Hidden Villa Retreat Schedule
- Hidden Villa: Retreats will be held at Hidden Villa — located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains in Los Altos, Ca. Please visit their website for more details about their facility: Hidden Villa website
- Retreat Information:  Hidden Villa retreats will be like being at an outdoor camp. The terrain of Hidden Villa is more rugged than IRC. Rooms for residential retreats will be dormitory style.
- Deposit: A refundable deposit via credit card is required to reserve a space in the retreat. Your card will only be charged if: (1) you are accepted into the retreat and cancel after the cancellation deadline, (three weeks before the start of the retreat), or (2) you are accepted into the retreat and do not attend.
- For more information, contact the person whose email is provided in the individual retreat listing.
- Generosity: Our retreats are offered as part of a culture of generosity. We are all joining to put on a retreat. We are all volunteers and all offering what we can to put on a retreat.Cost: Our retreats are offered freely at no cost to anyone who participates. Most of the financial support comes from donations participants offer at the end of retreats. Their generosity is what allows others to participate in future retreats.
- Cost: Our retreats are offered freely at no cost to anyone who participates. Most of the financial support comes from donations participants offer at the end of retreats. Their generosity is what allows others to participate in future retreats.
3 day Weekend Non-Residential Retreat with Diana Clark and Tanya Wiser at Hidden Villa, Los Altos, CA (Map) .
October 25 to 27, 2024 - Hours: Friday check-in is from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm End time: Sunday 2:30 pm
Sat Oct 12, 7:00 - 8:00pm -- required pre-retreat meeting on Zoom
Fri Oct 25, 3:00pm - 8:00pm
Sat Oct 26, 8:00am - 8:00pm
Sun Oct 27, 8:00am - 2:30pm
Non-residential retreats provide a unique opportunity for intensive meditation practice, in-person with others, while also allowing one to stay in their own bedroom at night. For some, a non-residential retreat allows them to become familiar with residential retreats before signing up for one. For others, a non-residential retreat allows them to practice intensely, while also being available in the evenings for other responsibilities they may have. Whatever the reason for attending a non-residential retreat, it is a wonderful opportunity to deepen one’s practice and practice in-person with others.
This retreat, offered on a late Friday afternoon and evening, all day on Saturday and much of the day on Sunday, will provide a similar experience to a weekend residential retreat. The retreat, at Hidden Villa Dana Center, in Los Altos, CA, will be a silent mindfulness retreat with alternating sitting and walking meditation, instruction, dharma talks, work meditation, and practice discussions with the teachers. It will be oriented toward those who have less retreat experience, but is suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners.
This retreat is offered freely, in the spirit of generosity, at no cost to anyone who participates. We are entirely supported by a community of teachers, practitioners, volunteers and donors whose generosity is the foundation for our retreat offerings. With no paid staff, our retreats express the integration of practice, service, and goodwill of all who participate. Most of the financial support for these retreats comes from donations participants offer at the end of retreats. Their generosity is what allows others to participate in future retreats.
RETREAT FULL - APPLY ONLINE to be put on the WAITING LIST. - Login or Register for Carpooling
- Your application and $100 deposit must be received by 9/4/24 to be entered in the lottery. Applicants will be notified about 2 weeks later if they have been Accepted or are on the Waiting List. Subsequent applications will be added to the Waiting List. Your deposit will only be charged if you are accepted to the retreat and cancel after 10/1/24.
- Questions: Contact the Registrar: Fred, fred@insightretreatcenter.org
5 day Natural Awareness Retreat with Marjolein Janssen and Ari Crellin-Quick at Hidden Villa, Los Altos, CA.
January 7 to 11, 2025 - Hours: Tuesday check-in is from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm End time: Saturday 1:00 pm
Please join us for a 5-day silent retreat focusing on the cultivation of natural awareness, relaxation and skillful understanding of our moment-to-moment experience. This retreat will be offered in the teaching style of meditation master Sayadaw U Tejaniya, who emphasizes approaching meditation with relaxed interest and allowing experience to be known in a simple way as it unfolds naturally. There will be alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation. There will be daily instructions, reflections and group practice discussions, offered by the teachers.
Simple vegetarian meals will be provided. The accommodations include rustic yet cozy dormitory-style cabins, with the option to set up your own tent on a platform for those who prefer to camp. Full shared bathrooms are in a separate building. The property is set in a wooded area adjacent to a community garden and petting zoo, with nearby hiking trails. There is also the option to commute to this retreat; if you’d like to make use of this option, please indicate this on the registration form.
This retreat is offered freely, as a gift to those who attend—there is no cost. Donations by those who attend make it possible to pass this gift forward to others who attend IRC off-site retreats.
APPLY ONLINE - Registration opened August 13, 2024 - Login or Register for Carpooling
- Your application and $100 deposit must be received by 10/1/24 to be entered in the lottery. Applicants will be notified about 2 weeks later if they have been Accepted or are on the Waiting List. Subsequent applications will be added to the Waiting List. Your deposit will only be charged if you are accepted to the retreat and cancel after 12/2/24.
- Questions: Contact the Registrar: Sandra, sandra@insightretreatcenter.org