This retreat has filled. Please submit an application if you are interested in being on the residential wait list or a commuter.

Date: Wednesday, June 20, 3:00pm – Sunday, June 24, 11:30am
Cost: $150, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code 368R18.

Retreat Description:
Prerequisite: Participants must have attended at least one 5-night residential retreat in Vipassana prior to this retreat.

PLEASE NOTE: Retreatants are required to keep 8 Precepts, or 7 Precepts if not taking the 6th Precept, for the entire length of this retreat. The 8 Precepts are listed at the bottom of this description. For those who choose not to keep the 6th Precept, a light supper will be available.

Renunciation is not a four letter word…

The Therigatha – Verses of the Elder Nuns – are inspired verses of liberation composed by nuns at the time of the Buddha and preserved in the Pali Canon. Together with the background stories of their former lives, these poems present a fascinating account of what motivated these women to leave their homes for a life of homelessness and dedicate their lives wholeheartedly to the Dharma. Women’s voices are a rarity in Buddhist texts and these sound loud and clear through the ages to remind us of our spiritual commitment and that the path is still there to be walked.

Jetsunma will offer commentary and Ayya Anandabodhi & Ayya Santacitta will lead guided meditations enabling the meaning of these verses to penetrate more deeply into our life and practice.

THIS RETREAT IS OPEN TO ALL GENDERS.

The framework of the Precepts, Noble Silence, chanting and simple ceremonies will provide a monastic container to hold and inspire us during this retreat.

Spirit Rock offers this retreat on a dana basis. The word “dana” means generosity and simply translates into a heartfelt donation. At the end of the retreat, participants will be invited to offer dana donations in three categories: to support the retreat teachers, to support the retreat cooks and retreat managers, and to Spirit Rock so that we can continue to offer a yearly monastic retreat on a dana basis. (A retreat of this length would normally have a minimum price of $500.) We invite you to give what is appropriate for you.

Although there is no retreat fee, a $150 deposit is required to register for the retreat. Registrants who cancel within four weeks of the retreat start date will not receive a refund of their deposit. Registrants who attend the retreat may request a refund of the deposit after the retreat is over or apply it to one of the three dana categories above. You will be reminded at the end of the retreat of the options.

We hope that a dana approach will make our monastic retreats accessible to more people, and that a cycle of generosity and gratitude will contribute to the sustainability of this offering.

The Eight Precepts:
1. Not intentionally killing or harming any living creatures.
2. Not stealing, or concerning oneself with the possessions of others.
3. Not engaging in sexual activity of any kind.
4. Not lying or using speech harmfully. (On retreat this precept is usually observed as Noble Silence–keeping the silence unless there is a practical necessity to speak.)
5. Not taking intoxicating drink or drugs.
6. Not eating after mid-day. (Optional)*
7. Not seeking amusements or wearing special bodily adornment. (On retreat one dresses and acts in a modest and restrained manner.)
8. Not using sleep indulgently.

*For those who choose not to keep the 6th Precept, a light supper will be available.