New Year's Insight Meditation Retreat (292X25) - Lottery

Application opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on July 30, 2025, and closes at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on August 20, 2025.

Admission for this retreat is by application and a lottery-style selection in order to maintain a diverse community of practitioners – see Selection Details below for more information.

Description:

This is a traditional Insight Meditation (vipassanā) retreat with sitting and walking in silence, and regular meetings with teachers. Each day there will be systematic meditation instructions, Dharma talks, and movement practice. We will mark the turning of the year with a late evening sitting and simple ceremony on New Year’s Eve. In celebration of the New Year, our focus will be on cultivating loving awareness and embracing each moment as fresh and new. All are welcome.

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

Financial Information:

Sliding Scale fees are for 8 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 (guaranteed single room) – $4800
Benefactor – $3840
Sustainer – $2880
Basic – $1920
Mudita/Karuna Scholarship Rate (for anyone who needs financial assistance, including fixed income folks) – $760
BIPOC Scholarship Rate (for Black, Indigenous, and/or Persons of color) – $760
Young Adult Scholarship Rate (for young adults ages 18-26 years) – $760
*Registration fees DO NOT include teacher dana. At the end of the retreat, there will be an opportunity to offer dana to the teachers and to Spirit Rock.

Important Notes:
Scholarship offerings: All scholarship rates require a minimum fee and are limited to those with significant financial needs. Scholarships are limited to TWO per calendar year for on-land retreats. And, while we are not able to offer “pay what you can” type of scholarships for in-person retreats, we invite you to email us if the lowest rate does not fit your circumstance.

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2024 – Covid-19 Safety Protocols for residential retreats have been updated..

Selection Details:
Applications are accepted between July 30 – August 20, 2025 (end of the day). Applications received after the close date are automatically placed on the wait list (and will not be included in the first round of selections); however, will be considered as soon as spaces open up. Notification rounds can move quickly in the first few weeks following the first acceptances, so we recommend staying ready. You may be accepted sooner than you realize!

All applications are assigned a random number for the selection process. The lottery-style selection process helps us balance many factors to create equity, diversity, inclusion, and access across our community of practitioners. The factors include: age, gender, scholarship needs & availability, affinity group participation, and stage of practice (new to experienced).

You will be notified about the selection results within two weeks of the initial application close date. If you have been offered a space, you will have two days to pay a deposit to accept/hold the space. If you don’t accept the space within this deadline, we will offer it to the next person in line.

CANCELLATION POLICY (Residential Retreats):**
Standard Cancellation Fees:

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

Scholarship and Commuter Rate Cancellation Fees:

• $75 On or before 8 weeks
• $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:
Commuter-Sustainer – $1440
Commuter-Basic – $960

All prices above are subject to change.