Calendar
Featured
Retreat | On-Land | Hybrid
Saturday, August 3 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
How to be a Bodhisattva: Zen Insights on the Way of Compassion
In this daylong retreat, we’ll explore teachings about the Bodhisattva path—the way of friendliness and compassion—and we’ll study a short text of Dogen, the 13th Century founder of Soto Zen, called “The Bodhisattva’s Four Methods of Guidance.” This poetic text offers four practices designed to awaken the bodhisattva spirit: generosity, kind speech, beneficial action, and identity action. Together, we’ll spend time experiencing Dogen’s words through meditation and writing.
Norman Fischer
July
Drop-in | Online
Sunday, July 28 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
BIPOC Voices: Weekly Sunday Saṅgha
Open to all self-identified BIPOC.
The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Saṅgha is a weekly gathering of self-identified BIPOC practitioners that provides a safe place to meditate and explore the Dharma in light of our experiences. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Amana Brembry Johnson
Retreat | On-Land
Sunday, July 28 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Mindfulness, Awareness, and Non-Duality
Awareness is a natural quality of the mind that allows you to be present with clarity, insight and freedom. In this silent meditation retreat we explore this quality of awareness: what it is, and how to recognize, cultivate, and abide in it. We inquire into what interferes with stabilizing in awareness both in meditation and in daily activity. As mindfulness grows, we find an effortless, clear, and radiant awareness in every moment, leading to insight, wellbeing, and peace.
Mark Coleman
Retreat | On-Land
July 29 - August 4, 2024 | Monday - Sunday | 6 nights
The Spirit of Insight, Dharma & Awakening
The essence of Buddhist practice is embodying the Dharma experientially. In this retreat we will use mindfulness meditation to study our experiential reality within all our activities, including meditation, movement, eating, resting, and listening. When we are present and investigate our experiential reality moment by moment, insight arises, and the Dharma reveals itself within our body, heart, and mind. As the living, embodied truth unfolds, we awaken to the Buddha within and discover the depth and breadth of our own human potential.
Drop-in | Online
Monday, July 29 | 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Diana Winston
Drop-in | Online
Wednesday, July 31 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk
Our Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk is led by Sylvia Boorstein, Donald Rothberg, Heidi Bourne, or other guest teachers. This group welcomes beginners and experienced practitioners to explore the Dharma.
Donald Rothberg
Drop-in | Online
Wednesday, July 31 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Rainbow Saṅgha
Open to all self-identified LGBTQIA+.
Our Rainbow Saṅgha is a weekly gathering of self-identified practitioners within marginalized gender and sexuality groups such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, two-spirit, and gender non-conforming.
bruni dávila
August
Class Series | Online | Dharma Institute
August 1 - August 29, 2024 | 5 Thursdays | 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Everyday Life as Mindfulness Practice
Join us for a foundational series on the common-sense teachings of mindful awareness. With a focus on interactive discussion, meditation, and community building, Sylvia (via video recording) and Heidi (live via Zoom) will share practical, accessible, timeless teachings that support the integration of mindfulness, non-harming, and kindness into the complexities of our everyday lives. Connect and be nurtured by the support of saṅgha, shared stories, and meaningful moments as we bring our practice more fully into everyday life.
Drop-in | Online
Thursday, August 1 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thursday Morning Women’s Group
Open to all self-identified Women.
This drop-in group offers self-identified women a place to come together in community to share our wisdom and strengthen our sense of belonging in the world. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Grace Fisher
Retreat | Online
Saturday, August 3 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
How to be a Bodhisattva: Zen Insights on the Way of Compassion
In this daylong retreat, we’ll explore teachings about the Bodhisattva path—the way of friendliness and compassion—and we’ll study a short text of Dogen, the 13th Century founder of Soto Zen, called “The Bodhisattva’s Four Methods of Guidance.” This poetic text offers four practices designed to awaken the bodhisattva spirit: generosity, kind speech, beneficial action, and identity action. Together, we’ll spend time experiencing Dogen’s words through meditation and writing.
Norman Fischer
Drop-in | Online
Sunday, August 4 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
BIPOC Voices: Weekly Sunday Saṅgha
Open to all self-identified BIPOC.
The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Saṅgha is a weekly gathering of self-identified BIPOC practitioners that provides a safe place to meditate and explore the Dharma in light of our experiences. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
bruni dávila
Retreat | Online | Hybrid
Sunday, August 4 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Faith in Yourself: Compassion Practices for Cultivating Freedom from Self-Doubt
5 CE Credits. Many of us find it hard to believe that we have what it takes to do this practice. Seeing into this doubt with compassion and wisdom can not only help us be free from the pain it causes, but it can open us to the possibility of trusting ourselves and all aspects of our experience. This day of practice is an invitation to understand and find freedom from self-doubt and tap into the fullness of our potential in this life.
Retreat | On-Land | Hybrid
Sunday, August 4 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Faith in Yourself: Compassion Practices for Cultivating Freedom from Self-Doubt
5 CE Credits. Many of us find it hard to believe that we have what it takes to do this practice. Seeing into this doubt with compassion and wisdom can not only help us be free from the pain it causes, but it can open us to the possibility of trusting ourselves and all aspects of our experience. This day of practice is an invitation to understand and find freedom from self-doubt and tap into the fullness of our potential in this life.
Retreat | On-Land
August 5 - August 10, 2024 | Monday - Saturday | 5 nights
Young Adult Insight Meditation Retreat
Open to ages 18-32. Come practice silent mindfulness and Insight Meditation in community with your peers. Give yourself a break from constant overstimulation and external demands as we create a supportive space for cultivating greater calm, spaciousness, and presence. Together we will explore the ancient practices of guided and silent sitting, walking, and heart meditations, along with movement, teacher meetings, and Dharma talks. Over the course of the week, we will extend these practices until the entire day is one of steady, continuous awareness.
Drop-in | Online
Monday, August 5 | 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Pamela Weiss
Drop-in | Online
Wednesday, August 7 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk
Our Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk is led by Sylvia Boorstein, Donald Rothberg, Heidi Bourne, or other guest teachers. This group welcomes beginners and experienced practitioners to explore the Dharma.
Heidi Bourne
Drop-in | Online
Wednesday, August 7 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Rainbow Saṅgha
Open to all self-identified LGBTQIA+.
Our Rainbow Saṅgha is a weekly gathering of self-identified practitioners within marginalized gender and sexuality groups such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, two-spirit, and gender non-conforming.
JD Doyle
Drop-in | Online
Thursday, August 8 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thursday Morning Women’s Group
Open to all self-identified Women.
This drop-in group offers self-identified women a place to come together in community to share our wisdom and strengthen our sense of belonging in the world. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Grace Fisher
Drop-in | Online
Friday, August 9 | 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
Dharma and Recovery Group
Open to all in recovery.
Our Dharma & Recovery group explores the intersection of recovery with Buddhist teachings and practices. We welcome all people who identify with any of the full range of addictions, from substances to behaviors, as well as habitual thought and emotional patterns. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Kevin Griffin
Retreat | On-Land
Saturday, August 10 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Sacred Sounds Sessions: Jai Uttal
Spirit Rock invites you to experience the transformative power of our inaugural Sacred Sounds Sessions, starting this summer! Each date will feature a different musical artist who has devoted their professional life to preserving, creating, and sharing sacred music. Join us for a nourishing combination of healing sound, meditation, an optional bring-your-own picnic outside in nature, and an opportunity to (re)connect with sangha on our stunning Spirit Rock land. Gates will open two hours earlier to allow enough time to picnic prior to the program.
Jai Uttal
Retreat | On-Land
August 11 - August 18, 2024 | Sunday - Sunday | 7 nights
The Elements: Cultivating an Embodied Experience of Emptiness and Fullness
A fundamental aspect of establishing embodied mindfulness involves contemplations of the elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space. These five elements are universal, and when we contemplate them in relation to the body, they may bring a cooling of the grasping mind and profound realizations of emptiness and fullness. In contemplating the elements and their interrelationship, we will allow them to support the non-conceptual knowing from which insights naturally arise. This retreat includes guided and silent meditations, movement, and teacher meetings.
Drop-in | Online
Sunday, August 11 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
BIPOC Voices: Weekly Sunday Saṅgha
Open to all self-identified BIPOC.
The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Saṅgha is a weekly gathering of self-identified BIPOC practitioners that provides a safe place to meditate and explore the Dharma in light of our experiences. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Rev. Liên Shutt
Retreat | Online
Sunday, August 11 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Everything Is Practice: A Guide for Insight Meditation Retreats
Join us for an inspiring evening with our beloved Gil Fronsdal, who will share his insights from decades of experience teaching silent meditation retreats, as well as guiding others in retreat practice. With roots in both the Insight and Zen traditions, Gil will draw on teachings from his latest book, Everything is Practice: A Guide for Insight Meditation Retreats. Our time together will include a brief guided meditation, reflections, and Q&A.
Gil Fronsdal
Drop-in | Online
Monday, August 12 | 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Dawn Mauricio
Drop-in | Online
Wednesday, August 14 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk
Our Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk is led by Sylvia Boorstein, Donald Rothberg, Heidi Bourne, or other guest teachers. This group welcomes beginners and experienced practitioners to explore the Dharma.
Heidi Bourne
Drop-in | Online
Wednesday, August 14 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Rainbow Saṅgha
Open to all self-identified LGBTQIA+.
Our Rainbow Saṅgha is a weekly gathering of self-identified practitioners within marginalized gender and sexuality groups such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, two-spirit, and gender non-conforming.
Kimber Simpkins-Nuccio
Drop-in | Online
Thursday, August 15 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thursday Morning Women’s Group
Open to all self-identified Women.
This drop-in group offers self-identified women a place to come together in community to share our wisdom and strengthen our sense of belonging in the world. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Grace Fisher
Retreat | Online
Saturday, August 17 | 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Poetry that Opens the Dharma Heart to Compassion and Insight
During this daylong retreat, our usual sitting and walking practices will be informed by periods of reading poetry to each other. Each poem is carefully chosen by Phillip Moffitt with an eye toward selections that point us to Dharma insights. Poems of this nature can comfort us and inspire us to take our meditation understandings into our daily life such that we see the world through Dharma eyes and respond from the Dharma heart.
Phillip Moffitt
Retreat | On-Land
August 18 - August 27, 2024 | Sunday - Tuesday | 9 nights
Summer Lovingkindness Retreat
The Buddha’s teachings on the four divine sanctuaries include meditations on universal friendliness, compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity. Focusing on purification and concentration, these divine sanctuaries aid our ability to find inner peace and powerfully engage with the world. This retreat deepens our understanding of selfless love and how it ends suffering. Experienced retreatants are encouraged to combine this retreat with the previous Elements retreat to further develop concentration, purify the heart, and learn to integrate these two forms of meditation.
Tempel Smith
Tuere Sala
Anushka Fernandopulle
Bonnie Duran
John Martin
Kristina Baré
Rasika Link
Drop-in | Online
Sunday, August 18 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
BIPOC Voices: Weekly Sunday Saṅgha
Open to all self-identified BIPOC.
The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Saṅgha is a weekly gathering of self-identified BIPOC practitioners that provides a safe place to meditate and explore the Dharma in light of our experiences. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Victoria Cary
Retreat | Online
Sunday, August 18 | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Staying Open at the Edge of Experience
Finding freedom in the midst of intense experience is possible when our hearts remain open right at the edge of the unfolding. This process is facilitated by our recognition of our essential nature from which insight, tenderness, compassion, and deep understanding arise. Together—through movement, stillness, and inquiry—we will explore ways to recognize and abide in this essential nature.
Margarita Loinaz