Dharma of Nature Silent Retreat May 2024

Insight Meditation Center, in partnership with Off Grid Retreats, is offering this retreat at NO COST. BUT WE ARE REQUIRING PARTICIPANTS TO REGISTER THROUGH OUT WEBSITE AT OFFGRIDRETREATS.ORG/EVENTS/MAY2024DHARMAOFNATURE.

OVERVIEW
Insight teachers Dawn Neal & Marjolein Janssen are co-teaching among the backdrop of the beautiful pine forests of Shelterwood Collective in Cazadero, CA. This retreat is designed to deepen your connection with both the teachings of Buddhism and the inherent wisdom found in the natural environment.

We recommend having a regular meditation practice to get the most out of this retreat. Registration is free and open to individuals of all genders, all sexual orientations, all ethnicities, all backgrounds, and all levels of experience with camping and outdoor practice.

This is an overnight camping retreat, and we ask that you bring your own tent and camping supplies if you have them. If you don’t own camping gear, are unable to transport it, or don’t have experience setting it up, please let us know in your registration. There are pre-built tent options available which we’ll offer based on need.

There will be optional movement and / or walking meditation every day. This is an opportunity to connect with the earth beneath your feet and the rhythmic pace of your breath as you traverse the surrounding landscape.

Delight your senses with nourishing and delicious vegetarian meals prepared mindfully. Explore the practice of mindful eating as a way to cultivate gratitude and awareness.

There will be a Dharma talk and time for questions. And please note that the retreat is held in “noble silence” in the tradition of Insight (Vipassana) meditation.

Work meditation allows participants to practice and to serve the community – our Sangha. Each participant will be asked to sign up and perform a daily ritual of either meal prep, clean-up, bathroom cleaning, bell ringing, or other shared needs. Participants will sign up for these work meditations (aka yogi jobs) during check in onsite. Noble silence will be expected during work meditations as well, except for absolutely necessary instructions.

RETREAT SITE
This retreat will reside at Shelterwood Collective, shown in the photos on this page. Check in is on Thursday, May 23rd at 3:00 PM PT. Registration includes 3 delicious vegetarian meals / day, starting with dinner on the 23rd and ending with breakfast on the 27th.

Shelterwood Collective is a Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ-led community forest and retreat center, which heals people and ecosystems through active stewardship and community engagement. This 900-acre forest and former church camp is nestled above the Russian River in Sonoma County, CA, on Unceded Kashaya and Southern Pomo territory. Renovations are underway for cabins and lodging, meanwhile the expansive grounds and riverside meadow are prime spaces for connecting with the outdoors.

During this late spring retreat, the weather and temperatures can vary. We may experience temperatures as low as 45° F and as high as 70° F. Please ensure to follow our packing list (sent one week before the start) so you may enjoy this nature based retreat comfortably and safely, regardless of the weather.

REGISTRATION DETAILS – WE ARE REQUIRING PARTICIPANTS TO REGISTER THROUGH OUT WEBSITE AT OFFGRIDRETREATS.ORG/EVENTS/MAY2024DHARMAOFNATURE.
After you register, Off-Grid Retreats will email you more detailed driving directions, a recommended packing list and more.

COVID Policy: Off-Grid Retreats takes COVID precautions seriously and will adhere to any state mandated requirements. Currently, no vaccination or testing requirements are needed for this retreat. But we reserve the right to change requirements, if the state’s mandated requirements change.