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

Residential Retreats (Multi Day Retreat)

Awakening into the New Year: A Residential Retreat

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Dave Smith

Cheryl Slean

  • Location Big Bear Retreat Center
  • Experience Levels Experienced, Introductory
  • Date Starts Friday, December 27, 2019
    Ends Wednesday, January 1, 2020

    5 nights

Refund and Event Policies

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!

Dave Smith

For nearly 30 years, Dave Smith has held a practice rooted in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition. He was empowered to teach through the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, is a certified teacher for Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) which is combines contemporary emotion based scientific research with contemplative practices and psychology drawn from Buddhism.... Read more

Cheryl Slean

Cheryl Slean has practiced Insight meditation intensively since 1995, including hundreds of days of silent retreat. She was authorized to teach in 2007 and leads Dharma and meditation classes and retreats worldwide. In the secular mindfulness world, Cheryl has a Certification in Mindfulness Facilitation from UCLA and has taught at many health & wellness, addiction recovery and... Read more

Pricing Options
Shared Room (Base Cost) $550
Single Room (Base Cost) $950
Need Financial Support?

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

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