Have you ever been curious about Insight Meditation (vipassanā)? This silent retreat will teach the essentials of mindfulness and Insight practice. We will explore ways to calm our minds and hearts, how to work with difficult thoughts and emotions, how to build attention, and how to cultivate kindness and compassion. This retreat will combine stillness/sitting and movement/walking meditations, lectures, and opportunities to meet with a teacher. This is an excellent opportunity for those new to retreat practice, and also ideal for experienced practitioners who wish to attend a shorter retreat.
Choose your rate
We offer our retreats on a sliding scale to make the Dharma accessible to all.
By selecting the highest rate you're able to afford, you help support Spirit Rock's ability to offer lower rates and meet the growing number of scholarship requests. Your generosity sustains our nonprofit mission and ensures that these teachings of lovingkindness and wisdom remain available to everyone.
Maximum generosity.
Helps the dharma remain accessible to all.
Generous support.
Helps the community and teachings.
Our standard rate.
The foundation of our community.
Partially subsidized.
Made possible by community generosity.
Needs-based assistance
Scholarships are limited to those with significant financial need.
If you need a scholarship to attend, we encourage you to select the scholarship rate that best aligns with you and your financial circumstances.
For those facing financial hardship, including elders 65+ on fixed incomes, or those with serious or life-threatening illnesses.
For those who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color and need financial assistance to attend a program.
For young adults (ages 18–26) experiencing financial need who wish to attend a program and deepen their practice.
Attend without lodging
The Stay Off-Site (Commuter) option lets you participate in this retreat, including all sessions and meals, while arranging your own local accommodations. It’s the same retreat experience, just without on-campus lodging.
You must have attended at least one weeklong silent residential retreat (5–7 nights) in Insight (vipassanā) meditation prior to this retreat. If a retreat has stricter prerequisites, those will apply. Our Registration team will review eligibility and follow up with next steps.
Full retreat experience without overnight lodging.
A subsidized rate for attending the full retreat experience without overnight lodging.
Please note that registration fees do not include teacher dana. At the end of the retreat, there will be an invitation to offer dana to the teachers and to Spirit Rock.
Diana Winston is the Director of UCLA Mindful, the mindfulness education center of UCLA Health. She has taught retreats at Spirit Rock since 2004. She is the author of Fully Present, The Little Book of Being, and Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens.
Carol Cano, M.A., began her Dharma practice over 30 years ago at Wat Kow Tahm in Thailand. A Spirit Rock teacher and graduate of its 2017–2020 training, she co-founded Philippine Insight Meditation Community and is a core teacher at East Bay Meditation Center. Her unique teachings are deeply grounded in Basque, Native American, and Buddhist influences that braid the Dharma along indigenous wisdom and Earth-based practices. With a psychology background, she compassionately supports communities navigating spiritual ideals and modern life.
Alex Haley has practiced meditation for more than 25 years, including many multi-month retreats. He teaches at Minneapolis Insight Meditation Community and online through Dharma Ground. He graduated from the SRMC/IMS/IRC training program and is the former mindfulness faculty lead at the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing.
Lissa began a dedicated Dharma practice in 2008 and studies vipassanā and the brahmavihāras as their primary path with influences from Zen. Lissa is a nurse practitioner, somatic facilitator, and death and grief doula who shares compassionate, embodied, and trauma-responsive Dharma practices for the wellness and liberation of all beings.
*Fees reduced for serious illness or death in family
**Monthlong retreats and Dharma Training programs have specific and very different cancellation policies. Refer back to your confirmation email for this information.**
Payment plans are available to everyone! Installments can only be set up on a credit cards, and some debit cards (we only accept VISA, Mastercard, or Discover).
You can either pay in full or pay a 30% deposit when you register. If you choose the deposit option, the remaining balance will be automatically charged monthly in equal installments using the same card you used to pay your deposit. The payment will debit on the 'same date' of the month that you paid your deposit. Full payment is due 2 weeks prior to the retreat start.
Let us know if you need to adjust a debit date or if you need to update your credit card. Any adjustments need to be done well in advance of a scheduled debit date. We are not able to 'reverse' a charge once it has been processed.
We have double and single occupancy rooms. Many of our rooms are single occupancy (only 16 of 80 rooms are double occupancy). We offer a limited number of "guaranteed single room" rates which guarantees a single room while generously 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.
Explore the practice of being on retreat - Learn more here.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center offers several categories of scholarship types for residential retreats. Scholarship rates are limited to those with significant financial need. A scholarship application is required to be considered for any scholarship rate below. We have many requests for scholarships and cannot honor all requests.
Muditā/Karuṇa Scholarship Rate:
Dr. Marlene Jones People of Color Scholarship Rate: supports individuals who have significant financial need and who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of color.
Toni Ko Scholarship Rate: supports individuals who have a significant financial need, are 27-55 years old, AND are attending their FIRST silent residential retreat (limited to a 6-night retreat only) at Spirit Rock. This scholarship is a one-time award.
Young Adult Scholarship Rate: supports individuals who have significant financial need and who are between the age of 18-26 years old. If all the Young Adult rates are sold out, you may select one of the above options that applies to you.
Renunciate Monastics: Monastics in the Buddhist traditions are invited to attend Spirit Rock retreats without cost. Monastic discounts can be extended only to one having taken vows and abiding as a renunciate, living exclusively on donations and having no form of income through work or other sources. You will need to provide the monastery you are affiliated with upon registering. To learn more, contact the Registration Dept at: [email protected].
*Maximum annual scholarship limit is two per calendar year; and this limit is not a guarantee.