The first memory I have that might be called spiritual was when I was about 12 or 13. It was late at night, and I was lying on the grass on this big lawn where I was living at the time. It was dark, and I looked up at the sky, and the stars looked so vast. And suddenly this feeling came over me: of love. And it shocked me! It just came out of the blue and took me over. And I was like “What is this? I feel like I love everything.” Nothing brought it on, really, other than the immensity of the stars. It just was there. And then I went to bed, and it faded, and I went on with life. Most people have a story like this, a memory as a child of some kind of connection, or sense of something greater than themselves. We forget about it, but it’s our birthright. In some ways a spiritual path is just a step leading us back to where we were, to our inner home.
Diana Winston
Residential Retreat Teacher
Diana Winston is the Director of UCLA Mindful, the mindfulness education center of UCLA Health. She has taught meditation retreats at Spirit Rock since 2004 has been a pioneer in the field of mindfulness where she has taught and helped seed the establishment of mindfulness into variety of settings including in healthcare, universities, businesses, non-profits, and schools in the US and internationally. She created the evidence-based Mindful Awareness Practices Program (MAPs), is the founding director of UCLA’s Training in Mindfulness Facilitation and is a founding board member of the International Mindfulness Teachers Association.
She is the author of “The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering your Natural Awareness”, “Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens”, “Glimpses of Being: A Training Course in Expanding Mindful Awareness”, and co-author (with Susan L. Smalley, PhD) of “Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness”. Diana’s meditations have a worldwide reach and are available on the UCLA Mindful, 10 Percent Happier, and Waking Up Apps.
She has practiced vipassana meditation since 1989, including a year as a Buddhist nun in Burma, and each day she tries to be a mindful mom.
Diana Winston's Upcoming Programs
Family | On-Land
July 30 - August 3, 2025 | Wednesday - Sunday | 4 nights
The Family Retreat
Applications Open. Find joy in a retreat for the whole family and take time together to rest, reconnect, play, and enjoy! This four-night residential retreat for adults and children ages 7-15 years old will combine meditation and Dharma teachings, games, arts and crafts, nature time, and more. Kids and teens will have organized time each day to be with peers, fully supervised by our mindful leaders, and adults will also have time to practice, relax, and receive Dharma from the teachers.
Retreat | On-Land
September 11 - September 14, 2025 | Thursday - Sunday | 3 nights
Insight Meditation for the Curious: Essentials Retreat for New and Experienced Meditators
Registration Open. This retreat will teach the essentials of mindfulness and Insight Meditation (vipassanā). We will explore ways to calm our minds and hearts, work with difficult thoughts and emotions, build attention, and 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.
Upcoming Drop-Ins
Drop-in | Online
Monday, August 11 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 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.
Diana Winston
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Diana Winston through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.