Concentration, Jhana, and Breath: a 9-night Meditation Retreat in Northern California
led by Shaila Catherine

Tuesday, May 3, 2022 – Thursday, May 12, 2022.
Registration will end at 12:00 noon (Pacific Time) on Friday, April 22.

NOTE: Vaccination against COVID-19 is required to attend this retreat. 

The retreat begins with registration from 2:00 – 3:30 pm on Tuesday, May 3. The retreat ends at 11:30 am on Thursday, May 12. Early arrivals can be arranged for Monday, May 2.

Partial attendance is possible in some cases, 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. Meetings with the teacher in small groups and one-on-one dialogs 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 inconjunction 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. 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 the first half of Focused and Fearless by Shaila Catherine, and the Anapanasati 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 in non-pandemic years, and considerably less when COVID restrictions are required) 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, an unheated pool and heated hot tub that may be used in silence.

TO REGISTER:

Please use the online form at the link below to submit your registration and waiver forms.

• Link to Registration Form

This form will take approximately 20 minutes to fill out. Upon completion of the form you will receive an email with details for completing your payment. You have the option of paying the non-refundable deposit of $250 or the full retreat payment either by mailing a check to the registrar or by making a Zelle bank transfer. The address and account information for making this payment will be included in the registration confirmation email.

REQUIREMENTS: The 9-night retreat is designed for experienced students who are fully vaccinated to protect against COVID-19. 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.

If you wish to request an exception to the vaccination requirement, contact the registrar. If extreme circumstances prohibit vaccination, we will consider admitting a maximum of 2 unvaccinated participants who agree to strictly isolate for 14 days prior to the retreat, can travel safely to the retreat, and test negative for COVID-19 in the 3 days prior to the retreat.

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

There are a variety of accommodations in cabins, lodges, and bunk rooms that include single, double, triple, and quad occupancy. RV with hook up, car camping, tenting, and two unheated wooden screened huts are also available. If you have a nice tent, waterproof tarp, and comfortable futon or sleeping pad then camping can be a delightful option at this retreat center.

Please note that this will be a non-smoking retreat.
We offer a nut-free meal plan to support those with severe nut allergies.

COST: Registration fees cover 9 nights and include administration, accommodation and meals costs. There will be an opportunity to offer a donation to the teacher at the end of retreat.

Due to precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we will not be assigning double occupancy rooms, except for occasions when friends or couples register together. To provide single rooms we must leave the majority of beds unoccupied and run a very small retreat. Therefore, most participants will need to select the single room option and a rate along the single room sliding scale.

• Single occupancy sliding scale: $2800 – $1900 (estimated actual cost is $2300)
• Camping or double occupancy sliding scale for friends or couples sharing a room: $1900 – $1400 (estimated actual cost is $1650)

The estimated actual costs represent the amounts that we would have charged to cover the cost of accommodations, food, and basic administrative expenses if we had used a fixed rate instead of a sliding scale.

Selecting an amount above the estimated actual cost will support the retreat and enable those who need to select a lower rate to attend the retreat. Selecting an amount below the estimated actual cost self-selects a supported scholarship rate. This sliding scale will allow most scholarship needs to be managed by self-selecting an amount lower than the estimated actual costs. Inquire with the registrar if you need additional scholarship support to attend.

MONASTIC SCHOLARSHIPS: A few monastic scholarships are available for this retreat. These scholarships provide either partial or full scholarships for ordained practitioners who do not have personal funds to pay retreat fees. To apply for a monastic scholarship, please fill out the usual registration form at the above link. Include a note to the registrar requesting a monastic scholarship. Indicate whether you need a full scholarship, or if you are able to contribute a portion of the fees. Suggest the amount that would be comfortable for you to contribute. Monastics are responsible for their own transportation costs. The scholarship grant covers room and board for the duration of the retreat. Apply early—monastic scholarship requests must be received at least 2 months prior to the start of the retreat.

PARTIAL RETREAT OPTIONS: Registration options for partial retreat attendance are below. Priority will be given to students who are registering for the full 9-nights course. Applicants for partial attendance will be placed on a wait list which will be reviewed approximately 2 months prior to the retreat and confirmed if space is available. To apply for partial attendance, you must submit the registration application and deposit.

Partial Attendance Rates:

• 3 nights (Tuesday–Friday) – Camping or doubles attending together $720; Singles $990.
• 4 nights (Tuesday–Saturday) – Camping or doubles attending together $940; Single $1300.
• 5 nights (Tuesday–Sunday) – Camping or doubles attending together $1150; Single $1600.
• 6 nights (Tuesday–Monday) – Camping or doubles attending together $1350; Single $1890.
• 7-8 nights uses the sliding scale for the full retreat: Camping or doubles attending together $1900 – $1400; Single $2800 – $1900.

WORK STUDY POSITIONS: Two or three people may register for a work-study retreat. These service roles have a registration fee of $800 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 Monday May 2 to help set up the retreat. Inquire with the registrar for more information about service roles.

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

QUESTIONS?: Retreat registrar, Jennifer Johnson at meditation3bodhicourses

Co-sponsored by Bodhi Retreats and Insight Meditation South Bay