2026 Insight Meditation 2-Month Retreat - Application (306R26)

The application period opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Those who apply May 13 – June 24, 2025 (by 11:59pm Pacific Time) will be included in the first round of notifications.

Admission for this retreat is by application – see “Application Process” for more information. PLEASE READ all details below before applying.

RETREAT TO BE HELD ON THE LAND!

PREREQUISITE:
Prerequisites for Two-Month Retreat (53 nights): BEFORE applying you must have already completed at least 21 nights of silent residential retreat time. This retreat time must include a minimum of three (3) silent residential retreats with each of these six (6) nights or longer.

Other Important Notes About Prerequisites: These retreats must have been led by Spirit Rock, IMS, or IRC teachers, or other recognized Insight Meditation teachers. Previous retreats must be silent residential retreats and have a similar format to this retreat, with instructions, practices, and talks focused on Insight Meditation. Online retreats do not qualify for these retreat prerequisites. When applying, you will need to provide the teachers’ names, dates, location, length (# of nights), and style of the retreats.

RETREAT DESCRIPTION:

An extended retreat period offers the rare opportunity for sustained, dedicated practice. This retreat emphasizes quieting the mind, opening the heart, and developing profound clarity and depth of Insight practice. Instructions will follow the traditional four foundations of mindfulness, influenced by the teachings of Mahasi Sayadaw and other Theravãda (Insight Meditation) traditions, and will be supported by a variety of skillful means. The teachings will encompass training in the heart qualities of lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, with a daily schedule structured around periods of silent meditation, guided instructions, Dharma talks, practice meetings with teachers, and optional mindful movement.

This retreat is also suitable for practitioners who wish to exclusively develop concentration (samādhi) through mindfulness of breathing or lovingkindness (metta) practice, with individual guidance by the teachers.

These extended retreats (as with all retreats at Spirit Rock) are NOT open for self-retreats.

February Teaching Team:
Dawn Scott, Vance Pryor, Tuere Sala, Brian Lesage, James Baraz, JD Doyle, Rasika Link (movement)

March Teaching Team:
Tara Mulay, Tempel Smith, Tuere Sala, Anushka Fernandopulle, Kristina Baré, Greg Scharf, Rasika Link (movement), and Brett Bethke (assistant teacher)

FINANCIAL DETAILS

Two-Month Sliding Scale Fees:
Sliding Scale fees are for 53 nights including food and lodging. Please consider selecting the highest possible level you can reasonably afford: your generosity supports your community of practitioners who need to pay less, as well as staff and Spirit Rock. NOTE: All two-month attendees will have a single room.

Supporter Rate – $21,995 (covers cost of retreat, plus a deeply generous dana offering to Spirit Rock)
Benefactor Rate – $15,900 (covers cost of retreat, with a meaningful dana contribution to Spirit Rock)
Sustainer Rate – $11,660 (covers cost of retreat)
Basic Rate – $8,745 (partially subsidized rate)
Scholarship Rate – $3,975 (significantly subsidized rate)
PLUS a donation to the teacher(s).

Cancellation Policy for Two-Month Retreat:

• $175 fee* = on or before November 11, 2025 (12 weeks prior)
• $350 fee* = November 12 – December 9, 2025 (8-12 weeks prior)
• $600 fee* = December 10 – 23, 2025 (6-8 weeks prior)
• $850 fee* = December 24, 2025 – January 6, 2026 (4-6 weeks prior)
• No refunds = January 7, 2026 or after (less than one month prior – applies to ALL participants)

*Fees reduced 50% for scholarship participants, excluding last tier.

Switching Fees:
If you need to cancel and would like to switch to another monthlong, the following fee will apply in lieu of the above cancellation fee: $100 fee = non-scholarship participants and $50 fee = scholarship participants. Switching is all dependent upon available space in the retreat switching to. If you cancel after switching, the regular cancellation fee will apply.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

The application period opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Those who apply May 13 – June 24, 2025 (by 11:59pm Pacific Time) will be included in the first round of notifications.

First round notifications will be sent via email July 3 – 10, 2025. Please refrain from calling or emailing before this notification period. We will need this time to process all applications, coordinate with teachers, and allocate scholarship funding. If you are selected, you will receive an email with a special link to register and pay your retreat fees online. If you end up on the wait list, you will be notified of your relative position on the wait list.

For All Applicants: To be included in the first round of notifications, your application must be complete, including prerequisites already met, and submitted by the deadline. No exceptions.

If you submit an application after June 24, 2025:
We will continue to accept applications on a rolling basis after the initial deadline of June 24 until the start of the retreat. Applications received after this date will be reviewed and offered a spot if accepted and there is space available, or put on a wait list (if the retreat is full).

Scholarships:
Scholarship funding is offered to those needing financial assistance to attend. We receive many more requests for scholarships than we have funding; therefore, we cannot guarantee scholarships will be available to all who request it.

If you need scholarship funds to attend, once the application is available, please complete the Scholarship Section. Funding may likely not be available later.

Covid Protocols for residential retreats