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)

The Womxn Gather: Finding Refuge in Our Collective Healing Wisdom

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Amana Brembry Johnson

Alisa Dennis, PhD

  • Location Big Bear Retreat Center
  • Experience Levels All
  • Date Starts Thursday, February 13, 2020
    Ends Monday, February 17, 2020

    4 nights

Refund and Event Policies

A retreat for self-identified Black Womxn of the African Diaspora 

Each and every one of us are powerful beyond measure.  As Black Womxn, there are many ways this truth becomes lost to our awareness. Social and cultural contempt of the feminine and violence towards the black body intersect to colonize our lives and thoughts, constraining access to our internal resources and collective freedom. Through silent and guided meditation, inner reflection, wisdom sharing, and embodiment practices, we will investigate with loving awareness, the ways in which we play into our own oppression.

Collectively we will examine and practice the wisdom of the Dharma to harness the power and strength of our intuitive healing wisdom. Through these practices, we will cultivate greater clarity of vision, emotional resilience, and skillful response as we face the uncertain worldly winds of life. In particular, we will attune to the Buddha’s prescription for purifying the heart through the practices of loving kindness and compassion as we deepening our understanding of the importance of reclaiming joy on our journey towards liberation.

Retreat Dates: 4 nights, 5 days

Arrive 4:00pm Thursday February 13th

Depart 11am Monday February 17th

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.

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.

Accessibility: The retreat center is located at an elevation of 7,000 ft. If you have questions about access at this retreat, please contact programs@insightla.org

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. 

Financial Support: There is special funding allocated to all People of Color (POC), Queer people and folks with disabilities as well as for those for whom the cost to attend is not financially possible. Funding is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. You’ll see the financial support options after clicking the register now button. Once you indicate the category of financial support, a sliding scale option will appear. 

Amana Brembry Johnson

Amana Brembry Johnson is currently a part of the Spirit Rock Teacher Training Program, and a graduate of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders Program. As a movement teacher, she guides an integrative style of contemplative movement that interweaves the wisdom of Dharma with yoga, Qigong, and other embodiment practices. As a spiritual mentor, Amana... Read more

Alisa Dennis, PhD

Alisa Dennis, Ph.D., discovered meditation through her study of metaphysics and ancient mystical traditions during the 1980s.  Since then, she’s trained in the Soto Zen tradition, MBSR, and most recently in the Theravada tradition.  Alisa completed Spirit Rock’s intensive 4-year teacher training program and is an authorized teacher in the Theravada lineage.  Alisa gravitated toward... Read more

Pricing Options
Shared Room (Base Cost) $440
Single Room (Base Cost) $760
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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