Dates: January – May, 2023; specific dates list below
Meeting Times: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. US Pacific Time
Sliding Scale: $750-$5,000. Code BP3T23.
Continuing Education Credits: This program offers 18 CE credits for $180 for applicable psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors.*

Visit BPT Program page here.

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GENERAL PREREQUISITE: Completion of at least one silent multi-day residential or multi-day online Insight Meditation retreat recommended by the start of the program (e.g. Spirit Rock, IMS, IRC, etc.)

PROFESSIONAL PREREQUISITE: This course is designed for those working in caregiving and mental health professions. This includes psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, and mindfulness teachers.

DESCRIPTION
Deepen your understanding of meditation and nourish your work with clients in this five-month training designed for clinicians, counselors, mindfulness teachers, and others providing mental health support. In this training, you’ll join a community of peers for an in-depth exploration of mindfulness, Dharma, and science that will support both your personal practice and your work with others.

Through periods of meditation, Dharma talks, discussion, small group explorations and clinical case studies, you will develop greater confidence in applying mindfulness-based interventions with clients, deepen your understanding of the intersections of Buddhism and psychology, and further cultivate your own meditation practice and tools for self-care.

This training includes an experiential investigation of our own life and practice as well as our roles as clinicians. It is ideal for people who want to explore their own minds and hearts as a springboard into best serving their clients, rather than those who are primarily seeking coaching on the implementation of mindfulness-based treatment manuals.

As counselors we know that only when one has truly made oneself a patient can one become a healer. Through our practice, we become the patient and come to understand, affirm, and ultimately, transform ourselves. It is this transformation that ripples outwards to our clients and community. This training brings both sides of ourselves—the patient and the healer—together as we practice and learn together.

The training will provide an immersion in Buddhist psychology and the meditation practices that illuminate our minds, foster goodness, and transform habits that compound suffering. We’ll dive into the scientific research on mindfulness and its increasing prominence in psychotherapeutic interventions, and explore data regarding the efficacy of mindfulness and the mechanisms through which mindfulness confers its benefits. The training will examine the convergences and tensions between clinical research and Buddhist psychology and describe ways to integrate mindfulness into treatment. We’ll consider possible contraindications of mindfulness and how to tailor the intervention to individuals. Please join us.

PRE-COURSE WORK
Once accepted into the program, all participants will be given access to Foundational Buddhist Teachings, an online course consisting of five daylong retreats. Students are encouraged to review this course material prior to the class to ensure all participants can join our course with a level of shared understanding regarding foundational Buddhist concepts and terms.

PROGRAM DATES
Program training period is January – May 2023. Specific training dates below.
All meeting times are: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

• Jan 7 & 8 (2 days)
• Feb 11
• March 11
• April 15
• MAY 20 & 21 (2 days)

PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
Your participation in this training is important. The cohesion of the group is an important aspect of this training, so participation serves both your own development as well as the group. We ask that you commit to the dates and to participate wholeheartedly.

In addition to course meetings, participants will have opportunities to participate in smaller consult groups with the teacher throughout the program term.

For participants wishing to receive CE credits: In order to receive Continuing Education Credits, participants must attend all sessions live, on time, and in full. Your attendance is tracked carefully to grant your CE credits. Board regulations prohibit partial credit for partial attendance, therefore, incomplete attendance nullifies CE credit eligibility. No exceptions. More information on Continuing Education (CE) credits below.

For participants not wishing to receive CE credits: Attendance at both two-day retreats (January and May) is mandatory. We expect that all participants will also attend each monthly daylong, however, we understand that sometimes there are unavoidable emergencies.

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FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
We generally only offer financial assistance one time a year per person. Choosing the fee you can reasonably afford helps make courses available to all, regardless of ability to pay. No one turned away for lack of funds, as space allows. If you are in need of financial assistance, please email registration@spiritrock.org.

CANCELLATION FEES:
$50 cancel fee* = if cancel >1 week prior to program start
$100 cancel fee* = if cancel between 1 week and 2 days prior to program start
No refunds = if cancel <2 days prior to program start
(*fees reduced for scholarship folks)

QUESTIONS? Please email us.

APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 15, 2022
Dates: May 2023 – May 2024
Sliding Scale: $12,000 – $2,500. Code: LP1T22

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PROGRAM DATES: May 2023 – May 2024

All retreats are 8 nights and are held in-person at Spirit Rock Meditation Center:
Retreat 1: May 15-23, 2023
Retreat 2: November 2-10, 2023
Retreat 3: May 17-25, 2024

Learn more LEAP retreat details here.

PROGRAM PREREQUISITES

A minimum of 50 nights of silent vipassanā, and/or mettā residential retreats. (Daylongs or non-residential retreats do not count towards the prerequisites.)

PROGRAM DETAILS

“This is peaceful, this is excellent, namely the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.” (MN 64.9)

LEAP is intended for experienced students of the Dhamma who want to explore the liberation teachings of the Buddha through practice, study, inquiry, and interactive exercises. It is a year-long program consisting of three retreats and is intended for those who have completed programs like Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP), Community Dharma Leader Program (CDL), Heavenly Messengers (HM), or an equivalent. Alternatively, long time practitioners or people who have participated in an equivalent program offered by another Vipassana teacher or organization are also eligible to apply.

The purpose of this program is to bring to life the liberating teachings of the Buddha both on retreat and in our daily practice. The three LEAP retreats will focus more on silent, intensive practice than DPP or CDL, but each retreat will include regular interactive and study sessions.

Spirit Rock is excited to offer this program again. Our previous iterations found it to be a great support to the experienced students in our community. We hope that those of you who have done DPP or CDL or have other significant study and practice experience will join us!

PROGRAM COMPONENTS and REQUIREMENTS

• Attendance at all three 8-night retreats
• Attendance at monthly small regional group meetings (in-person and Zoom options)
• Ongoing meetings with study/practice partners
• Regular Zoom meetings with LEAP teachers
• Completion of monthly homework including readings, reflections, and meditation instructions
• Commit to maintaining both meditative and daily life practice
• 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

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APPLICATION TIMELINE and PROCESS

April 12 – November 15, 2022 – Period applications are being accepted.
November 15, 2022 – Deadline to submit application. All applications sent after this date will be considered for the waitlist.
November 15, 2022 – Notification status will be sent no later than this date via email.
Within 3 days of Receiving Acceptance Notification – Commitment and payment deadline; 25% deposit required at time of acceptance; $100 non-refundable, flat fee for all applicants, if cancel on or before to January 1, 2023.

Applications will be formally accepted on a rolling basis throughout the application period until the program fills, or until August 12, 2022, whichever comes first. Applications received AFTER the program is full or after August 12 (again, whichever comes first) will automatically be considered for the waitlist. You are encouraged to apply early.

TUITION

Participation in LEAP 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.*

Upon acceptance to the program, you will be asked to pay a minimum 25% deposit or pay in full. The remainder of any unpaid balance may be divided into 12 monthly installments** that will start Jan. 1, 2023. Installments can only be set up on credit cards. We no longer set up installments on checking accounts. All program fees are to be paid in full by Jan. 1, 2024.

*All scholarship funds have been awarded for this program.
**If you join the program after Jan. 1, 2023 you may be required to pay in fewer monthly installments.

Please consider the amount you would be able to afford in order to participate in LEAP. We ask you to select the highest possible level of program fees that meet your needs, as your generosity allows for those with lesser means to attend.

Sliding Scale:
$15,000 – Supporter with guaranteed single room

$12,000 – Benefactor
$9,000 – Sustainer
$6,000 – Base Rate

Scholarship Rates:
Scholarship Rate 1 – $5,500
Scholarship Rate 2 – $4,000
Scholarship Rate 3 – $2,500

Tuition includes:

• Accommodations and meals at all three residential retreats
• All handouts and program materials
• Access to social media and online community building groups

Tuition does NOT include:

• Financial offering (dana) for Teachers
• Transportation costs to/from your home to Spirit Rock.
• Mentor teacher support (dana) for individual meetings with your mentor teacher in your area

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CANCELLATION FEES
Participating in the LEAP program will require your commitment of both time and financial resources. Because this program is a progressive sequence of three retreats and other activities over a two-year period, you are committing to attend all three retreats and paying for the entire program. If you need to withdraw from the program, the following fee* structure will apply:

$100 non-refundable, flat fee for all applicants on or before Jan 1, 2023
10% fee = Jan 2 – Mar 15, 2023
20% fee = Mar 16 – May 13, 2023
40% fee = May 14 – Oct. 31, 2023
85% fee = Nov. 1, 2023 – May 13, 2024
No refunds = On or after May 14, 2024

*Fee deducted from refund; fee is a percentage of the total amount agreed to pay. These fees apply to all participants.

QUESTIONS? Please email us. 

Date & Time: 5 Thursdays; September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 13; 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. US Pacific Time
Sliding Scale: Dana Day (By Donation) $0-$108. Code SF2G22.

Please Note: This retreat is offered online only. We invite you to try this creative form of practice as we take care of one another and respond skillfully to COVID-19.

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Description: The discourses of the Buddha, called suttas, are one of the world’s most majestic collections of spiritual teaching. They include inspiring poetry, psychological guidance, social theory, and philosophical masterpieces that address the deepest human fears, hopes, and potential.

In this class, part of our sutta study series, “The Refuge of Dhamma,” we’ll read discourses on the path to liberation.We’ll see him in conversation with both monastics and laypeople, feeling the skill and compassion he brought to every encounter. Texts include the Shorter Elephant’s Foot Simile (MN 27), the Mettā Sutta (Snp 1.8), and others, which teach us how the foundational training in generosity and ethics prepares the heart for meditation, insight, and liberation.

While beginners are welcome, this class may be most engaging for practitioners with some experience in meditation. With extensive supplementary material, this class aims to make the discourses of the Buddha an accessible, inspiring support for practice.

Please Note: Though the classes in the series will build on each other, attendance at all classes is not required.

Class Dates: 5 Sundays; September 18, 25, October 2, 9, 16, 2022
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm US Pacific Time; class time is the same for all 5 Sundays.
Sliding Scale: $80-$180. Our sliding scale options for this program include financial support for our teachers. Code TE6C22.

Please Note: This retreat is offered online only. We invite you to try this creative form of practice as we take care of one another and respond skillfully to COVID-19.

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Description:
Learn meditation, speak your truth, relax deeply, and develop your mind—all while hanging out with great people your age! In this five-week series, we will reconnect with ourselves in order to experience more peace, wisdom, and compassion through the practices of mindfulness and Insight Meditation.

Classes will include movement, community-building games, meditation instruction, and council—a practice of witnessing and contributing to the group’s collective wisdom. This series is offered to all tweens in middle school.

Important Note: Class size is limited to 23 students. All participants must attend the first class meeting. Students are expected to attend at least 4 sessions. Video participation is expected to support the container, with the exception of technical or health reasons.

Dates: 6 Sundays, September 18, September 25, October 2, October 9, October 16, and October 23, 2022
Times: 6:00pm – 8:00pm US Pacific Time
Sliding Scale: $108-$240. Our sliding scale options for this program include financial support for our teachers. Code TE5C22.

Please Note: This retreat is offered online only. We invite you to try this creative form of practice as we take care of one another and respond skillfully to COVID-19.

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Description:
Join other teens in co-creating a fun, interactive, and inclusive space to explore the different facets of mindfulness! Classes will include movement, community-building games, guided meditations, group discussions, and council—a practice of witnessing the group’s collective wisdom—bringing more presence, understanding, and compassion into day to day life.

Important Note: Class size is limited to 23 students. Students are expected to attend at least 4 sessions.

Teacher(s): Juliana Sloane.
Sliding Scale: $0 – $108 ($15 – $30 suggested). Code 39TM22.

Description:
A meditation group for women to honor the feminine using silent and guided meditation, movement, seasonal rituals on the land, and group exploration in a safe, nurturing environment.

Our sliding scale options for this drop-in program include financial support for our teachers. Closed Captioning [CC] is available for this program.

Online: We are offering this program online only via Zoom so you can join us remotely. We invite you to try this creative form of practice as we take care of one another and respond skillfully to COVID-19.

Dates: Thursday to Tuesday, September 29 – October 4, 2022 (5 nights). Code 396R22.
Sliding Scale: $250-$2400, 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!

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Open to: Everyone

Description:
The Buddha’s teaching originated in South Asia over 2,500 years ago, but is still relevant for us today. Join us to explore Buddhist practices, stories, and teachings. This retreat will be oriented around silent practice as in a meditation monastery, with guided meditations, Dharma talks, and time for questions. We will practice mindfulness in sitting, walking, eating, and basic daily activities. The renunciation of technology, books, entertainment, and other aspects of regular life will facilitate the development of insight that will benefit us when we return to our modern lives. Open to all levels of experience.

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.

Hemera Fellowships – are you eligible? Learn more…

Room Occupancy Update*: Starting with our “Living with Awareness” retreat on March 27, 2022, we will return to double occupancy rooms. Many of our rooms are single occupancy (only 16 of 80 rooms are double occupancy). We will also return to offering a “guaranteed single room” rate and these will be limited (16). This rate guarantees a single room while helping to support scholarships and all we do here at Spirit Rock. The remaining single rooms are not exclusive to the top end of the sliding scale; however, they are initially prioritized for those with serious medical needs.

*Subject to change depending upon COVID-19 situation.

IMPORTANT – Details on our current COVID Safety Protocols for In-person Retreats.