Spark of Freedom: A Silent Meditation Retreat (Residential)

Please check back for information about the opening of registration

Movement teacher: Matt Fritts

This is the RESIDENTIAL component of the retreat. If you’d like to register for the ONLINE component, please click here.

Dive into the deep waters of awareness this summer as we explore and recognize the nature of the heart/mind. This retreat focuses on the Mahamudra techniques of Vipashyana – practices designed to enhance our capacity to experience reality directly and completely, beyond the veils of misunderstanding and conceptuality that usually mediate our experience.

This retreat will include teachings, meditation sessions, group discussion and movement practices. We will learn what it means to examine the still mind and the moving mind to relax into the vast openness of our being, the space of present-moment awareness out of which all appearances arise and back into which they dissolve. Through the practice of Vipashyana, we put in place the conditions for a direct experience of the nature of mind – an experience of spacious, awake, compassionate, and loving responsiveness to the world of suffering around us.

Please join us to:

• Explore the nature of your own awareness
• Experience reality directly through the practice of Mahamudra
• Connect with fellow practitioners
• Benefit from the wise teachings of Lama Willa Blythe Baker and Lama Gursam

Throughout this retreat, we will emphasize how to integrate natural awareness meditation into ways of speaking, listening, moving and being that can help us to merge these practices with daily life. By joining primordial wisdom to our everyday activities, we can discover a bottomless source for resilience, effective action, and compassionate responsiveness to this troubled world.

Retreatants will have opportunities to share within a small discussion group throughout the time together. The voices and kind presence of multiple Margha Program Mitras will bring depth and variety to our evening meditation sessions.

Silent retreat is an opportunity to deepen meditation practice and be nurtured by nature on Wonderwell Mountain Refuge’s verdant campus, tucked in New Hampshire’s Upper Valley. Daily teachings, guided and silent meditation, delicious meals and supportive group discussions structure the day, while contemplative walks and resting in the surrounding fields and forest gently nourish your connection with the non-human world. 

Please Note: This retreat is open for all.  And for those participating in the Margha Program, this retreat is an essential part of the program.

Typical Retreat Schedule

(All times are Eastern time zone)

First Day — Hybrid evening session begins around 7:00 pm.

Full-Day Schedule — Morning meditation 7:00 am; Breakfast break 8:00-9:30 am; Lunch break 12:30-2:30 pm; Dinner break 6:00-7:30 pm.

Last Day — The closing session typically ends by 12:00 pm.

These times are just for reference. An expanded schedule will be provided in pre-retreat information emailed during the week prior to the event.

Important Health Information

The NDF Health Committee continues to monitor evolving public health conditions and trends, as we keep the safety of our Sangha at the forefront of our decision-making. At this time, COVID-19 testing is no longer required. Masks are optional and encouraged if you are at higher risk. We encourage you to stay at home if you are symptomatic to protect others.

Scholarships

Cancellation Policy

We understand that personal circumstances may require you to cancel your registration. In these cases, please contact us right away at register@naturaldharma.org. Cancellations affect our ability to offer rooms to others and create additional work for our staff, therefore we charge the following fees to help mitigate these costs.

For cancellations (based on program start date):

• > 45 days: 100% refund minus a $75 admin. fee.
• 31-45 days: 50% refund of the required deposit; or 75% refund if registration paid in full.
• 21-30 days: 50% refund of total registration cost
• < 21 days: nonrefundable

If you must cancel due to an emergency or extenuating circumstances, please contact us at register@naturaldharma.org.

Access to Recordings

NDF offers unlimited access to recordings, which are available in your user dashboard (more information about user accounts provided in a pre-retreat letter). If you have a user account, please register with the same email you use to log into your dashboard. If not, an account will be created for you using your registration address.

Availability will vary depending on the type of event and the backlog for our precious resource volunteers. Thank you for your patience.

Natural Dharma Fellowship Full Calendar