Retreats

Since ancient times, all wise cultures have understood the value of retreat. Time in retreat allows us to step out of the complexity of our life and to listen deeply to our body, heart, and mind.

For 2,600 years, meditation retreats have been a central part of the Buddhist path of awakening. Retreats offer practical instruction and group support for discovering inner peace, deep understanding, and liberation.

Spirit Rock retreats combine the fertile atmosphere of silence with extensive time for meditation and walks in nature, supported by Buddhist teachings on meditation, well-being, and the path to liberation. Careful guidance and training is also offered in meditation and mindfulness. Most of our retreats are suitable for both new and more experienced meditation practitioners.

Spirit Rock offers retreats of one day to two months on our campus of over 400 acres in picturesque Marin County, California, and conveniently online, supporting practitioners around the world to deepen their practice in connection with saṅgha (spiritual community) and teachers. We are grateful to be open and practicing together again, with protective Covid-19 Safety Protocols in place.

On-Land Retreats

A retreat provides an opportunity and a caring container for undertaking deep meditation and spiritual exploration. The central practice is mindfulness, which enables us to discover a freedom of heart in the midst of all the difficulties of life. Mindfulness practice on retreat is often accompanied and complemented by training in lovingkindness (mettā) meditation.

Spirit Rock on-land retreats involve a gathering of around 30 to 100 or more participants. Most of the retreat is held in silence, and retreat participants do not speak to one another. Writing and reading are also discouraged, so that retreatants can better stay with their own present experience as it unfolds moment to moment. In this silent and mindful environment, awareness sharpens, the body quiets, the mind clears, and space opens for insight and understanding to unfold.

Learn More About The Experience Of Retreat

Retreat On-Land Dharma Institute

Saturday, October 19 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Expand your Window of Tolerance: A Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness Retreat

4.5 CE Credits. Dive into trauma-sensitive mindfulness with David Treleaven, PhD, at this daylong workshop where you will learn to expand your window of tolerance, enhance emotional regulation, and deepen your practice. Through interactive lectures and guided practices, this transformative experience will help you enrich your understanding of mindfulness in the face of trauma and allow you to connect with a community dedicated to compassionate practice.

David A Treleaven

David A Treleaven

Retreat On-Land

October 20 - October 26, 2024 Sunday - Saturday | 6 nights

Uncovering the Luminous Gold Within: BIPOC Mettā Retreat

Open to all self-identified BIPOC.

Spaces Available. There is a rich repository of deep peace and ease that resides within the heart. Mettā, the practice of lovingkindness, brings to awareness the messages of conditioning that cloak the inner sacredness of our being. Mettā transforms the heart into a sanctuary by which we are strengthened to stay lovingly engaged with the tumultuous tides of life. This retreat offers silent and guided meditation, Dharma talks, movement meditation, and restful time to nourish the body and heal the heart. 

Amana Brembry Johnson

Amana Brembry Johnson

Bonnie Duran

Bonnie Duran

Gullu Singh

Gullu Singh

bruni dávila

bruni dávila

Richelle Evelyn Donigan

Richelle Evelyn Donigan

Retreat On-Land

Saturday, October 26 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully 

Death is the secret teacher hiding in plain sight. Death helps us discover what matters most, and we don’t have to wait until the end of our lives to realize the wisdom that death has to offer. Weaving together pragmatic tools, real life stories, and ancient wisdom, Frank and Vinny will help us discover how an awareness of death can be a valuable companion on the road to living well and forging a rich, meaningful life.

Vinny Ferraro

Vinny Ferraro

Frank Ostaseski

Frank Ostaseski

Retreat On-Land

October 27 - November 2, 2024 Sunday - Saturday | 6 nights

Befriending Mortality: Living An Awakened Life Through Mindfulness of Death

18 CE Credits.

Spaces Available. We all “know” we will die, yet we tend to ignore it and put our collective heads in the sand. Rather than running away from our inevitable mortality, we can harness its power to stay aligned with our deepest values and to live and love more fully. Fully embracing life’s impermanence can engender a deep freedom and letting go. Through mindfulness of death (maraṇasati), we become more present for this miraculous, passing show called life with gladness and gratitude.

Nikki Mirghafori

Nikki Mirghafori

John Martin

John Martin

Kodo Conlin

Kodo Conlin

Frank Ostaseski

Frank Ostaseski

Terry Vandiver

Terry Vandiver

Retreat On-Land

November 3 - November 8, 2024 Sunday - Friday | 5 nights

Nourishing the Beautiful: A Retreat for the LGBTQIA+ Community

Open to all self-identified LGBTQIA+.

Spaces Available. Awakening to the beauty that is within and around us is an essential part of the Buddhist path, and it is particularly important to those of us who have been taught to view ourselves and the world in a different light. Practicing together, we will closely consider—and deeply nurture—what beauty means for us, both individually and collectively. This retreat supports all levels of practice and inclusivity for LGBTQIA+, GNC, and non-binary communities, and is open to all levels of experience.

JD Doyle

JD Doyle

Leslie Booker

Leslie Booker

bruni dávila

bruni dávila

Kimber Simpkins-Nuccio

Kimber Simpkins-Nuccio

Ramona  Lisa Ortiz-Smith

Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith

Online Retreats

Online retreat is a powerful new experience of mindfulness practice, bringing together the immersive approach of our traditional meditation retreats with the daily life integration of practicing at home. In our online retreats, you join with the teachers and community on Zoom each day for meditation, instruction, discussion, movement, and small group support. You’ll follow a gentle self-guided schedule between sessions in a way that is flexible and integrated into your day.

Online retreats offer accessibility to practitioners worldwide, those who are unable to attend a retreat on the land, and dedicated practitioners between longer retreats or trainings. They are a beautiful, personal way to explore bringing focused mindfulness and meditation practice into everyday life, and to enjoy the deep rest and restoration of retreat without leaving your home.