Winter Solstice Retreat: Embracing the Dark, Inviting the Light (290R25) - On Land
Dawn Scott, devon hase, Yong Oh, Heather Sundberg and David Cabrera
December 18 - 23, 2025
Please only register for one of the two formats: On Land or Online.
Registration opens at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on February 19, 2025, and closes at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on December 17, 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.
Retreat to be held on the land
Description
Throughout this residential retreat, we will focus on centering ourselves at the time of the holidays and the New Year. Together we will quiet our minds, ground our bodies, open our hearts, and use inquiry to help energize our practice. Special emphasis will be placed on opening to the darkness, including to our difficulties and challenges, and opening to the coming light, which includes the beauty, joy, wisdom, and love within and around us. This retreat will include complete meditation instructions, sitting and walking meditation, daily lovingkindness practice, daily Qigong practice, evening talks, practice discussions, and a Winter Solstice ceremony.
This retreat is silent except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups, or other practice meetings.
On-Land Teachers: Dawn Scott, devon hase, and Yong Oh
Online Teacher: Heather Sundberg
Interested in joining the online retreat instead? Learn more here.
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 – $3000
Benefactor Rate – $2400
Sustainer Rate – $1800
Basic Rate – $1200
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, Mudita/Karuna, or Young Adult [ages 18-26 yrs]) – $475
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.
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 – $900
Basic-Commuter – $600
All prices above are subject to change.
About the Teachers
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Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott has been practicing Insight Meditation since 2008. She is a graduate of the Insight Meditation Society’s teacher training program and is a core teacher of Spirit Rock’s Liberation, Emptiness, and Awareness Practices (LEAP) Program. Dawn has a deep love of long retreat practice and the Buddha's liberative teachings.
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devon hase
devon hase is empowered to teach in the Insight and Vajrayana traditions of Western Buddhism. Since discovering meditation in 2000, she has put Dharma and community at the center of her life: she spent a decade bringing mindfulness to high school and college classrooms before entering several years of silent, solitary retreat in the mountains […]
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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 […]
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Heather Sundberg
Heather Sundberg has taught Insight Meditation since 1999 and has taught residential retreats regularly at Spirit Rock since 2001. She completed the Spirit Rock/IMS Teacher Training program under Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein. Beginning her own meditation practice in her late teens, for the last three decades, Heather has studied with senior teachers in the […]
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David Cabrera
David Cabrera has been a Vipassana practitioner and instructor since 2007 and received certification through Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach’s Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program in 2021. He currently mentors for Cloud Sangha and teaches meditation and mindful movement with One Dharma Nashville, where he co-founded their thriving BIPOC Sangha. Incorporating many years of martial […]
Learn more about David CabreraCategories : Hybrid, Multi-day, On-land, Residential, Retreat