5 nights). Code 338R22.
Sliding Scale: $250-$1900, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Departure Time: 11:00 a.m.
Registration opens Thursday, September 30, 2021; 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!
Description:
Join us in practicing the timeless teachings of the Buddha as a pathway to discover inner peace, freedom, and the compassionate heart. This retreat is designed to support the practice of insight meditation, known as Vipassana.
Insight meditation embodies the essence and wisdom of the teachings of the Buddha and has been a foundational Buddhist practice for 2,600 years. This silent retreat will focus on cultivating embodied presence and mindful awareness that embraces all of the human experience with acceptance and wisdom.
In addition to group practice discussions with a teacher, there will be evening talks on the path of Buddhist practice. To cultivate continuity, complete silence is maintained throughout the retreat, except during question and response periods and group discussions. This retreat is suitable for seasoned practitioners as well as those new to meditation.
Scholarship offerings: In returning to the land, we will also be returning to our pre-pandemic scholarship options and policies. All scholarship rates require a minimum fee ($50/night). Scholarships are limited to TWO per calendar year for on-land retreats. And, while we are not able to offer “no one turned away”-type of scholarships for in-person retreats, they are still available for online offerings.
IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.
Teacher(s)
-
Brian Lesage
Brian Lesage
View Brian's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott
View Dawn's upcoming programs or profile.
-
Vance Pryor
Vance Pryor
Vance Pryor, Psy.D. has practiced insight meditation since 1999 in both the United States and Myanmar. He has been influenced by the teachings of Sayadaw U Pandita and Sayadaw U Tejaniya. He is currently a participant in IMS’s 2017-2021 Teacher Training Program.