Financial Support

Our mission is to make all of our programs accessible. Every fee-based offering has a limited number of pay-what-you-can spots available to support self-identified people of color, members of marginalized groups (queer people, transgender people, and  people with disabilities) and those in financial need (those for whom the cost to attend is not financially possible). 

These spots are offered on a first come, first served basis. Please pay at the highest level you can afford. In order for this support to be available, we rely on those who can afford to pay the full price to do so.

Find out if spots are available by clicking REGISTER NOW on the event you are interested in.

Safety 

We work to protect the safety of all students. We reserve the right to remove any student from any class, sitting group, retreat, or any event if the student is disruptive to the safe learning environment we maintain for all.

Cancellation & Refunds

We reserve the right to cancel a class or special event due to low enrollment or other circumstances which would make the event non-viable. If InsightLA cancels an event you’ve registered for, you will be offered a full refund. If an event has to be postponed for any reason, you will have the option to either receive a full refund or transfer your registration to the same event at the new, future date. If you cancel, we apply a 5% credit processing fee and the refunded amounts are listed below:

MBSR, MSC, & MBHC, Mindfulness for Beginners & Special Events

7 days – 95% Refund
<7 days – No Refunds – Credit given if requested or donation to InsightLA

Fee-Based Non-Residential Retreats (note: Donations are non-refundable)

>7 days – 95% Refund
<7 days – No Refunds – Credit given if requested or donation to InsightLA

Residential Retreats

> 8 weeks – amount paid less $100
4-8 weeks – amount paid less $175
2-4 weeks – amount paid less $300
< 2 weeks – No refund

Residential Retreats with Financial Support:

> 8 weeks – amount paid less $75
4-8 weeks – amount paid less $100
2-4 weeks – amount paid less $200
< 2 weeks – No refund

You are viewing a past event.

Donate

Refund and Event Policies

This registration page is for Sunday only – to sign up for Saturday, click here. To sign up for both dates, click here

Concentration is one of the 5 strengths of Buddhist practice (along with faith, energy, mindfulness and wisdom).  Our minds aren’t naturally concentrated.  It takes intention and practice to develop concentration as a habit of mind.  Doing so brings great benefit to our efforts in the world:  when the attention is not scattered our work is more effective, we compete better, our creative capacity broadens and deepens, we listen better and feel more serene in our life.  

Concentration also brings benefits to our spiritual development.  When the mind is concentrated, the negativity of the mind is held at bay–making us serene, tranquil, joyful, and able to see more clearly.  When the mind is concentrated, it is quiet, clear and luminous and can lead to blissful states of consciousness.  

In this retreat we will work on developing concentration, tranquility, joy, and bliss and learn about the 40 different concentration objects that the Buddha taught.

Schedule PT:
Sunday:
9am Welcome/ Opening meditation
10am Walking meditation
11am Sitting meditation
12pm Lunch/ home duties
2pm Sitting meditation
3pm Walking meditation
4pm Dharma Talk.
5pm optional continued practice for the evening

In keeping with the principles of the dharma that underlies all of our activities, primarily non-harming, we are requiring that all attendees be fully vaccinated in order to attend any in-person event. Please read the Benedict Canyon location page for notes on parking (there is limited parking and carpooling is strongly encouraged – click Signup to the left). 
Max Capacity: 35
Masks: Optional (all attendees are fully vaccinated). We will mostly be outdoors.

Melissa McKay Teacher

Melissa began her path of meditation in 1998 with a small group of dedicated practitioners in Oakland, CA with her beloved, though not known, teacher named Barbara Janus who introduced her to the teachings of Sayadaw U Pandita of Burma. Her first retreat was with Sayadaw U Pandita and the profound changes she saw in... Read more

Pricing Options
1 Day (Sun) $80

Financial Support

Our mission is to make all of our programs accessible. Every fee-based offering has a limited number of pay-what-you-can spots available to support members of marginalized groups (people of color, queer people, people with disabilities) and those in financial need (those for whom the cost to attend is not financially possible).

These spots are offered on a first come, first served basis. Please pay at the highest level you can afford. In order for this support to be available, we rely on those who can afford to pay the full price to do so.

Register Now

Thanks for stopping by!

Sign up for our newsletter to hear about new events and we’ll send you a FREE GIFT “Guided Meditations to Steady the Heart” by Trudy Goodman and Jack Kornfield

Sign-Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe