Online Retreat
Winter Solstice Retreat: Embracing the Dark, Inviting the Light
Throughout this retreat, we will focus on centering ourselves at the time of the holidays and the New Year, quieting our minds, grounding in our bodies, opening up our hearts, and using inquiry to help give energy to our practice. Special emphasis will be placed on opening to the darkness, including to our difficulties and challenges, and opening to the coming light—to the beauty, joy, wisdom, and love within and around us. The retreat will include complete meditation instructions, sitting and walking meditation, daily lovingkindness practice, daily Qigong practice, evening talks, practice discussions, and a Winter Solstice ceremony.
Teaching Team
![Oren Jay Sofer, SEP](https://www.spiritrock.org/uploads/team-photos/teachers/_600x750_crop_center-center_none/Spirit-Rock-Teacher-Oren-Jay-Sofer_2023-10-11-180928_efyy.jpg)
Oren Jay Sofer, SEP
Teacher
Oren Jay Sofer teaches meditation internationally. He holds a degree in comparative religion from Columbia University and is author of "Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication" and "Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practices to Meet a World In Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love."
![devon hase, MA](https://www.spiritrock.org/uploads/team-photos/teachers/_600x750_crop_center-center_none/Spirit-Rock-Teacher-Devon-Hase_2.jpg)
devon hase, MA
Teacher
devon hase loves long retreats. Since discovering meditation in 2000, she has put dharma at the center of her life: she spent a decade bringing mindfulness to classrooms and now teaches at IMS, Spirit Rock, and other centers. She continues to spend lots of time in wilderness retreat.
![Dawn Scott](https://www.spiritrock.org/uploads/team-photos/teachers/_600x750_crop_center-center_none/Spirit-Rock-Staff-Dawn-Scott2.jpg)
Dawn Scott
Teacher
Dawn Scott has been practicing Insight Meditation since 2008. She is a graduate of the Insight Meditation Society’s teacher training program and is a core teacher of Spirit Rock’s Liberation, Emptiness, and Awareness Practices (LEAP) Program. Dawn has a deep love of long retreat practice and the Buddha's liberative teachings.
![Heather Sundberg](https://www.spiritrock.org/uploads/team-photos/teachers/_600x750_crop_center-center_none/Spirit-Rock-Teacher-Heather-Sundberg.jpg)
Heather Sundberg
Teacher
Heather Sundberg has taught insight meditation since 1999, and completed the Spirit Rock/IMS Teacher Training. For the last three decades, Heather has studied with senior teachers in the Insight Meditation and Vajrayana traditions, completing 3.5 accumulated years of retreat. Her teaching emphasizes embodiment, heart practice, and emptiness-awareness practices. www.heathersundberg.com.
![David Cabrera](https://www.spiritrock.org/uploads/team-photos/teachers/_600x750_crop_center-center_none/Spirit-Rock-Teacher-David-Cabrera.jpg)
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