This retreat will focus on the cultivation of mettā, or lovingkindness. Retreats allow us the space to dedicate focused time to meditation. Mettā practice is a path to wisdom and awakening. Through this steady continuity of practice, we will cultivate benevolence, friendliness, and goodwill as the guiding orientation of the heart and mind, allowing these qualities to naturally extend into daily life. We will also explore the companion qualities of mettā—compassion, joy, and equanimity. Together, these four practices, known as the brahmavihāras or Divine Abodes, foster self-confidence, self-acceptance, and inner steadiness.
The retreat will be held in silence, while including daily guided meditations, Dharma talks, teacher-led Q&A, small groups, and individual practice meetings.
Assistant Teacher: Ronya Fakhoury Banks
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.
One-time award for new meditators (age 27–55) with financial need attending their first 6-night residential retreat.
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.
This program offers 10 Continuing Education (CE) credits/contact hours for $100, applicable for Psychologists, California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, Nurses, and Chiropractors, and may be applicable for other licenses. Please review our CE information page for full provider details and to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. This retreat offers healthcare providers tools to develop emotional resilience and relational presence through the cultivation of Mettā (lovingkindness) and the other brahmavihāras: compassion, joy, and equanimity. These heart practices support clinicians in reducing empathic distress and burnout, while enhancing their capacity for mindful, compassionate care in both personal and professional settings. The sustained mindfulness practices and supportive teachings foster self-awareness, balance, and insight—qualities essential for ethical and effective caregiving.
To be eligible for Continuing Education Credits (CEs), you must:
(Full attendance is required. Times are listed in Pacific time.)
January 11: No CEs
January 12 – 16
January 17: No CEs
Gulwinder “Gullu” Singh is Dharma teacher and corporate attorney with extensive training in both the practice and instruction of meditation. Gullu is inspired to share the Buddhist teachings as a path to well-being and a way to meet the challenges of life with more ease, grace and resiliency.
Donald Rothberg, PhD, has practiced Insight Meditation since 1976 and trained in Dzogchen, Mahāmudrā, and Hakomi psychotherapy. A former professor, he now teaches meditation, psychology, and socially engaged Buddhism. He’s led long-term training programs through the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Saybrook, and Spirit Rock. Donald served on BPF’s board and is author of The Engaged Spiritual Life and co-editor of Ken Wilber in Dialogue.
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.
Beth Sternlieb is a teacher at InsightLA and co-director of clinical and research programs in yoga and mindfulness at the UCLA Pediatric Pain Program. Beth completed the SRMC/IMS/IRC 4-year teacher training in 2016.
Jonathan Relucio has over 20 years’ experience in social services, organizing, and leadership development. For a decade, he taught trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness in schools, clinics, and detention centers with Niroga Institute. A Spirit Rock-trained teacher, he now teaches at East Bay Meditation Center and co-founded AllThriveEd.org. Jonathan integrates mindfulness and restorative practices to support healing, racial equity, and liberation from the impacts of oppressive systems.
*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.