In the Presence of Love: A Mettā & Qigong Retreat (286R25) - On Land
Vinny Ferraro, Leslie Booker and Teja Bell
December 1 - 7, 2025
Registration opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on February 19, 2025, and closes at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on November 30, 2025. A waiting list will be created if the retreat fills early. Looking for a scholarship? Scholarship Interest Form – Click Here
Interested in Commuting to the retreat? – learn more below.
Retreat to be held on the land. Open to Everyone.
Description
This silent retreat will focus on cultivating the quality of lovingkindness (mettā in Pāli), infusing our hearts, minds, and bodies with a strong, caring wisdom. Lovingkindness practices open the heart and connect us intimately with all of life, while awareness—as developed through mindfulness practice—leads to clarity, insight, and understanding. The fusion of these qualities helps us to respond more compassionately to the challenges we encounter in ourselves and in the world.
Qigong is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation. Qigong perfectly complements traditional sitting meditation practice and has a long and well-established connection to contemplative traditions. On this retreat, lovingkindness practices will be supported by periods of guided instruction as well as Qigong, meditation, and regular meetings with the teachers.
This retreat will be held in silence except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups, or other practice meetings.
Financial Details
Sliding Scale fees are for 6 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.*
Supporter Rate w/guaranteed single room – $3600
Benefactor Rate – $2880
Sustainer Rate – $2160
Basic Rate – $1440
Toni Ko Scholarship Rate (1st time retreatants, ages 27-55 yrs) – $50
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, Mudita/Karuna, or Young Adult [ages 18-26 yrs]) – $570
*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.
Pay in full or Payment plan: You can either pay in full or pay a deposit when you register. Payment plans are available to everyone! If you choose the deposit option, the remaining balance will be automatically charged to your payment card in equal installments on a monthly basis. Full payment is due 2 weeks prior to the retreat start.
Scholarship offerings: Our scholarship process has changed for 2025. Scholarships are limited to those with significant financial need. If you fall into that category, please complete the Scholarship Interest Form – Click Here. To be scholarship eligible, you cannot already be registered in the same retreat.
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2024 – Covid-19 Safety Protocols for residential retreats have been updated..
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
The retreat commuter option will only become available once the retreat is FULL with a waitlist.
Prerequisite to Attend as a Commuter:
You must have attended at least one 7-night or two 5-night silent, Insight (vipassanā) meditation residential retreats PRIOR to attending this retreat.
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 accommodations. 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
If you have questions about being a retreat commuter, please email Registration@spiritrock.org
Commuter Sliding Scale:
Sustainer-Commuter – $1080
Basic-Commuter – $720
All prices are subject to change.
About the Teachers
Vinny Ferraro
Vinny Ferraro has been a practitioner of insight meditation (Vipassanā) since the mid-90s. He is a co-Founder of the Dharma Punx and he’s been the Guiding Teacher of the Big Heart City Sangha in San Francisco for 20 years. He is also a nationally recognized leader in designing and implementing interventions for at-risk adolescents and […]
Learn more about Vinny FerraroLeslie Booker
Booker brings her heart to the intersection of Dharma, Embodied Wisdom, and Liberation; using this framework to support folks in creating a culture of belonging. She shares her offerings as a university lecturer, public speaker, and Buddhist philosophy and meditation teacher. Booker began training at Spirit Rock through the Mindful Yoga and Meditation training (2012), […]
Learn more about Leslie BookerTeja Bell
Teja Bell (Fudo Myoo Rōshi 老師) is a lineage dharma teacher and Rinzai Zen master, the 84th ancestor of Lin-Chi I-Chuan's Chan lineage. He is a 6th degree Black Belt in Aikido and a life-long practitioner and teacher of Chinese Internal Arts and Qigong. Teaching Internationally (in China and Europe), Teja integrates meditation, and dharma, […]
Learn more about Teja BellCategories : Multi-day, On-land, Residential, Retreat