Daylong Retreat with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren

For biographical details of the teacher Dennis Warren, click here.

Retreat Theme

LOVE
This one day that will explore the nature of Love that is individual and possessive vs that which is plural and non-attached. We’ll examine different viewpoints within Buddhism, as well as other spiritual systems. While the difference between these two types of love may initially seem clear, the actual experience and expressions of Love — when it is freed from craving, clinging and identification — are diverse, rich, and inspiring.

Before his passing, the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh gifted us with a beautiful and insightful little book entitled “How To Love.” In its pages, he offers a direct and heartfelt exploration of what it truly means to love—ourselves, one another, all beings, the natural world, and the Dharma itself. True to its title, he gently shows us how to practice this love in our daily lives.
While Thich Nhat Hanh lived and practiced within the Mahayana Zen tradition, the wisdom in this book resonates deeply with the psychology, teachings, and methods of the Historical Buddha in our Theravadan/Vipassana approach to Buddhism.

Join us for an exploration of:

• What does Love mean from a Buddhist perspective?
• How does it differ from our conventional understanding of love?
• How can this particular approach to Love enrich our lives?
• What are specific, practical ways we can integrate this form of Love into our daily lives and relationships?

Important Note: Reading and becoming familiar with the teachings in “How To Love” before the retreat will help you get the most out of our time together.
During this one day, we’ll have at least one period of mindful movement, so please bring your yoga mat. The session will be led by Sandra (Sam) Halford, a member of our community who is both a therapist and a trauma-sensitive certified yoga instructor.
Plan to stay with us on site for the entire day, and please bring a lunch to enjoy during our midday break. We warmly welcome you to join us in person on Saturday, December 29th for this exploration of Love. We look forward to practicing together!

About This Onsite Retreat

• The teacher will present in-person at the Sacramento Dharma Center. All participants will attend in-person as the retreat will not be available via Zoom.
• Pre-registration is required and we recommend you pay the registration fee in advance using the registration button shown below. Since your registration choice indicates that you’ll be attending in-person, registering early helps us determine how many people the meditation room should accommodate.
• After you’ve registered you may later offer a donation in gratitude of the teacher. To offer teacher dana, visit https://sactoinsight.org/retreat-dana-online/.

Summary of Important Dates

• 11/22/2025 – Registration opens.
• 12/27/2025 – Attend and enjoy the wonderful retreat.
• 12/27/2025 – For registration after the retreat, send a message to the registrar to arrange payment.

Registration

Select the Register Now button to indicate you’ll be attending in-person. The fee is $25.00 per person due before the start of the event. If you are able and interested in further supporting SIM financially, you have the option of a registration fee of either $35 or $50 dollars. For the registration fee, we also accept personal checks. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information.
Before registering for this event, please click here to review SIM’s Registration Refund Policy.

After we receive your registration payment, SIM will confirm your registration within 48 hours. Thanks for your patience.

Questions for the Registrar?

If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.

Teacher Dana

Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha. To make a donation for this event using a credit card or PayPal account, click here to DONATE ONLINE.