Concentration, Jhana, and Breath: a 10-day Meditation Retreat in Northern California
led by Shaila Catherine

Note: This retreat is now full. Registration is closed. Please consider registering for our October retreat in North Carolina, which will be on the same theme. Or see Shaila’s Retreat Schedule for other retreat opportunities. 

Monday, May 6, 2019 – Thursday, May 16, 2019.

The retreat begins with registration from 2:00 – 3:30 pm on Monday, May 6. The retreat ends at 11:00 am on Thursday, May 16. Early arrivals can be arranged for Sunday, May 5 anytime after 2pm.

Partial attendance can be arranged, but it must begin on the first day of the retreat, and priority will be given to those registering for the full retreat.

This retreat will utilize the breath as the primary meditation object and will encourage the development of meditative skills that lead to deep concentration (samadhi) and insight (vipassana). Daily group instructions will focus on the sixteen steps in the Anapanasati Sutta as a route to jhana and/or liberating insight. One-to-one guidance will tailor the practices to meet the needs and interests of individual students. Some students may choose to emphasize concentration practice throughout the retreat; others may emphasize vipassana; and some may practice both concentration and insight in-conjunction with mindfulness of breathing. 

This retreat offers a special opportunity to train in concentration and jhana practices with personal guidance from Shaila Catherine. It is one of the very few retreats each year in which Shaila systematically guides students to establish jhana by working step-by-step with the Anapanasati Sutta. Students who wish to embark on this training in concentration and jhana should read her book Focused and Fearless prior to the retreat. See our Concentration and Jhana FAQ page for more information about developing concentration and the absorption states of jhana.

This silent retreat is structured with alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, dhamma teachings, and teacher consultations.

Prior to the retreat, please read Focused and Fearless by Shaila Catherine, and the Ananpanasati Sutta. You may download the sutta at: https://suttacentral.net/mn118/en/bodhi

Register early! Space is limited.
We keep this retreat small (under 40 participants) to enable in-depth guidance from Shaila. We have exclusive use of the retreat center for the duration of our program. Nestled in a quiet valley in Lake County of Northern California, it offers a powerful and intimate environment for deep meditation practice. You will enjoy the benefits of natural beauty, a spacious meditation hall, access to walking trails, and a pool and hot tub that may be used in silence.

TO REGISTER:

Note: This retreat is now full. Registration is closed. Please consider registering for our October retreat in North Carolina, which will be on the same theme. Or see Shaila’s Retreat Schedule for other retreat opportunities. 

Download and complete the SS2019 registration and waiver forms, enclose a non-refundable deposit of $250 (payable to Bodhi-Retreats), and return via email and/or postal mail to the address below. We are not currently accepting credit card transactions, so please send your registration deposit and fees via check or money order made payable to Bodhi Retreats. If this is not possible for some of our international guests, please contact the registrar for alternative payment arrangements.

Janet Taylor
626 East Peace Drive
Grand Junction, CO 81504

awake

Please complete either the Standard-Printable or Form-Fillable form, and also the Waiver of Liability.
Important: If you use the form-fillable version, download the form to your computer first. Then fill out the form. After completing the form, select to print it, and in the print options select to save the form as a PDF file. Then mail or email the PDF to the registrar.

• SS2019_Registration_Form-Fillable_Form
• SS2019_Registration_Standard-Printable_Form
• Waiver-of-Liability-SS2019

Requirements: The 10-day retreat is designed for experienced students. Previous retreat experience in the insight meditation tradition is required, with a minimum of at least one week-long silent residential retreat. If you have less than one week-long silent retreat experience, your attendance requires approval from the teacher.

ACCOMMODATIONS: The retreat facility is somewhat handicapped accessible. If you have mobility limitations, please contact the registrar for details.

Please note that this will be a non-smoking retreat.

There are a variety of accommodations in cabins, lodges, and bunk rooms that include single, double, triple, and quad occupancy. RV camping, tenting, and two unheated wooden screened cabins are also available. If you request a single room, please explain why you need it. To increase the number of singles that we can offer we will need to leave beds unoccupied; therefore, if you request single accommodations without a medical need, and if you are financially able, please choose a registration fee amount that is on the upper end of the sliding scale (above $1700).

COST: 10 nights (includes accommodation and meals) is $2250 – $1150 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers at the end of retreat. The estimated actual per-person cost for this retreat (if we used a fixed rate) is $1700. By selecting an amount above $1700, your generosity supports those who need to select a lower rate to attend the retreat. This sliding scale will allow most scholarship needs to be managed by self-selecting an amount lower than $1700.

Partial retreat option registration fees are below. Priority will be given to students who are registering for the full 10-days course.

• 3 nights (Monday–Thursday) is $900 – $550 sliding scale
• 4 nights (Monday–Friday) is $1100 – $675 sliding scale
• 5 nights (Monday–Saturday) is $1300 – $800 sliding scale
• 6 nights (Monday–Sunday) is $1500 – $950 sliding scale

In addition, two or three people may register for a work-study retreat. These service roles have a registration fee of $700 and involve 3-4 hours of work per day (mostly kitchen work, grocery shopping in advance of the retreat, managing yogi jobs). Work-study arrival should be on Sunday May 5 to help set up the retreat. Inquire with the registrar for more information about these service roles.

DANA: Compensation for the teacher is not included in the registration price. There will be an opportunity to offer donations to the teachers at the end of the retreat.

Co-sponsored by Bodhi-Retreats and Insight Meditation South Bay