Concentration Retreat

The Concentration Retreat is a nine-night silent meditation retreat at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, devoted to samādhi, the steady unification of the mind. It is a Vipassana retreat in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, led by Tuere Sala, Tempel Smith, devon hase, Brian Lesage and Vance Pryor. It suits newer and experienced meditators alike who want to strengthen their ability to stay with a meditation object and bring that steadiness into Insight practice.

What to Expect

The Buddha named concentration as both a part of the Eightfold Path and a factor leading to awakening. This retreat treats it as a practical skill. The teachers offer techniques for building stability and focus over time, explore the qualities that support deep absorption (jhanas), and show how concentration can be woven into Insight (vipassanā) meditation.

Check-in is on the first day from 2:30 to 4:30 PM, followed by an orientation to the retreat guidelines and daily schedule, and evening instruction as the group settles into silence. The days that follow are given to sitting in the Upper Meditation Hall, teacher-led instruction on developing samādhi, Q&A sessions, small group meetings, meals in silence and scheduled rest. On the last day there is final instruction and reflection, an opportunity to offer dana to the teachers, and departure at 11:00 AM.

The retreat is silent except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups and other practice meetings. It can be combined with the Fall Insight Retreat for those who want to continue into a longer stretch of insight practice.

The Teachers

Tuere Sala is a Guiding Teacher at Seattle Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock. She has practiced Vipassana for over 30 years and has taught since 2010, helping people establish and maintain a daily practice.

Tempel Smith teaches Mindfulness, Insight and Metta meditation, with an emphasis on Buddhist psychology, neuroscience and mind-body awareness. He spent a year as a monk in Myanmar with Sayadaw U Pandita and Pa Auk Sayadaw. He serves on the Spirit Rock Guiding Teachers Committee, has led the Dedicated Practitioners Program, and has led pilgrimages to India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. He has trained in Somatic Experiencing, the Dynamic Neural Retraining System and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.

devon hase has practiced in the Insight and Vajrayana traditions since discovering meditation in 2000, and has spent about four years in silent practice in total. She spent a decade bringing mindfulness to high school and college classrooms and now teaches at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock and the Forest Refuge. Her style is friendly and conversational, with an emphasis on relational practice and the natural world. She co-authored How Not to Be a Hot Mess: A Buddhist Survival Guide for Modern Life.

Brian Lesage has practiced Buddhist meditation since 1988 and taught since 2000. He was ordained in the Rinzai Zen tradition in 1996 and has studied in Zen, Theravāda and Tibetan schools. His vipassanā training includes extended retreats in Myanmar, Nepal and India, and he completed the SRMC/IMS/IRC teacher training in 2016. He also keeps a private Somatic Experiencing practice.

Vance Pryor, PsyD has practiced insight meditation since 1999 in the United States and Myanmar, influenced by the teachings of Sayadaw U Pandita and Sayadaw U Tejaniya. He graduated from the Insight Meditation Society's 2017-2021 Teacher Training Program.

The Setting

The retreat is held at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, and meetings take place in the Upper Meditation Hall. Of the 80 rooms on site, 16 are double occupancy and the rest are single. Single rooms are first prioritized for people with serious medical needs. All meals are provided.

Retreat commuters take part in everything and eat on campus but arrange their own overnight lodging, with a shared daytime resting area provided.

Before You Go

The level is intermediate, and both newer and experienced meditators are welcome. First-time meditators are encouraged to attend two or three daylong programs before a longer retreat. Commuters must have completed at least one five to seven-night silent Insight residential retreat. The retreat is taught in English.

Registration includes nine nights of accommodation, all meals, teacher instruction, Q&A, and small group and individual meetings with teachers. Teacher dana, transportation to Spirit Rock and personal supplies are not included. Dana is a voluntary offering made at the close of the retreat.

Spirit Rock asks anyone who is sick to stay home, since participants live closely together in shared spaces. Masks are optional.