Insight Meditation for the Curious: Essentials Retreat for New and Experienced Meditators (257R25) - On Land
Diana Winston, Carol Cano, MA, Alex Haley, PhD, JD and Lissa Edmond
September 11 - 14, 2025
Registration opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on February 19, 2025, and closes at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on September 10, 2025. A waiting list will be created if the retreat fills early. Interested in Commuting to the retreat? – learn more below.
Needing a scholarship? – see Scholarship offerings information below.
Description
Have you ever been curious about Insight Meditation (vipassanā)? This silent retreat will teach the essentials of mindfulness and Insight practice. We will explore ways to calm our minds and hearts, how to work with difficult thoughts and emotions, how to build attention, and how to cultivate kindness and compassion. This retreat will combine stillness/sitting and movement/walking meditations, lectures, and opportunities to meet with a teacher. This is an excellent opportunity for those new to retreat practice, and also ideal for experienced practitioners who wish to attend a shorter retreat.
This retreat is silent except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups, or other practice meetings.
Financial Details
Sliding Scale fees are for 3 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 – $1800
Benefactor Rate – $1440
Sustainer Rate – $1080
Basic Rate – $720
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, Mudita/Karuna, or Young Adult [ages 18-26 yrs]) – $285
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. Important note: If you need a scholarship to attend, DO NOT register now. Registering at Basic Rate or above will disqualify you for a scholarship in this retreat.
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.
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. 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.
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 – $540
Basic-Commuter – $360
About the Teachers
![](https://cdn-secure.retreat.guru/wp-content/uploads/sites/572/2020/02/Diana_Winston.jpg)
Diana Winston
Diana Winston is the Director of UCLA Mindful, the mindfulness education center of UCLA Health. She has taught meditation retreats at Spirit Rock since 2004 has been a pioneer in the field of mindfulness where she has taught and helped seed the establishment of mindfulness into variety of settings including in healthcare, universities, businesses, non-profits, […]
Learn more about Diana Winston![](https://cdn-secure.retreat.guru/wp-content/uploads/sites/572/2020/02/Carol_Cano.jpg)
Carol Cano, MA
Carol Cano, MA, has a master’s in Psychology and began her practice over 30 years ago at Wat Kow Tahm in Thailand and has actively engaged in building communities and teaching Dharma internationally. She is a graduate of the 2017-2020 Spirit Rock Meditation Center's Teacher Training program and a teacher at Spirit Rock often. She is […]
Learn more about Carol Cano, MA![](https://cdn-secure.retreat.guru/wp-content/uploads/sites/572/2020/02/Spirit-Rock-Teacher-Alex-Haley-v2.jpg)
Alex Haley, PhD, JD
Alex Haley, PhD, teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Minneapolis Insight Meditation Community and online through Dharma Ground, where he currently serves as a core teacher. Alex completed Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leader program in 2012 and graduated from the SRMC/IMS/IRC four-year teacher training in 2016. Beginning in his high school calculus class, Alex has […]
Learn more about Alex Haley, PhD, JD![Lissa Edmond, APN-C](https://cdn-secure.retreat.guru/wp-content/uploads/sites/572/2021/03/spirit-rock-teacher-lissa-edmond.jpg)
Lissa Edmond
Lissa Edmond began a dedicated dharma practice in 2008 and studies Vipassana and the Brahmaviharas as their primary path with influences from Zen. Lissa is a meditation and mindful movement (qigong, yoga, etc.) teacher, somatic/trauma psychotherapist (SEP, IFOT, etc.), nurse practitioner (DNP, PMHNP-BC), and participant in the 2025-28 IMS/Spirit Rock teacher training program. Lissa identifies […]
Learn more about Lissa EdmondCategories : Multi-day, On-land, Residential, Retreat