New Year’s Insight Retreat with Dave Smith & Cheryl Slean
We’ll gather again this year at the beautiful new Big Bear Retreat Center to cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves through gentle and sustained awareness of our breath, body, heart and mind. Each day will include periods of silent sitting and walking meditation, Dharma talks and interviews, and on New Year’s Eve, a special intention-setting ceremony. Supported by the peaceful forest setting we’ll develop a greater sense of care for ourselves and for our world through the revolutionary practices of the Dharma. This retreat is suitable for both beginning and experienced meditators.
What to expect: The structure of this 5-night Insight meditation retreat includes time for sitting meditation, walking meditation, rest, mindful eating, and Dharma talks along with some instruction and guidance, and short individual practice discussion meetings to support you within the container of a silent retreat. This helps us to deepen our connection to our direct moment to moment experience, cultivate continuity of mindfulness, and awaken the heart and mind for greater ease, balance, and clarity in daily life.
Retreat Dates: 5 nights, 6 days
Arrive 4:00pm Friday, December 27th, 2019
Depart 11:00am Wednesday, January 1st, 2020
Accommodations: Located just a 2.5 hour drive from Los Angeles, Big Bear Retreat Center is nestled in the ancient Juniper woodlands of the San Bernardino Mountains near the town of Big Bear, California. The tranquil property is immediately adjacent to the National Forest and offers access to roughly 1,300 acres of conserved lands.
The property consists of eleven separate buildings for dining, meditating, and sleeping. The single-story residence buildings include both single and double rooms. There is a mirror and a small clothes-hanging area in each room. Two bathrooms are located in each building.
Yogi Jobs: Participation in this retreat will involve a light working meditation to support the community experience. When you arrive you will be assigned a daily task to complete with mindful attention. Please let us know if you have any physical challenges that might impact your ability to perform certain tasks. Please also bring long pants, closed toe shoes, and a shirt that you can change into in the event you are assigned a yogi job in the kitchen.
Meals: All meals will be vegetarian with vegan and gluten-free alternatives when applicable.
Pricing: There is special funding allocated to People of Color (POC), Queer people, folks with serious medical conditions, and young adults (age 18-24). Funding is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Financial support is budgeted per class, retreat or event and because of high demand, can run out quickly. For more information, please contact: financialsupport@insightla.org
Donations or Dana: Please note that the price of the retreat covers accommodation, food, facilities, and other InsightLA expenses. To allow the teachers to continue their dharma work, support from the students is needed. There will be an opportunity to contribute at the end of the retreat to support the teachers.
Work Retreatant Opportunity: A work retreatant can attend the retreat for free in exchange for up to 5 hours of work a day and the rest of the time they can attend all activities of the retreat. If you are interested please email melissamckay@insightla.org. All of the work retreatant spots have been filled for this retreat!