The Gift of Loving Awareness: Embracing Life with Wisdom & Kindness (385R26) - On Land

Registration opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on December 29, 2025, and closes at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on November 26, 2026. A waiting list will be created if the retreat fills early. Interested in Commuting to the retreat? – learn more below.

In need of a scholarship? – see “Scholarship offerings” information below.

Description

Mindfulness and love are two essential qualities of an awakened life. Awareness brings clarity, insight, and understanding. Love is the heart’s natural responsiveness—the capacity to care, include, and meet experience with kindness. When these qualities are integrated, they offer a powerful and tender way of embracing whatever arises within ourselves—in our relationships, and in the wider world.

In this heartfelt meditation retreat, we will explore how loving awareness becomes an essential resource for meeting the inevitable stresses, uncertainties, and challenges of being human. Through guided mindfulness practices and heart-opening contemplations, participants will cultivate a steady, compassionate presence grounded in clear seeing and care.

Teachings will emphasize the lived integration of love and awareness as a wise response to life as it is. Together, we will inquire into the habits and conditions that obscure this natural capacity and learn how to abide with a spacious, kind, and liberated way of being.

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 – $1830
Benefactor Rate – $1470
Sustainer Rate – $1110
Basic Rate – $735
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, Mudita/Karuna, or Young Adult [ages 18-26 yrs]) – $285

Scholarship offerings: Scholarships are limited to those with significant financial need. If you need a scholarship to attend, do not continue registering now as this will disqualify you from a scholarship opportunity in this retreat. We encourage you to complete the Scholarship Interest Form – Click Here. Scholarship allocation dates are included in the form.

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 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 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.

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 – $555
Basic-Commuter – $375

Current Covid-19 Safety Protocols for residential retreats