Join us for a 5-day guided, silent mindfulness and compassion retreat in the new year at a beautiful retreat site in the woods below the towering Mount Si. Rainbow Lodge is outside of North Bend in Washington State, just 40 minutes east of Seattle. The retreat will be a deep exploration of the roots of mindfulness and compassion practices, both experientially and through a series of talks on Buddhist teachings and connected ideas from philosophy, poetry, and the sciences.
Our silent retreats are delivered in the style of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and include a variety of sitting, walking, and movement meditations. Our inclusive and trauma-sensitive style invites participants to be in wise discernment as they receive the instructors suggestions and feel into what really works to settle body and mind and open the heart.
ROOTS THEME: Training in Compassion
Our Roots of Compassion and Roots of Mindfulness retreats feature a daily talk to support and deepen practice. These talks generally feature the Buddhist roots of this work and are offered in everyday language with an accessible style.
In this years’ retreat Tim will explore the traditional Tibetan Buddhist practice of lojong or mind training which makes innovative use of pithy practice phrases that help us strengthen our compassion and the wise perspectives that allow compassion to thrive. Tim will bring up several of these powerful slogans and guide us in their practice in both retreat settings and everyday life.
Tim’s talks will be inspired by a wonderful book by his own Zen Buddhist teacher, Norman Fischer.
Norman’s book, Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong, with his own contemporary translations of the traditional phrases, has been widely appreciated for it’s accessibilty and warmth.
SCHEDULE
January 19 – 24, 2026
Monday 5pm – Saturday 2pm
TEACHERS
Tim Burnett & Nikki Dvorak Larsen
LOCATION
Rainbow Lodge (North Bend, WA)
COST
$1,080 – $1,935 (or $270 – $484/month) plus optional single room surchage
- Sliding scale: Choose what’s right for you.
- Payment plan option: 4-months, no-interest.
- Limited scholarships are available: No need to apply; just choose a scholarship tuition during registration.
- Lodging: An additional surcharge applies for single rooms.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Wednesday January 14 at 11:55pm
The insights I received during the retreat and now, two weeks later, are centering on choosing more compassionate freedom for myself and how it spills into my life and work. I feel this tremendous blessing could only have surfaced in the deep and loving container co-created by the teachers and my fellow retreatants. I’m quite certain the benefits will be exponential.
Cancellation Policy
For retreats at Rainbow Lodge:
- Cancel up to 30 days before the event begins: Receive a full refund less a $100 non-refundable processing fee.
- Cancel between 29 and 7 days and the event start time: Receive a refund of 50% of the tuition paid.
- Cancel less than 7 days before event begins: No refunds.
I don’t have adequate words for the wonderful days spent at the Roots of Compassion retreat. I was filled with love and an awareness of beauty. Even through the silence I felt a deep connection with the group members and with my loved ones in my life. It challenged me in important ways and changed me forever.
LOCATION
The beautiful Rainbow Lodge sits on 40 acres of woods just below the majestic Mount Si near the town of North Bend in the North Cascades. We’re excited to start hosting retreats at a center that’s comfortable in the winter and just 40 minutes from Seattle.
At Rainbow Lodge you’ll find a lovely cedar lodge with massive rock fireplaces and comfortable rooms. You’ll experience the tranquility of a deep forest and mountain streams.
More details about the venue can be found here.
TEACHERS
Tim Burnett
Tim, Senior Teacher and former Executive Director at Mindfulness Northwest, has been leading multi-day retreats in both the mindfulness and Zen Buddhist styles for many years. Ordained as a Soto Zen priest in 2000, he apprenticed with Zen teacher Zoketsu Norman Fischer and is the Guiding Teacher of Red Cedar Zen Community in Bellingham. For these retreats Tim loves offering a universal (“secular”) mindfulness retreat experience while also plumbing the depth of Buddhist texts and philosophy that form one of the deep roots of this work. You can explore an example of Tim’s teachings at a prior retreat. Tim is a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction instructor with the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and has been teaching MBSR for over a decade; he’s also a certified Mindful Self-Compassion instructor with the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
Nikki Dvorak Larsen
SCHEDULE Details
The retreat starts with check-in at 5pm on Monday, and closes at 2pm on Saturday, with breaks after each of the delicious meals provided. We’ll rise early, beginning each day of practice at 6:30am, and go steadily through each day in silence and contemplation, closing at 8:30pm. A sample schedule from a prior retreat can be viewed here.
FOOD & ACCOMMODATIONS
Full room and board including tasty, nutritious meals are included in your registration. The cooks at Rainbow Lodge can always accommodate non-celiac gluten free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets. Just let us know during the registration about your food allergies and needs.
Accommodations are comfortable double-occupancy rooms with sinks in the room and full ADA bathrooms just a short distance down the hallway. Single occupancy is available with a surcharge during registration.
There are rooms on the ground floor and upstairs. Please let us know in your registration if you need a ground floor room. The ground floor rooms and dining, meeting, and bathroom facilities are all ADA accessible at Rainbow Lodge.
WHO THIS RETREAT IS FOR
All adults (age 18 or over) are welcome at our retreats. The five day retreat can be an psychologically strenuous experience for those new to silent meditation retreats. If you have any questions about whether this retreat is a good fit for you please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Our longer retreats are especially well suited to:
- Students of mindfulness and compassion interested in deepening and maintaining their practice.
- Mindfulness teachers who’d like to strengthen their understanding of the Buddhist roots of contemporary mindfulness.
- Those who have taken a course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindful Self-Compassion, or Mindfulness for Healthcare Professionals.
YOUR FIRST LONGER RETREAT?
Before sitting a multi-day retreat we recommend that you have teacher-led experience with mindfulness or related contemplative practices: either in a class or a one-day retreat. Please contact us if you have questions about whether this retreat will be appropriate for you.
TEACHER TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
This retreat meets prerequisite requirements of a 5-day silent, guided retreat for the following teacher training programs:
- Mindfulness Northwest – MBSR Teacher Training Program
- Center for Mindful Self-Compassion – Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher Training
- UCSD Mindfulness Based Professional Training Institute (MBPTI) – MBSR 6-Day Teacher Training Intensive
- Brown Center for Mindfulness – MBSR Teacher Training Pathway
About Our Multi-Day Silent Retreats
The daily schedule at our multi-day silent retreats includes gently guided sitting and walking meditation, morning teachings, mindful movement, and the body scan, as well as compassion cultivation and loving-kindness meditations.
WHO COMES TO RETREATS?
All are welcome! We are honored to support each participant in their meditation practice regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual identity, age, physical ability, political affiliation, or religion. Our retreats are suitable for beginning through experienced practitioners.
We are committed to offering support for any accessibility needs you have as we are able. Please contact us prior to registering for a course.
YOUR FIRST LONGER RETREAT?
Before sitting a multi-day retreat we recommend that you have teacher-led experience with mindfulness or related contemplative practices. Please contact us if you have questions about whether this retreat will be appropriate for you.
IS RETREAT RIGHT FOR YOU? Meditation retreats are not right for everyone. If you have a history of trauma or acute psychological issues, consider checking with a mental health professional to decide if intensive retreat practice would be supportive. If you have questions or concerns about whether a retreat is right for you, please contact us at office@mindfulnessnorthwest.com.
STRUCTURE AND PARTICIPATION
FOUR DAILY PRACTICE SESSIONS
- Mindfulness and compassion practices are offered in four blocks daily: early morning, morning, afternoon, and evening.
- Participants are expected to attend all sessions and follow the printed schedule you will receive on site as fully as possible. However, we are flexible and always willing to work with you on what your body and mind can reasonably do. Speak with the retreat teachers if you have concerns about following the complete schedule.
PRACTICING IN SILENCE
- After the initial orientation and introductions on the first evening, our residential retreats are held in silence.
- Participants are expected to follow guidelines around silence and participation:
- Not speaking to other participants including close friends or partners you are attending with.
- Not using technology of any form.
- Not reading books, magazines, flyers, or any reading materials.
- Reducing interpersonal contact through the eyes or other body language.
- Necessary communication with the retreat teachers can be done via a notes station or by taking them aside.
The intention of silent retreat is to settle deeply into your own experience and to not interact with others, allowing everyone space to have the retreat they need to have -- including you!
PERSONAL AND INTERPERSONAL SAFETY
Participants are expected to be sensitive and responsive to these guidelines and the needs of fellow participants as fully as possible.
- Do not take photos or make recordings of other participants or the teachers.
- Do not use alcohol or mind altering drugs of any kind.
- Emergency contact information to share with loved ones will be sent to you. Venue staff and Mindfulness Northwest instructors will make sure you receive incoming messages promptly while your phone is off. If you are expecting an urgent message please let your instructor know.
- Instructors are available at all times to offer support, including conversation if needed.
WHAT TO BRING
WHAT TO BRING- Warm clothes in layers (sweater, jacket, raingear, etc.). Outdoor walking meditation may be a component of this retreat unless the weather is too challenging.
- Shoes that are (1) fine walking in damp grass and (2) slip-on if possible. We take shoes on and off frequently. Slippers for the practice room can also be nice to have.
- Toiletries and overnight things including a towel.
- Bringing your own bedding (pillows, sheets, blankets or sleeping bag) is required at some of our venues. Please check your registration confirmation email for this information.
- A flashlight can be helpful but venues are generally reasonably well lit. Sometimes there is walking between buildings in the early morning and evening.
- A yoga mat if you have a favorite. We are able to bring mats to share.
- Meditation cushions / supplies – if you have a meditation cushion(s), a bench or other sitting gear, feel free to bring it. We are able to bring a limited supply of cushions. Note that there are plenty of chairs available.
- An extra blanket or two for the meditation hall – nice for body scans and resting.
AFTER THE RETREAT
Silent mindfulness retreats can be psychologically powerful. It's not unusual to experience significant shifts in your mood and energy levels right after a retreat. We recommend that you closely monitor your "mental hygiene" by avoiding overstimulating environments or influences directly after the retreat (i.e. parties, loud events, violent content, harsh substances or emotionally straining company). You can support the integration of your retreat experience with activities like journaling/drawing, mindful movement, spending time in nature or even a shower/soak in a bath. If you feel "off" several days after your retreat we encourage you to seek out support. Don't hesitate to reach out to us at office@mindfulnessnorthwest.com to connect with one of our teachers.
Mindfulness Northwest Health & Safety Policy
To help create a safe and supportive environment for all participants, we ask that you observe the following guidelines:
Before arrival:
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Please stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms of illness (fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, gastrointestinal symptoms, etc.).
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We encourage participants to take a COVID-19 test the day before arrival, as symptoms may not always be present.
During retreat:
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If you begin to experience symptoms of illness while on retreat, we ask that you help protect others by either heading home (if feasible) or isolating as much as possible.
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Please notify the retreat teacher or staff so we can provide support and guidance.
General practices:
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Masks are optional but welcome for anyone who chooses to wear them.
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Hand sanitizer and masks will be available onsite.
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We encourage all participants to practice good hand hygiene and be mindful of others’ comfort levels around physical proximity.
We deeply appreciate your care in helping us hold a safe and nourishing space for everyone.
Our 2026 Overnight Retreats
- Roots of Compassion, 5 day, January 19-24, Rainbow Lodge (North Bend, WA) with Tim Burnett & Nikki Dvorak Larson.
- Spring Weekend Retreat, March 27-29, Samish Island Retreat Center (Bow, WA) with Tim Burnett & Sonia Sahay.
- Fierce Compassion Women's Retreat, May 29-31, Sacred Waters Retreat Center (Union, WA) with Karen Schwisow & Carolyn McCarthy.
- Summer Weekend Retreat, June 26-28, Samish Island Retreat Center (Bow, WA) with Carolyn McCarthy & RJ Rongcal.
- Roots of Mindfulness, 5 day, August 21-26, Samish Island Retreat Center (Bow, WA) with Carolyn McCarthy & RJ Rongcal.
- Fall 3-Day Retreat, October 8-11, Samish Island Retreat Center (Bow, WA) with Tim Burnett.
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