Sacramento Insight Meditation (SIM)
14th Annual Residential Retreat
Residential retreat is widely viewed in the Theravada tradition as an important, if not essential, component in the path towards awakening. Residential meditation practice provides an environment that helps us turn inward towards a way of being where we live and act from a place of stillness, satisfaction, and kindness. This retreat is designed to deepen practice skills and foster insights into the stages of awakening and their implications for daily life.
It is rare for a community sangha to sponsor a regular residential retreat. When we practice together in a residential setting, the power of our individual efforts joins together into a powerful force of deepen your own practice and to deepen our connections as a community. People of all walks of life are warmly welcome.
While this retreat is appropriate for both more and less experienced meditators, we encourage you to consider the following questions before registering:
- Do you have a regular practice?
- Do you have a home sangha or group that you sit with?
- Have you sat at a residential retreat before?
If you have questions about whether this retreat is appropriate for you, please contact SIM’s event manager at reg-ret-reg@sactoinsight.org.
Our retreat teachers this year will be Kamala Masters and Vance Pryor.
Kamala Masters began practicing meditation in the mid-seventies attending retreats in the Theravada tradition. In 1977 she met Anagarika Munindra, her first teacher, who taught her the value of being mindful in everyday life. In 1985, she began to practice vipassana and metta meditations intensively with Sayadaw U Pandita with whom she temporarily ordained as a Buddhist nun in 2001 and 2003.
In 2005, she began practicing cittanupassana, contemplation of mind, with Sayadaw U Tejaniya. She integrates this teaching with what she has learned from her other respected teachers.
Since the early nineties, Kamala has been teaching in the United States and abroad, and is a Guiding Teacher and member of the Board of Directors at the Insight Meditation Society. In 1995 she co-founded Vipassana Metta Foundation with Steve Armstrong, developing the Maui Dhamma Sanctuary for self-reliant students to practice. She served as an editor on the Vipassana Metta Foundation Translation Committee for Mahasi Sayadaw’s Manual of Insight, published by Wisdom Publications in 2016.
Kamala strives for extended periods of self-retreat each year. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve and to grow in the Dhamma.
Vance Pryor, PsyD, began insight meditation in 1998. He has been deeply influenced by the teachings of Sayadaw U Pandita and Sayadaw U Tejaniya. His training to become a teacher has been supported by the mentorship of Steve Armstrong and Kamala Masters. He is currently participating in Insight Meditation Society’s 2017-2021 Teacher Training Program.
Cost
We’ve worked very hard to keep cost down, so registration fees are the same as last year. You can select from two different registration fee levels: Regular: $700.00, Donor Level: $775.00
Both levels cover the costs of accommodations, meals and administration. Donor level registration reduces overall retreat costs and supports scholarship assistance for participants facing special financial demands. Payment in full is due by June 30.
At the event you’ll also have the opportunity to make donations to help support the retreat teachers and cooks. For donations on location we accept cash or checks. To donate online by credit card or your PayPal account, click here.
Registration
Note: This retreat is full however there’s a good chance you may still be able to attend since people’s plans change and there will likely be some cancellations. Proceed with the registration process to add your name to the wait list. As soon as a spot is open, we’ll notify you. And if you don’t get into the retreat, we’ll refund your deposit. Expect us to contact you on or before Friday, May 31, 2019 with an update about your wait list status.
Before registering to this event, click here to review the terms of use for this website. You may pay online or by check as follows:
Online Registration
Payments online will automatically add your name to the registration or wait list. If you’re paying for more than one person, SIM will confirm everyone’s name and email address at a later date.
Use the “TICKETS” section at the bottom of this page. It’s not necessary to Log in before purchasing and you won’t need to print the ticket on paper. On the left side, specify the number of people you are registering to this retreat. On the right side, click the button “Buy now” and you’ll be automatically directed to a secure web-page where your registration payment can be made by credit card as a guest (no PayPal account required) or payment can be made by PayPal after you sign-in to your PayPal account if you have one.
Postal Registration
- Add your name to the registration wait list. Contact the retreat registrar and indicate your plan to send payment by mail.
- Send a check payable to “SIM”. Mark “Retreat 2019” for the check memo. Mail the check to Sacramento Insight Meditation, C/O Sacramento Dharma Center Building, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, California, 95826.
Scholarships
A limited number of partial or full scholarships are available based on need. Contact the retreat registrar for an application which is due June 15.
Cancellations
- Through May 24th, full refund if requested by this date.
- May 25th through June 30th, deposit will be retained by SIM; balance paid is refundable.
- On or after July 1, deposit will be retained by SIM. Balance may be refundable if the spot is filled by a wait listed person. Otherwise, the balance will not be refunded. A waiver of this policy will be considered in limited circumstances based on request demonstrating financial hardship.
Questions for the Registrar?
If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.