Residential Retreats

May 2–9, 2010

Hidden Villa , 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

This retreat is currently full.  New applicants will be placed on a waiting list and notified if spots open up.

Retreat Flyer
Retreat Application
More Information

See: http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/programs/retreats/residential-retreat-faqs/

Registration opens January 18, 2010

Gil has practiced Zen and Vipassana since 1975 and has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford. He has trained in both the Japanese Soto Zen tradition and the Insight Meditation lineage of Theravada Buddhism of Southeast Asia. Gil was trained as a Vipassana teacher by Jack Kornfield and is part of the Vipassana teachers’ collective at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 he received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He has been the primary teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California since 1990. He is a husband and father of two boys.

Andrea Fella has been practicing Insight Meditation since 1996, and, under Gil Fronsdal’s guidance, began teaching meditation classes in 2003.  She is particularly drawn to intensive retreat practice, and has done a number of long retreats, both in the U.S. and Burma. During one long practice period in Burma, she ordained as a nun with Sayadaw U Janaka. Andrea teaches residential retreats for IMC, and the Tuesday morning and Thursday evening meditation classes. She is in the Spirit Rock teacher training program with Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein.

Memorial Weekend, May 28–31, 2010

Jikoji Retreat Center, 12100 Skyline Blvd, Los Gatos CA 95033

Application
Information
Flier

Registration opens January 28, 2010.

This is a silent mindfulness retreat with alternating sitting and walking meditation, as well as instruction, Dharma talks, and interviews with the teachers. It will be conducted at the rustic Jikoji Retreat Center on Skyline Boulevard in Los Gatos.

Dormitory-style sleeping or camping. Vegetarian meals.

Cost: This retreat is offered entirely on a dana or freely given basis. The teachers and cook will be serving without compensation and the operational costs of the retreat (mostly for facility rental and food) will be paid from the Retreat Fund of the Insight Meditation Center (IMC). At the end of the retreat, participants may offer whatever dana or donation they wish to the teacher, the cook, and the IMC Retreat Fund. A refundable $100 deposit is required to reserve a space. Your deposit will be refunded as long as you attend the retreat, or cancel one week before the retreat begins.

Wednesday, August 4 to Sunday, August 8, 2010

Jikoji Retreat Center, 12100 Skyline Blvd, Los Gatos CA 95033

Registration opens April 4, 2010

Andrea Fella has been practicing Insight Meditation since 1996, and, under Gil Fronsdal’s guidance, began teaching meditation classes in 2003.  She is particularly drawn to intensive retreat practice, and has done a number of long retreats, both in the U.S. and Burma. During one long practice period in Burma, she ordained as a nun with Sayadaw U Janaka. Andrea teaches residential retreats for IMC, and the Thursday evening meditation class. She is in the Spirit Rock teacher training program with Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein.

Pamela Weiss is a Professional Coach and meditation teacher. She has been practicing Zen since 1987, including several years of monastic training, and is currently a teacher-in-training with Jack Kornfield at Spirit Rock.  Through her company, An Appropriate Response, she coaches leaders and executives in organizations, and leads meditation classes, workshops and retreats, as well as an ongoing Women’s Circle. The focus of her work is the integration of spiritual practice into the nitty-gritty of everyday life. She lives in San Francisco with her husband.

Sunday, September 19 to Sunday, October 3, 2010

Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Registration opens May 19, 2010

Gil has practiced Zen and Vipassana since 1975 and has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford. He has trained in both the Japanese Soto Zen tradition and the Insight Meditation lineage of Theravada Buddhism of Southeast Asia. Gil was trained as a Vipassana teacher by Jack Kornfield and is part of the Vipassana teachers’ collective at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 he received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He has been the primary teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California since 1990. He is a husband and father of two boys.

Sunday, October 17 to Sunday, October 24, 2010

Hidden Villa Retreat Center, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Registration opens June 17, 2010

Gil has practiced Zen and Vipassana since 1975 and has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford. He has trained in both the Japanese Soto Zen tradition and the Insight Meditation lineage of Theravada Buddhism of Southeast Asia. Gil was trained as a Vipassana teacher by Jack Kornfield and is part of the Vipassana teachers’ collective at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 he received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He has been the primary teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California since 1990. He is a husband and father of two boys.

Heather Martin has practiced different forms of meditation for over thirty years. Her early dharma practice was under the guidance of S. N. Goenka, and has since been influenced by both Burmese and Thai streams of Theravada – just recently while practicing in Burma with Ven. U Tejaniya.  She was trained by Jack Kornfield, and teaches at Spirit Rock, in south western Canada and in the Pacific Northwest. She worked for 20 years as a midwife, and lives on Salt Spring Island, off the west coast of British Columbia.

March 1 – 28, 2010

with Gil Fronsdal, John Travis, Mary Grace Orr, Donald Rothberg & Heather Martin: March 1 – 28, 2010

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=330R10

Friday, July 2, 3:00 pm – Sunday, July 11, 12:00 pm (9 nights)

With Gil Fronsdal, Mary Grace Orr and Noah Levine

This Spirit Rock ( see http://www.spiritrock.org/) retreat follows the usual Insight Meditation (Vipassana) format of sitting and walking in silence, with systematic meditation instructions. Teachers give daily dharma talks and there will be time for individual interviews. A good retreat for beginning and experienced meditators.

This retreat is held at the Vajrapani Institute located in the beautiful mountains above Santa Cruz.

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

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://www.cloudmountain.org/july_2010.htm

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 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://www.cloudmountain.org

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