October 24 – December 4, 2010
With Joseph Goldstien, Rebecca Bradshaw, Annie Nugent, Greg Scharf, Andrea Fella

This three-month course, including its six-week partials, is a special time for practice. Because of its extended length and ongoing guidance, it is an opportunity for students to deepen the powers of concentration, wisdom and compassion. Based on the meditation instructions of Mahasi Sayadaw and supplemented by a range of skillful means, this retreat will encourage a balanced attitude of relaxation and alertness, and the continuity of practice based on the Buddha’s Four Foundations of Mindfulness.

Prerequisite is two retreats of a week or more with a recognized insight meditation teacher, or special permission.

For more information: http://www.dharma.org/ims/retreat_detail.php?id=196

Cloud Mountain Retreat Center September 10 – 17, 2010

With Andrea Fella and Heather Martin

The Buddha taught four foundations of mindfulness. While each tradition of practice has as a starting point one foundation or another, liberating mindfulness includes all four foundations without preference. This retreat offers instructions on the four foundations of mindfulness with particular attention to Awareness of Mind, and will be taught in the style of Sayadaw U Tejaniya. The initial instructions will be given by Sayadaw U Tejaniya through pre-recorded sessions.  Daily practice guidance will be provided through dhamma talks, Q & A sessions, individual and small group discussions led by the teachers, as well as through pre-recorded dhamma dialogues and the writings of Sayadaw U Tejaniya.

Retreat Experience Requirement: Each participant must have attended in full at least one retreat of 5 days or longer. Please note on your registration form the specifics of your retreat experience.

For further information: http://cloudmountain.org/index.php?page=07fellascharf

August 16 – August 25, 2010

with Philip Moffitt, Sally Clough Armstrong, Andrea Fella, Richard Shankman

Concentration (samadhi) defined as the collection and unification of the mind, was emphasized by the Buddha as one of the aspects of the Eightfold Path. It can bring joy to your practice and develop the skillful use of pleasure in the meditative process. Whatever your level of practice, you can improve your Insight Meditation (Vipassana) by strengthening your concentration skills. Your ability to concentrate will develop in response to the attention you give it.

This retreat offers a series of techniques for staying on the meditation object for extended periods of time. We will explore the factors of concentration that lead to the deep absorption states known as jhana. Teachers will also give instruction for utilizing concentration during insight practice.

Prerequisite(s): Prior experience in insight meditation practice, including at least one 7-day retreat or two 5-day retreats

For more information, see http://www.spiritrock.org/calendar/display.asp?id=374R10

Cloud Mountain Retreat Center July 16 – 21, 2010

With Andrea Fella and Greg Scharf

This Vipassana and Metta retreat will emphasize how the understanding of wisdom in present moment awareness opens the heart to the beautiful qualities of love and compassion. We will explore how the wisdom teachings of Buddhism point us to directly touch and understand our experience. We will also offer the practice of Metta, or Lovingkindness, which brings kindness and compassion to our relationships, not only with others, but to our own experience.

For further information: http://cloudmountain.org/index.php?page=07fellascharf

June 28^th – July 5^th, 2010

With Philip Moffitt, Sally Armstrong, and Andrea Fella

Further information about this retreat will be posted as it becomes available.

For further information see: http://www.spiritrock.org/calendar

Saturday and Sunday, April 10^th and 11th, 2010

A two day non-residential retreat taught in the style of Sayadaw U Tejaniya.

During this non-residential  retreat we will explore the meditation style taught by Sayadaw U Tejaniya: a relaxed open awareness with an emphasis on exploring qualities of mind, and the attitude towards one’s experience.  The schedule for the retreat will alternate periods of sitting and walking with instructions and discussion.  Aside from the instruction and discussion periods, the days will be held in silence.

For more information, contact: Caroline Kingsbury phone: 360-734-9903 email: caroline@affoinfo.com

January 31 – February 28, 2010

with James Baraz, Carol Wilson, Sally Clough Armstrong, Howard Cohn, Andrea Fella

An extended period of retreat offers the rare opportunity for sustained and dedicated practice. This retreat emphasizes quieting the mind, opening the heart, and developing profound clarity and depth of insight practice. Instruction will follow the traditional four foundations of mindfulness combined with training in lovingkindness and compassion, through a daily schedule of silent sitting, walking, dharma talks and interviews.

Prerequisite(s): Completion of 2 previous silent 7-day Vipassana retreats led by Spirit Rock or IMS teachers, or the equivalent. You will need to provide the teachers’ names, dates, location and length of the retreats when applying along with a questionnaire.

For more information, see http://www.spiritrock.org/calendar/display.asp?id=329R10