The Roots of Mindfulness: a week of extended Mindfulness Practice
90 minutes north of Seattle
Sunday evening October 6th, through Sunday mid-day October 13th
Join us for a full week-long retreat of mindfulness practices in the style of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at a beautiful retreat site on Samish Island in the Samish River delta of Skagit County in Washington state (roughly 90 minutes north of Seattle). The retreat will be a deep exploration of the roots of mindfulness practice both experientially and through a series of talks on Buddhist teachings and connected ideas from philosophy, poetry, and the sciences.
2019 Roots of Mindfulness Theme: The Seven Factors of Awakening
We will explore the relevance and deep nuance of this famous Buddhist list of mental factors that support depth, learning and growth in mindfulness practice just as they do in traditional Buddhist Training. There are many relevant texts if you are interested in doing some reading ahead (not necessary!). More details will be posted in this space.
Course Details
This residential retreat will be held mostly in silence and will include a series of gently guided mindfulness practices including sitting meditation, walking meditation, gentle yoga, and the body scan.
This retreat will be highly relevant both to mindfulness students interested in deepening their practice and to teachers of mindfulness who would like to strengthen their background understanding of the Buddhist roots of MBSR.
Simple accommodations (single occupancy in most cases) and all meals will be included.
Details on what to bring will be sent upon registration.
Schedule
October 6 - 13, 2019
Starts Sunday, October 6th with 4 - 5 PM check-in.
Closes Sunday, October 13th by 2 PM.
Prerequisites
Before practicing for a full week we recommend that you have experience with mindfulness or related contemplative practices. The retreat is designed first for graduates of the intensive 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction class and should also be fine for those who have tasted mindfulness or meditation in teacher-led classes, retreats, or meditation centers. Contact us if you have questions about whether this retreat will be appropriate for you.
Teacher Training and Development
This course meets the prerequisites for those in the the Center for Mindfulness' Oasis training pathway. See the CFM website for more information. It meets CFM's requirement to attend an annual, silent, teacher-led retreat of at least 7 days for ongoing development and one of the 4 required retreats before certification as an MBSR teacher. This retreat also meets requirements for training as a Mindful Self-Compassion teacher which requires a 5-day silent retreat before beginning Teacher Training (see the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion website for details).
Instructors
Rev. Tim Burnett, Lead Teacher: Executive Director and Guiding Instructor at Mindfulness Northwest
Robin Boudette, PhD, Co-Teacher, Certified MBSR Instructor, www.mindfulnessforeveryone
Cost
$890 - $1290 Sliding Scale Tuition. We also have special Scholarship Tuition options available for those unable to pay at the low end of the sliding scale. Food, lodging, and teachings are included in our all-inclusive registration fees. There is an additional surcharge ($15 - $30) for some lodging options (see below).
Note that there will also be an opportunity on-site and during registration to practice generosity ("dana" in Buddhist ethics) by making a contribute to our Scholarship Fund so that others without means can attend.
Payment plans are also available during registration (four equal monthly payments; no financing fee).
Registration
Register Online or register by phone at 360-830-6439 ext 0.
Location
Instructions and details will be provided when you register. Samish Island Campground is about 90 minutes north of Seattle and 40 minutes south of Bellingham.
This beautiful campground maintained by the Community of Christ at the east end of Samish Island (accessible by road) offers stunning views, deep quiet, and simple accommodations.
It's not really an island - you can drive there.
And it's not exactly a campground - there are simple rustic cabins and motel-like "e-cabins" available (see "Accommodations", below, for more details). RV and tent camping is also available.
Directions and Transportation
Directions and more information about Samish Island Campground are available here.
Note that there is no public transportation all the way to Samish Island.
And see also our
carpooling service for setting up ride shares.
Accommodations
Samish Island "Campground" does not require camping. There are two types of cabins: rustic cabins, which are simple plywood cabins built in the 1950's - they have heat, beds, and share campground bathroom buildings; and e-cabins, which are modern motel-level buildings where two units share a bathroom.
The 40 rustic cabins are quieter and simpler but one must walk across the lawn to the bathrooms.
The 16 e-cabins are lighter, more modern, and share a bathroom. There can be more noise in e-cabins due to the sharing of the bathroom and we ask e-cabin residents to be very careful of the noise from doors and bathroom fixtures so as not to disturb their neighbor.
A surcharge is required for lodging in the more modern e-cabins. A $50 surcharge is required for double occupancy in an e-cabin (with a single roommate), and a $100 surcharge is required for single occupancy.
Consider helping us make e-cabins available to more people, and save $50, by requesting double occupancy. We will do our best to match you with a compatible roommate and to honor requests for roommates if you are coming to retreat with a friend.
During the registration process, you may request one of these options: rustic, e-cabin with double occupancy, or e-cabin with single occupancy, or RV or camping.
| Rustic Cabins Exterior: |
Rustic Cabin Interior: |
 |
 |
| E-Cabin Exterior: |
E-Cabin Interior: |
 |
 |
Meals
The hearty meals served at Samish Island Campground get rave reviews. All meals are included in the registration price. We can accommodate nearly any dietary request - just let us know in the Comments field during registration.
Expectations of Participants
By signing up for this retreat you are agreeing to:
1) Follow the Schedule - participate in the practice schedule as fully as possible. We allow alternate schedules and variations in the schedule due to health needs. This is a structured week of practice with a schedule of practices we will do together starting first thing in the morning. That structure is a powerful support for deepening our mindfulness practice.
2) Do jobs and chores - do some chores around the camp. You will have the option of choosing an ongoing job or helping with cleaning and organizing at the end of the week. The Samish Island Campground is staffed by a small volunteer staff and costs are held low by asking the visiting group to leave the camp as clean as they found it.
Our other Classes, Workshops, and Retreats
See our entire schedule of classes, workshops, and retreats.
