Bonnie Duran
Residential Retreat Teacher
Bonnie Duran embarked on her journey with the Dharma in 1982. She has since taken teachings from a diverse array of Western teachers, such as Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, and Kamala Masters, as well as Thai, Burmese, and Tibetan Monastic teachers. Bonnie's credentials include graduating from the Insight Meditation Society (IMS)/Spirit Rock Meditation Center (SRMC) retreat teacher-training program. She has been a core SRMC Dedicated Practitioners Program teacher and is on the SRMC Guiding Teachers Council.
Bonnie teaches long and short retreats at IMS, Spirit Rock, and other communities and is involved in Native American spiritual practices and traditions. Bonnie was introduced to the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist tradition through her partner and is now happily studying and practicing. Bonnie has contributed to Hilda Gutiérrez Baldoquin’s book “Dharma, Color, and Culture: New Voices in Western Buddhism” and has written for the Harvard Divinity Bulletin, Tricycle, and the Turning Wheel.
Dr. Duran is a professor emeritus in the Schools of Social Work and Public Health at the University of Washington and a faculty member at the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute. Her academic work has been primarily with Tribal, urban Indian, and International Indigenous communities.
Bonnie Duran's Upcoming Programs
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.
Retreat | On-Land
April 16 - April 20, 2025 | Wednesday - Sunday | 4 nights
Retreat as Ceremony: Mindfulness and Indigenous Presence for Wellness and Healing
7.5 CE Credits.
Lottery Applications Open - December 17. Indigenous Presence blends aspects of Indigenous ceremony with the methods and outcomes of another ancient expression of wholesome presence: mindfulness and lovingkindness. This retreat is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from around the world. Together, we will explore the intersection of Buddhist practices from the Insight tradition such as mindfulness and mettā (lovingkindness) meditation, and Indigenous knowledge systems such as Intuitive Awareness. Both traditions are anchored in a meaningful relationship with nature, ancestors, and the sweet territory of silence.
Retreat | On-Land
July 9 - July 18, 2025 | Wednesday - Friday | 9 nights
Summer Lovingkindness Retreat
Registration Opens - March 12. The Buddha’s teachings on the four divine sanctuaries (brahmavihāras) include meditations on universal friendliness (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), altruistic joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekkhā). Aimed at purifying our hearts and developing concentration, these divine sanctuaries help us find inner peace and powerfully engage with the world. This retreat will deepen our understanding of selfless love and its role in ending suffering. Retreatants are encouraged to combine this retreat with the Insight Meditation retreat to further develop concentration and purify the heart.
Retreat | On-Land
July 18 - July 27, 2025 | Friday - Sunday | 9 nights
Summer Insight Meditation Retreat
Registration Opens - March 18. This retreat will emphasize continuity of awareness in all activities, stabilizing the mind, and cultivating insight. Combining relaxation with clarity, we will explore the liberating teachings of the Buddha, including the foundations of mindfulness, the radical nature of impermanence, and the cessation of craving. Practitioners are encouraged to combine the Summer Insight Retreat with the Summer Lovingkindness (mettā) Retreat, although this is not required. For those attending both retreats, the teachers will guide and integrate the retreats as one offering.
Upcoming Drop-Ins
Drop-in | Online
Monday, October 14 | 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.
Bonnie Duran
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Bonnie Duran through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.