One characteristic of all phenomena in this conditioned world we live in is that they are in a state of flux and change. No thing, given its impermanence, can provide a lasting resting place, refuge, or sense of peace and fulfillment. No thing. And the attempt to find lasting satisfaction, completion, fulfillment, or safety in changing phenomena gives rise to dukkha—mental suffering, and dis-ease—the second characteristic. The third characteristic of existence is that they are anattā, which means “selfless in nature.” Everything is arising due to causes and conditions, and nothing in the phenomenal world comes about outside of the domain of causes and conditions.
Will Kabat-Zinn, MA
Residential Retreat Teacher
Will Kabat-Zinn, MA has been practicing meditation for over two decades and has spent extended time in silent retreat both in the US and in Burma. He is passionate about helping people put into practice and experience for themselves the liberating power of mindfulness. Will has taught meditative practices to diverse populations including, educators, scientists, incarcerated youth, law enforcement professionals, parents, and business and technology leaders, and spent a year as an executive in residence at the UC Berkeley HAAS School of Business. He leads retreats and practice intensives around the country and in Europe and hosts a local meditation community in Berkeley where he lives with his wife and two children.
Will Kabat-Zinn's Upcoming Programs
Short Program | Online
Sunday, November 9 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ancient Wisdom, Present Freedom: Insight Meditation and the Direct Path to Liberation
In this day of practice we will immerse ourselves in the Buddha’s powerful recipe for liberation as described in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the direct path to liberation. This experiential deep dive unfolds through cultivating mindfulness of our mental, physical, and sensory experience while sitting, walking, standing, and lying down, and in all activities throughout the day. The path of insight, understanding, and radical inner transformation unfolds from this simple but powerful methodology.
Will Kabat-Zinn
Short Program | On-Land
Sunday, November 9 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ancient Wisdom, Present Freedom: Insight Meditation and the Direct Path to Liberation
Join us for a day of practice guided by the Buddha’s profound Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the direct path to liberation. Drawing from the Burmese tradition—Mahasi Sayadaw, Taungpulu Sayadaw, Sayadaw U Pandita, Rina Sircar, and others—we’ll explore mindfulness in all postures: sitting, walking, standing, and lying down. Our time together offers seamless continuity of practice, progressive instructions, and short teachings, supporting deepening insight. This daylong is open to all, offering an experiential deep dive into sustained mindfulness.
Will Kabat-Zinn
Retreat | On-Land
January 23 - January 27, 2026 | Friday - Tuesday | 4 nights
The Heart of Awareness: Exploring the Foundations of Mindfulness
Registration Open. In this retreat we will be immersing ourselves in what are traditionally called the Four Foundations of Mindfulness—mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, and the tendencies of mind that lead to suffering or liberation. This is a powerful practice framework for cultivating openhearted awareness with the full dimensionality of our human experience and liberating insight into the nature of mind and experience itself.
Retreat | On-Land
April 17 - April 19, 2026 | Friday - Sunday | 2 nights
The Spiritual Leader: Achieving High Performance and Navigating Life Transitions with Mindfulness
Transitions—selling a business, changing careers, starting a family—ask a lot of us. They stretch our identities, shift our priorities, and call us to lead from a place deeper than strategy.
Navigating Life Transitions is a 3-day, 2-night private residential retreat designed for YPO members. Held April 17-19, 2026 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center—just 45 minutes north of San Francisco—this gathering offers practical tools and perspectives for meeting change with insight and clarity. Whether you're navigating a shift in your professional or personal life, the retreat will leave you with a fresh outlook and skills to sustain mindfulness in the midst of daily life.
Retreat | On-Land
November 6 - November 13, 2026 | Friday - Friday | 7 nights
Ancient Wisdom, Present Freedom: Follow the Buddha's Recipe for Liberation
Registration Opens. Join us in following the Buddha's powerful recipe for liberation left to us in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. The Buddha called this method the "direct path," as it opens us to liberating insight here and now. This powerful practice method has been passed down to us in the Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness and in commentaries on and refinements of this text drawn from many years of practice and insights.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Will Kabat-Zinn through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.