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7-Night Residential Retreat with Greg Scharf
November 12, 2023 @ 8:00 am – November 19, 2023 @ 11:00 am PST
Insight Meditation Retreat with Greg Scharf
GREG SCHARF, an Insight Meditation Society guiding teacher, has practiced with Western and Asian teachers in the Theravada tradition since 1992. He has been teaching residential retreats since 2007, including the annual Three-Month Retreat at IMS. Greg’s love of nature and the outdoors deeply informs both his practice and teaching.
Retreat Theme: Finding a True Refuge
In a world of change and unpredictability, in times that often feel chaotic and confusing, where do we look for ease and security? Often, in our search for a dependable refuge, we mistakenly turn to that which is essentially unreliable and unable to provide the stability we seek.
Insight (or Vipassana) meditation is the simple, direct observation of the mind/body process with relaxed, open and careful attention. As we connect with our experience from a place of spacious stillness and steadiness, we learn to meet the changing conditions we encounter with greater ease and balance of mind. As our understanding deepens, equanimity in the face of change grows, and we discover a refuge that is to a great extent independent of life’s changing conditions.
This retreat is open to beginners and experienced practitioners alike and will include meditation instruction, Dharma talks, practice meetings with the teacher, and optional mindful movement. A Meditation retreat is a rare opportunity to take time away from our usual activities for the express purpose of turning inward in order to deepen our understanding of what it actually means to be human. Time on retreat connects us with what we truly value in life and gives us the time & space to deepen our understanding of who & what we really are.
Registration (Closed)
This retreat accommodates 27 registrants. Beginning Saturday, September 9, this webpage will accept online registration payments. Before making any payment, click here to review the terms of use for this website.
The registration fee will be $900 with an opportunity to later make a donation to support the retreat teachers. The registration fee covers the costs of accommodations, meals, and administration. We encourage you to pay the full registration fee if your finances allow you to do so. If needed, contact the retreat registrar with your request to pay a 50% deposit.
Offer a Donation
Audio Recordings
For a limited time, talks and meditations recorded during the retreat are available to everyone that attended. To access the audio files, click here.
Scholarships
We encourage you to pay the full registration fee if your finances allow you to do so; however, in recognition of potentially challenging times, partial scholarships might be available if needed. To request a partial scholarship, pay a $225 deposit fee after registration opens and before September 30th. Then watch for a follow-up email from the retreat registrar. SIM has a limited number of partial scholarships available based on need. If the $225 deposit payment is currently not possible, contact the retreat registrar to apply for a scholarship with other options.
Scholarship Donations
If you’d like to contribute into the scholarship fund to help someone else be able to afford this special dharma opportunity, enter the amount you’d like to donate in the DONATE NOW box. Donating into the fund won’t register you for the retreat.
Cancellations
- Through September 30th, full refund if requested by this date if someone on the waiting list takes the reservation.
- On or after October 15th, 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 a request demonstrating financial hardship.
Schedule – Summary of Dates
- September 9 – Registration opens; online payments accepted.
- September 30 – Last day to request full refund (see cancellation policy listed above).
- September 30 – Last day to request a scholarship (see scholarship details listed above).
- October 15 – Last day to request refund of balance paid (see cancellation policy listed above).
- October 15 – Registration payment in full due.
- TBD – Registration closes, date to be announced.
- November 12 – The retreat begins (check-in starts at 3:30 PM).
- November 19 – The retreat ends (check-out at 11:00 AM).
COVID-19 Protocols
Our priority is to protect the wellbeing of everyone who attends the SIM Annual Retreat. The SIM Board will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and required and recommended safety measures from federal, State and local health agencies, and the Mercy Center, with consideration of our Sangha demographics.
At a minimum, we will require proof of vaccinations and boosters (if eligible) for COVID-19 at least two weeks before the retreat, along with proof of COVID rapid testing within 24 hours prior to attending and a second rapid test two days into the retreat (SIM will provide tests if needed).
Additional protocols will very likely include masking when indoors with others, and social distancing as space allows.
SIM will update the protocols to reflect the situation in the summer.
Questions for the Registrar?
If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.
