WHO OUR ONE DAY RETREATS ARE FOR

Our single day retreats are ideal for people with some mindfulness or meditation experience. Introductory information about mindfulness will not be provided at this session. Rather, we will dive right in to guided practice. If you are totally new to meditation this day may be a challenge; however, all are welcome. For some, “jumping in” is a great way to start!

WHO OUR MULTI-DAY RETREATS ARE FOR

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 a given retreat will be appropriate for you.

Our multi-day retreats are appropriate for:

• Those who have taken a course in mindfulness such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindful Self-Compassion, or Mindfulness for Healthcare Professionals.
• Established students of mindfulness interested in deepening and maintaining their practice.
• Self-taught mindfulness students usually do just fine if they've established a regular practice over at least a few months.
• Mindfulness teachers and students who’d like to strengthen their understanding of the Buddhist roots of contemporary mindfulness.
• Those seeking to fulfill a required teacher-led silent retreat for a teacher training: our 5 and 7 retreats fulfill this requirement for all of the major mindfulness teacher trainings we're aware of.
• Adults age 18 and over.

Our One Day Retreats are an immersion into silent, continuous, teacher-led practice. During this day of practice, we'll ask you to be as quiet as possible and let go of entertainments and distractions for the day.

One Day Retreats are included in our 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindful Self-Compassion courses and offered for stand-alone sign up in the Retreats section of our website.

Everyone with some experience of mindfulness and meditation is welcome to try a One Day Retreat. It can be a powerful and important way to explore mindfulness and compassion more deeply. If you are totally new to meditation, this day may be a challenge; however, all are welcome. For some, "jumping in" is a great way to start.

Whether online or in-person, you will be guided in a sequence of meditation and mindfulness practices including: sitting meditation, the body scan, walking meditation (indoors and out!), gentle mindful yoga, and contemplative practices like the loving-kindness meditation.

In-Person Retreats:

A great virtue of in-person retreats is the possibilities that emerge from taking a quiet day totally away from your usual routine and environment. Plus we've found some lovely sites to host our retreats. Be sure to bring your lunch, a blanket, and yoga mat and/or meditation cushion if you have one. We are able to bring some extra yoga / meditation gear to share, and all of our retreat sites have comfortable chairs for sitting.

Online Retreats:

Online retreats are rich opportunity to integrate sustained mindfulness practice into your "regular" life at home. We do recommend having a conversation with the occupants of your home. While it's not reasonable to expect roommates, spouses, or children to be totally silent for a day because you'll be on retreat, sometimes a  simple shift in routine to help you have a quieter, more protected space is possible.

We've been happy to discover that doing a full day or multi-day meditation retreat online works well. It's a different experience than a residential retreat at a retreat center, but very valuable. With an online retreat done at home there are powerful opportunities to integrate your mindfulness practice experience into daily life within familiar surroundings.

Below are a few suggestions to help you create an optimal retreat experience, realizing each of you has a unique home situation.

PREPARING FOR YOUR RETREAT AT HOME

1. A quiet space - As much as possible, create a separate, quiet space away from family and distraction, even pets if they might distract you or other participants.
2. Unplug - Plan to “unplug” from your phone, clocks, or any other electronic device unless using it to connect to our virtual retreat room. Turn off any notifications that might pop up on the device you're using to connect to the retreat.
3. Free yourself up - Minimize or eliminate as many tasks and activities as you can. Normally we would be in a retreat setting to allow for an immersive experience. Retreating at home offers the benefit of being able to practice mindfulness skills in your regular environment while it offers the potential challenge of home distractions.
4. Have a conversation ahead - We suggest that you prepare your household members ahead, letting them know you’ll be practicing silence during this time. If you're able to, maintaining silence or minimizing talk between practice periods (like we do at our in-person retreats) is a valuable contribution to the retreat experience.
5. Explore integration and accept what happens - See an online retreat as an opportunity to integrate mindfulness practice and your daily life instead of as a way to “get away” – it helps to see this as a different type of experience from an in-person retreat at a retreat center.
6. It won't be perfect - Resistance and wanting things to be other than they are can be a part of all contemplative practices. Please accept that the day will unfold in the way that it does and much is beyond your control. If things are busier or in some way not to your liking in the environment as you do the series of practices offered, please accept things as they are and know that there is benefit.

WE ASK THAT YOU:

1. Sign in a little early to make sure you can connect.
2. Turn cameras on once the retreat starts. This is not a requirement, but we've found that having cameras on best supports a rich and connected experience for all participants.
3. Stay muted unless we are having a discussion.
4. Maintain silence and focus as possible during practice times: refraining from speaking, reading, writing, or using other devices.

Following the guidelines supports a deep dive into practice for you and the entire community. Thank you.