Jack and Tara want to ensure all students share the experience of an extended silent retreat grounded in vipassana (Insight meditation) practices. This silent form of retreat builds a depth of concentration and mindfulness that is uniquely powerful and transformative.
Choose one format:
- In-person: 5-day/4-night residential retreat at a meditation center
- Online: 5-day/4-night retreat
Important notes about retreat requirements:
- Must be held in silence (except during teaching sessions)
- Must be in the vipassana or Insight meditation tradition
- Does NOT include: Goenka retreats, MBSR/MBCT programs, Tibetan Buddhism retreats, Thich Nhat Hanh retreats, yoga retreats, or other contemplative traditions (while valuable, these don't meet the specific Insight meditation requirement)
Here's a list of retreat centers to get you started. Please check directly with each center for their current schedule and availability. Most centers offer sliding scale pricing and scholarships.
In-Person Retreat Centers
Spirit Rock Meditation Center (California)
- Website: https://www.spiritrock.org/calendar
Cloud Mountain Retreat Center (Washington)
- Website: https://cloudmountain.org/
Insight Retreat Center (IRC) (California)
Insight Meditation Society (IMS) (Massachusetts)
- Website: https://www.dharma.org/
Gaia House (United Kingdom)
- Website: https://gaiahouse.co.uk/
Southern Dharma Retreat Center (North Carolina)
- Website: https://southerndharma.org/
Vallecitos Mountain Refuge (New Mexico)
- Website: https://www.vallecitos.org/
Online Retreat Options
Gaia House Online
- Website: https://gaiahouse.co.uk/
Spirit Rock Online
- Website: https://www.spiritrock.org/calendar