5-Day Silent Meditation Retreats

Our retreats are not appropriate for people new to meditation. There is some meditation guidance and teachings, however, we will not teach you how to meditate. If you are a beginner and want to learn silent meditation techniques we suggest signing up for the MBSR 8-Week Course.

Retreats will be hosted on Zoom. Zoom information will be sent to you prior to the retreat.

The format of our programs allow you to receive all the benefits of retreats without the need to travel to a center. You will get the benefits of meditation from the comfort of your own home.

Retreats run for either one day or five days. Five-day retreats start with an orientation session the night before. Participants will meditate as a group for most of each day. There will also be opportunities to talk with meditation instructors individually and in small groups. 

We will announce the next retreat to our mailing list when registration begins. Sign up for our mailing list below to be notified about our upcoming MBSR offerings. We offer several meditation retreats throughout the year.

We put a great deal of effort into packing incredible value into this program and our retreats. We stand behind our work and unconditionally guarantee your satisfaction with your purchase. If you’re not 100% satisfied simply email us up to the first day of the meditation retreat and we will give you a full refund.

Yes, the five-day retreats do. While this retreat does not authorize you to teach MBSR nor does it substitute for the MBSR 8-Week Course, it does fulfill the minimum retreat prerequisite to begin teacher training with Brown University, the Global Mindfulness Collaborative or UCSD. If you are intending to take the retreat for this purpose, attendance at all meditation sessions is essential.

Retreats offer safe space and time to cultivate and deepen a mindfulness meditation practice away from everyday distractions. Longer meditation periods also allow participants to develop their concentration and discipline. The meditation retreats can help relieve stress, improve your mental state, and center yourself with mindfulness. A retreat can be very helpful for restarting a regular meditation practice after a hiatus.

Most sitting meditations last about 30 minutes, followed by shorter periods of mindful movement. Participants will engage in many forms of mindful exercise, including sitting meditations, lying down meditations, mindful walking, mindful moving, and standing meditations. 

At the beginning of the retreat, most meditations will be guided by a meditation instructor. Guidance will lessen throughout the retreat. Some meditation periods will be done in silence. 

Yes, during small group sessions participants will be able to talk to instructors but not to other participants. 

Participants are encouraged to practice meditation in a position that works best for them, whether sitting in a chair, lying down on the floor, or standing. If you would like to discuss meditation accommodations, please contact us in advance of the retreat.

• Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing
• Blanket
• Meditation cushion or a straight-back chair
• Yoga mat

These resources will help you get the most from our meditation programs.

Please consider using healthy, well-sourced foods for meals throughout the day.

Yes. We do understand that you are doing the retreat from home and may occasionally have to break your silence. However, we ask that you coordinate with others in your household in advance to ensure you have the time and space necessary to practice and can remain silent for as much of the retreat as is possible. 

If you need to reach an instructor during the retreat, you can chat with them privately on Zoom. Instructors will not check their phones or email regularly during the retreat. 

We recommend you do not read, journal, or write during the retreat to enhance your meditation experience and get the most from the retreats. A day without external input is rare.

We ask that the only technology you use is the computer or tablet you connect with. Please do not use your phone, another device, or the device you connect with for any purpose outside of the retreat for those five days. It is good to take a break from technology. We recognize that the temptation is there, but please be present with your instructor and fellow participants throughout the retreat.

No. It is important to the meditation instructors, and to others in the retreat that you attend all the formal practice sessions and that you arrive at the scheduled times. If an emergency comes up, inform the instructors as soon as possible. If you know in advance that you will not be able to make it to the entire retreat, please wait and sign up at a later date.

We recommend not planning anything afterward and allowing yourself time to transition and reacclimate after your meditation retreat. This is because noise and too much social interaction can be overwhelming after spending time alone and in silence.

The retreat is trauma-sensitive and instructors have trauma-sensitive mindfulness training. If there is a specific concern or request that you would like to make please include it in the participant questionnaire during the registration process.

Mindful Leader courses and retreats are MBSR-Based and lead by MBSR instructors. Similar to MBSR, retreats are secular and adhere to research and evidence-based meditation practices. Little to no religious language will be used during the retreat.

We encourage you to invite others to join you at the retreat, whether it’s with your partner, friend or colleague! Each participant is required to purchase a separate ticket and it is best that each participant joins on their own device, to avoid confusion for the instructor. A good portion of the retreat will be silence and practice and with inner exploration. Therefore, a retreat participant would have to limit communication to the times designated by instructors, even with a partner or any friends that join. 

Yes, you can participate in our meditation retreats more than once! Many people participate in meditation retreats as a way to refresh their practice on a semi-regular basis, or as a way to keep in touch with their meditation practice after finishing an MBSR course. Others will use a meditation retreat as a way to re-commit themselves to mindfulness after a break or hiatus. Additionally, if you’ve completed a one-day retreat but would like a more intensive experience, a five-day meditation retreat can be a good next step. Those training to become MBSR facilitators are often required to complete multiple five-day meditation retreats as part of their programs. Coming back and participating in another retreat can also be a way to recharge after a stressful life event, or to prepare for challenges to come. 

Continued practice after the meditation retreat is ideal! If you’re looking for a place to drop in regularly for group meditation, sign up for Meditate Together, which hosts 30 - minute silent meditation and guided reflection sessions 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. Meditate Together is free, and has a thriving community of meditators and volunteers. If you’re looking to cultivate a regular mindfulness practice, consider taking the MBSR 8-Week Course with Mindful Leader. MBSR is a science based, inclusive, and highly effective program for those new to mindfulness and experienced meditators alike. Your retreat instructor will likely be leading an 8-Week MBSR Course soon. Of course, you can also take some time after the retreat to reflect on which practices you found the most effective. Try slotting each practice into its own time in your weekly calendar, to create a holistic meditation routine. During this time of reflection, it may be helpful to journal about how the retreat has affected you. You can then return to these journal entries to help you remember the retreat, it’s practices, and any feelings about it you may have had.