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Gateway to Liberation: Cultivating True Forgiveness (288R27) - On Land

Noliwe Alexander, DaRa Williams, Yong Oh, nakawe cuebas berrios, CNM and Hakim Tafari

December 7 - 12, 2027

Date and Time Details:
Tuesday to Sunday
December 7-12, 2027 (5 nights)
Arrival Time: 2:30-4:30pm PT
Departure Time: 11:00am PT

On Land - Upper Retreat Hall

Contact: Spirit Rock Registration
registration@spiritrock.org

  • Supporter-guaranteed single. – $3,225.00
  • Benefactor-residential. – $2,575.00
  • Sustainer-residential. – $1,925.00
  • Basic Rate-residential. – $1,300.00
  • Mudita/Karuna Scholarship Rate-residential. – $500.00
  • BIPOC Scholarship Rate-residential. – $500.00
  • Young Adult Scholarship Rate-residential. – $500.00
  • Present Parent Scholarship Rate-residential. – $50.00
  • Sustainer-Commuter Rate – $975.00
  • Basic-Commuter Rate – $650.00

Cancellation Policy (Residential Retreats):*

Standard Cancellation Fees:
  • $50: On or before 12 weeks
  • $100: 8-12 weeks before
  • $175: 4-8 weeks before
  • $300: 2-4 weeks before
  • No refunds as of 2 weeks before
*Fees reduced for serious illness or death in family

Registration opens: Sep 2, 2026
Registration opens: Sep 2, 2026

Registration opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on September 2, 2026, and closes at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on December 6, 2027. A waiting list will be created if the retreat fills early.

Applying for a residential scholarship? – see our Financial Support FAQs.
Interested in Commuting to the retreat? – learn more below.


Open to Everyone

Description

The practice of forgiveness can free us from the challenges and consequences of remaining captive to a person, circumstance, or past experience. Starting from where we are, we can cultivate the possibilities of living into our fullest potential. Throughout this retreat, we will explore the practices of forgiveness and letting go, with the primary supports of mindfulness, kindness, compassion, equanimity, and gratitude.

The invitation is to bring deep courage to explore, investigate, and cultivate the heart/mind’s opening, even in small ways. This practice can be experienced as difficult, however the aspiration is not to achieve perfection in forgiveness, but rather a life which is more free from suffering and full of boundless joy. Embracing these insights and engaging with forgiveness practices–no matter the trauma, loss, grief, or anger—will intentionally move us forward in our journey towards liberation.

This retreat is silent except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups, or other practice meetings.

Assistant Teacher: Isabel Adon


Financial Details

Sliding Scale fees are for 5 nights including food and lodging. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford: your generosity supports Spirit Rock’s efforts in offering lower sliding scale rates and supporting the large number of scholarship requests.

Registration fees DO NOT include teacher dana. At the end of the retreat, there will be an invitation to offer dana to the teachers and to Spirit Rock.

Supporter Rate w/guaranteed single room – $3,225
Benefactor Rate – $2,575
Sustainer Rate – $1,925
Basic Rate – $1,300
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, Mudita/Karuna, or Young Adult [ages 18-26 yrs]) – $500
Present Parent Scholarship (low-to-modest income parent/legal guardian raising children under 18) – $50*
*See eligibility requirements here>> Financial Support FAQs

Pay in full or Payment plan: You can either pay in full or pay a minimum 30% deposit when you register. Payment plans are available to everyone! If you choose the deposit option, the remaining balance will be automatically set up and charged to your payment card in equal installments on a monthly basis. Full payment is due two weeks prior to the retreat start.

Cancellation Policy (Residential Retreats):**
Standard Cancellation Fees:

  • $50: On or before 12 weeks
  • $100: 8-12 weeks before
  • $175: 4-8 weeks before
  • $300: 2-4 weeks before
  • No refunds as of 2 weeks before

Scholarship and Commuter Rate Cancellation Fees:

  • Full refund: On or before 12 weeks
  • $75: 8-12 weeks before
  • $100: 4-8 weeks before
  • $200: 2-4 weeks before
  • No refunds as of 2 weeks before

**Fees reduced for serious illness or death in family


Retreat Commuter Option

What is a Retreat Commuter?
A retreat commuter is a practitioner who attends a full residential retreat, including all meals, but they are not provided with overnight accommodations. Instead practitioners stay in their own home or find local accommodation at their own expense. A communal resting area is provided during the day while on campus for the retreat. The retreat commuter is expected to attend the entire retreat just like residential retreatants. Special reduced rates are listed below for retreat commuters.

The retreat commuter option will only become available once the retreat is FULL with a waitlist. However, if your personal circumstances preclude you from attending a residential retreat (e.g. staying overnight), please reach out to us as we may be able to offer you a commuter spot sooner and we would be happy to have a conversation with you. (“Personal circumstances” could be situations like if you are a sole caregiver, or parent w/young children where you need to be home each night, for example.)

Prerequisite for Commuters:
You must have attended at least one weeklong silent residential retreat (5-7 nights) in Insight (vipassanā) meditation PRIOR to attending this retreat.

If you have questions about being a retreat commuter, please email Registration@spiritrock.org

Commuter Sliding Scale:
Sustainer-Commuter – $975
Basic-Commuter – $650

Current Covid-19 Safety Protocols for residential retreats


About the Teachers

noliwe-alexander

Noliwe Alexander

Noliwe Alexander has been a student of Vipassana meditation for over 20 years. Throughout this time of deep devotion to the Dharma, Noliwe has become a dedicated practitioner, meditation teacher of various retreats and sitting groups, day-longs and class series programs. She dedicates her BuddhaDharma practice and teachings to the BIPOC, LGBTQIA, At Risk and […]

Learn more about Noliwe Alexander

DaRa Williams

DaRa Williams is a trainer, meditation teacher, and psychotherapist. DaRa has been a meditator for the past 25 years and is a practitioner of both Vipassana and Ascension meditation. She is a graduate of the Spirit Rock/Insight Meditation Society Teacher Training Program and is currently a Guiding Teacher at IMS. She is the Program Manager […]

Learn more about DaRa Williams

Yong Oh

Yong is a Dharma Council teacher at the Durango Dharma Center and a core teacher for Sacred Mountain Saṅgha, and is also a visiting teacher for other community centers across North America. He teaches retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Insight Meditation Society, Big Bear Retreat Center, and Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center. He is a […]

Learn more about Yong Oh
Nakawe Cuebas Berrios

nakawe cuebas berrios, CNM

nakawe cuebas berrios feels blessed to be able to study and journey through different healing and spiritual traditions in her life. The common thread between the many traditions that have touched her path has been the belief that health and wellness depend on a balance between the mind/heart, body, and spirit. The healing systems that […]

Learn more about nakawe cuebas berrios, CNM

Hakim Tafari

Hakim Tafari has studied martial arts since 1996, starting off with Southern-style Praying Mantis Kung Fu. After a major knee injury, he did a lot of research and decided to start studying Tai Chi Chuan. From 1998 until present, Hakim has studied, taught, researched, and spent many hours practicing the art. During this time, he […]

Learn more about Hakim Tafari

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