Young Adult Insight Meditation Retreat

The Young Adult Insight Meditation Retreat is a four-night silent meditation retreat for people ages 18 to 32, held at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. It is taught in the Theravada and Vipassana (insight meditation) tradition by Matthew Brensilver, Cara Lai, Vinny Ferraro, movement teacher Hakim Tafari and teacher in training Fernmarie Rodriguez. The aim is to step away from constant stimulation and outside demands, and to practice among kind, sincere peers.

What to Expect

People arrive in the afternoon, between 2:30 and 4:30, for orientation, room assignments, an opening sitting and an introduction to the Dharma. The middle days follow a steady rhythm of sitting periods in the morning, midday and evening, with walking meditation between them. The teaching includes guided heart meditations, gentle movement and yoga, and evening Dharma talks. Each person also has practice meetings with the teachers. The intention is to extend the practices until the whole day becomes one of continuous, steady awareness.

The retreat is fully silent. Silence is set aside only for teacher-led Q&A, small groups and practice meetings. Electronic devices are turned off and put away on arrival. The retreat closes on Friday with a final group sitting, a closing Dharma talk and an opportunity to offer dana to the teachers. Departure is at 11:00 AM.

Your Teachers

Matthew Brensilver, PhD teaches at the Insight Retreat Center, Spirit Rock and Insight Meditation Society. Before teaching meditation full-time, he spent years researching addiction pharmacotherapy at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine, and he remains interested in the dialogue between Buddhism and science.

Cara Lai has dedicated her life to awakening, for herself and others. A working mom, she is known for teaching that is relatable, authentic, funny, sometimes crass, and accessible to many kinds of people.

Vinny Ferraro has practiced Insight Meditation (Vipassana) for decades, and has been Guiding Teacher of the Big Heart City Sangha in San Francisco for 20 years. He was trained and empowered by Spirit Rock and IMS.

Hakim Tafari leads the movement practice. Originally from the U.K. and now living in Los Angeles, he is a runner, a meditator and a martial arts student, and is especially devoted to Tai Chi Quan, which he has studied and taught for over 20 years.

Fernmarie Rodriguez is a teacher in training. She holds degrees in Physics, Mechanical Engineering and Human-Centered Design, and worked for 15 years at Microsoft, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and NASA. She then turned toward the "inner universe," taking a global pilgrimage where she learned meditation and heart-opening healing practices.

The Setting

Spirit Rock Meditation Center is a retreat center in Woodacre, California. Meals are prepared on site and are included. Rooms are mostly single occupancy, and only 16 of the 80 rooms are doubles. A limited number of guaranteed single rooms come with the higher sliding-scale rates, and the remaining singles are first prioritized for people with serious medical needs. A commuter option, with no overnight stay, may open once the retreat is full and has a waitlist.

Before You Go

The retreat is open to young adults with some meditation experience. Spirit Rock suggests two or three daylong programs first. Prior silent retreat experience is not required for residential participants. Commuters must have completed at least one week-long silent residential Vipassana retreat. Teaching is in English.

Teacher dana is not included in the registration fee, and it is offered at the end of the retreat. Transportation, personal care items and toiletries are your own responsibility, and alcohol and recreational substances are not part of the retreat. Spirit Rock offers sliding-scale rates, needs-based scholarships and payment plans, so the retreat can be reached by people in a range of financial circumstances.