Summer LovingKindness Retreat

The Summer LovingKindness Retreat is a nine-night silent meditation retreat at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. It is rooted in Theravada Buddhism and Insight Meditation, and it focuses on the four brahmavihāras: mettā (universal friendliness), karuṇā (compassion), muditā (altruistic joy) and upekkhā (equanimity). It suits beginner-to-intermediate practitioners who want a sustained period of silence devoted to cultivating the heart. The teaching team includes Tempel Smith, Anushka Fernandopulle, John Martin, bruni dávila and Pawan Bareja, with Marcy Reynolds as movement teacher.

What to Expect

The teachings present the brahmavihāras as a way to purify the heart and develop concentration (samādhi), supporting both inner peace and wise engagement with the world. The retreat looks at selfless love and its role in ending suffering.

Arrival is between 2:30 and 4:30 PM on the first day, followed by orientation, settling into your accommodation, opening instruction and the establishment of silence. The following days are built around sitting and walking meditation, with teacher-led instruction on each of the four brahmavihāras. Meals are taken in silence. Silence is maintained throughout except for small-group meetings and other practice meetings with teachers. Movement sessions, offered in Qigong, run alongside the seated practice. On the last day there is final instruction and integration, an opportunity to offer dana to the teachers, and departure at 11:00 AM.

Practitioners with enough retreat experience can combine this retreat with the Summer Insight Retreat that follows it, for one continuous 18-night training. The teachers describe the pairing as lovingkindness and concentration as a foundation, followed by insight practice (vipassanā) grounded in that settled, compassionate presence.

About the Teachers

Tempel Smith teaches Mindfulness, Insight and Metta meditation, with an emphasis on Buddhist psychology, neuroscience and mind-body awareness. He spent a year as a monk in Myanmar with Sayadaw U Pandita and Pa Auk Sayadaw. He serves on the Spirit Rock Guiding Teachers Committee, has led the Dedicated Practitioners Program, and frequently teaches one of the month-long retreats at Spirit Rock.

Anushka Fernandopulle has trained for over 35 years in the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Her teaching is informed by nature, the arts, political engagement and modern urban life. She also works as a leadership coach and organizational consultant, bringing mindfulness to the workplace.

John Martin has been devoted to Dharma practice since 2001 and is Co-Chair of the Spirit Rock Guiding Teachers Council. He teaches Vipassanā, Mettā and LGBTQI-themed retreats, and supports practitioners in bringing practice into daily life.

bruni dávila has practiced Insight Meditation and Zen since 1995. She teaches mettā and vipassanā retreats in English and Spanish, and was trained and empowered to teach by the Insight Meditation Society and IMC.

Pawan Bareja, PhD has practiced vipassanā since 2001 and is a Spirit Rock trained teacher. She is interested in helping students resolve stress and trauma through mindfulness, Buddhist psychology and neuroscience, and is the author of Reignite Your Power: Resolving Trauma Using Mindfulness.

Marcy Reynolds began studying Insight meditation in 1994 and has facilitated classes and retreats since 2003. She has taught Qigong since 1997, drawing on study with Chinese and American masters and emphasizing Dr. Bingkun Hu's teachings and Wild Goose (Dayan) Qigong.

The Setting

Spirit Rock is a residential meditation center on forested land in Woodacre, designed for extended silent practice. Sittings take place in the Upper Meditation Hall. Rooms are single or shared depending on the rate chosen, with a guaranteed single room at the highest rate. A commuter option is also offered, with a day resting area on campus, for those who have completed at least one five- to seven-night silent residential insight retreat.

Before You Go

No strict prerequisites are listed for the nine-night retreat, though Spirit Rock recommends that new meditators first complete two to three daylong programs. The 18-night combination requires completion of at least one silent residential insight retreat of nine nights or more; online retreats do not count. The retreat is offered in English and Spanish.

Included are nine nights of accommodation, all meals, instruction from the teaching team, small-group meetings and movement sessions. Transportation, personal supplies and medications are not included. Registration also does not cover teacher dana, which is offered at the end of the retreat. Because participants share close quarters, anyone who is ill is asked to stay home.