Offsite Retreats

5 day Insight Meditation Retreat with Diana Clark, Kim Allen, David Lorey, and Ying Chen at Hidden Villa Retreat Center Los Altos Hills, CA
October 25 to 29, 2026  -  Hours: Sunday check-in is from 1:00 pm (PT) to 3:00 pm (PT)  End time: Thursday 11:30 am (PT)

A silent Insight meditation retreat with a daily schedule of alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, instruction, dharma talks, work meditation, and practice discussions with teachers. Suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners. (This is the same retreat on Hidden Villa page.)

APPLY ONLINE - Registration opened July 1, 2026

Login or Register for Carpooling

• Your application and $200 deposit must be received by 1/1/70 to be entered in the lottery. Applicants will be notified about 3 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 10/4/26.
• Questions: Contact the Registrar: Yanli,   yanli@insightretreatcenter.org

1 day Joy, Tranquility and Peace on the Buddhist Path with Matthew Brensilver (in Berkeley!)
January 9, 2027  -  Hours: Saturday check-in is from 9:45 am (PT) to 10:00 am (PT)  End time: Saturday 4:00 pm (PT)

During this daylong retreat – although it will be difficult for him – Matthew is actually going to stop talking about suffering. Instead, we’ll explore the ways in which joy and peace are both the path and the fruit of Buddhist practice. During our time in silence and reflection, we’ll emphasize the cultivation of light-hearted playfulness and the joy left in the wake of laying down our burdens.

The day will include guided and silent sitting meditation, walking meditation, a dharma talk, and an opportunity to ask questions of the teacher. All are welcome.

Location: 1924 Cedar St., Berkeley, CA - Fellowship Hall at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists

Deposit ($30) will NOT be charged unless you do not attend (while being accepted to the retreat) and do not cancel before the cancellation deadline 12.19.2026.

Lunch: Please bring lunch; alternatively, there are many restaurants two blocks away.

Sitting Gear: There will be chairs at the venue. If you would like to sit on the floor, or need more sitting gears to sit in a chair, please bring your own sitting gears with you.

Accessibility & Scent-Free Space: The space we are renting has a wheelchair-accessible ramp. To support participants with chemical sensitivities and health needs, we kindly ask that you come scent-free. Please avoid wearing perfumes, colognes, essential oils, or any scented personal care products. Thank you for your care and consideration..

IRC is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible meditation space. For offsite retreats, we rent other venues and may have limited control over all accessibility features; we ask for your understanding and forgiveness. If you have access needs or questions about accessibility, please feel free to contact us in advance. We will do our best to accommodate.

Note: There is NO lottery for this daylong retreat. Please ignore any automated emails that mention lotteries.

APPLY ONLINE - Registration opened October 26, 2026 - Login or Register for Carpooling

4 day Non-Residential Insight Retreat with Diana Clark, Kim Allen, David Lorey, and Ying Chen at Los Altos Community Center, Sequoia Room.
January 15 to 18, 2027  -  Hours: Friday check-in is from 8:00 am (PT) to 8:10 am (PT)  End time: Monday 5:00 pm (PT)

This is a non-residential retreat that combines deep silence during the day with practice at home during the evenings. It can be a wonderful way to integrate depth and daily life. Participants must commit to attending all four days -- no partial participation is permitted.

Registration: Fill out this form.