The Roots of Compassion: a 5-day Mindfulness & Compassion Practice Retreat
Join us for a 5-day mindfulness and compassion retreat in the style of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at a beautiful retreat site in Skagit Valley, Washington (roughly 90 minutes north of Seattle). The retreat will be a deep exploration of the roots of mindfulness and compassion practices, both experientially and through a series of talks on Buddhist teachings and connected ideas from philosophy, poetry, and the sciences.
Course details
This residential retreat will be held mostly in silence and will include a series of gently guided mindfulness practices including sitting meditation, walking meditation, gentle yoga, and the body scan, as well as compassion cultivation and loving kindness meditations.
This retreat will be highly relevant to students of mindfulness and compassion interested in deepening their practice and to teachers of mindfulness and compassion who would like to strengthen their background understanding of the Buddhist roots of contemporary programs like MBSR and MSC.
Simple accommodations (single occupancy in most cases) and all meals will be included.
Schedule
August 26 – 31, 2018:
Starts Sunday August 26th at 5pm
Closes Friday August 31st at 2pm
Prerequisites
Before practicing for nearly a full week we recommend that you have experience with mindfulness or related contemplative practices. The retreat is designed firstly for graduates of the intensive 8-week classes in Mindful Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and should also be fine for those who have tasted mindfulness or meditation in teacher-led classes, retreats, or meditation centers. Contact us if you have questions about whether this retreat will be appropriate for you.
Teacher Training and Development
This retreat meets requirements for training as a Mindful Self-Compassion teacher which requires a 5-day silent retreat before beginning Teacher Training (see the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion website for details).
Cost
$590 – $790 sliding scale fee (plus an additional $50 – $100 surcharge for some housing options).
Payment plans and scholarships are available.
Location
Samish Island Campground, 11565 Scott Road, Bow, WA, about 90 minutes north of Seattle and 2 hours south of Vancouver, BC.
It’s not exactly a campground – there are simple rustic cabins and motel-like “e-cabins” available. RV and tent camping is also available.
And it’s not really an island – you can drive there.
This beautiful campground maintained by the Community of Christ at the east end of Samish Island (accessible by road) offers stunning views, deep quiet and simple accommodations.
Round trip transportation from SeaTac Airport (Seattle) to the retreat site is available with our at-cost shuttle service.
Housing
Samish Island “Campground” does not require camping. There are two types of cabins: rustic cabins, which are simple, clean, well-maintained plywood cabins built in the 1950’s – they have heat, beds and share campground bathroom buildings; and e-cabins, which are modern motel-like buildings where every two units share a bathroom.
More details and photos are available on the registration page.
Join us for a 5-day mindfulness and compassion retreat in the style of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at a beautiful retreat site in Skagit Valley, Washington (roughly 90 minutes north of Seattle and 2 hours south of Vancouver, BC). The retreat will be a deep exploration of the roots of mindfulness and compassion practices, both experientially and through a series of talks on Buddhist teachings and connected ideas from philosophy, poetry, and the sciences.
