Retreat Description

“Like a powerful telescope, the concentrated mind can open us to vast mystical states including realms of light, visions, rapture, and illumination. Like polishing a lens on a microscope, concentration can allow us to see more deeply into the body and mind.” – Jack Kornfield

The capacity to concentrate or focus is one of the bedrock skills of the contemplative life. In this retreat we’ll focus on focus–the ability to relax the mind and unify it with whatever meditative subject we’re exploring. We’ll discuss the benefits, styles, and dimensions of concentration while establishing a practice that allows us to deepen this capacity in everyday life. We’ll also look at how to skillfully apply the concentrated mind to the development of wisdom and to our 21st century information-rich lives.

This retreat is limited to 8 people.

Retreat Format

Each week you will have the opportunity to engage in:

• One-on-One Instruction : Weekly 45-minute video sessions–alternating with each teacher–to explore your practice on a regular basis.
• Small Group Meetings : Weekly 75-minute video hangouts each week with a small group of peers, to practice together, check-in, and explore various topics related to concentration.
  • Small group meetings take place each Saturday–at 9am Pacific Time / 12pm Eastern Time. It’s ok if you know ahead of time you won’t be able to make a group session, but we do suggest making all that you can.

Cost

The cost of this Life Retreat is $500-700 (sliding scale).
* A 3-month payment plan is available on request.
** Anything above the base rate of $500 enables us to offer scholarships to those in need.

Retreat Teachers

Emily Horn is a contemplative teacher with fierce compassion and the skill that comes from dedicated practice and personal exploration. Her integrative teaching style is influenced by mindfulness meditation and revolves around the interwoven nature of contemplation, personal unfolding, and daily life. She has taught mindfulness classes at InsightLA, and is currently in the Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock Retreat Teacher Training led by Jack Kornfield, Trudy Goodman, Joseph Goldstein, and others. Emily has also managed projects in contemplative education environments including Naropa University, InsightLA, and Sounds True. She is also Director of Operations at Buddhist Geeks.

Vincent Horn is a mind hacker & buddhist geek. He has been practicing meditation intensively since his freshman year in college—including a full year doing intensive silent retreat practice. He began teaching in 2010 with the encouragement of his own teachers, Kenneth Folk and Daniel Ingram, in their unique style of ‘pragmatic dharma.’ In addition, in 2006, Vincent co-founded the media company Buddhist Geeks, which has since been featured on the pages of the Los Angeles Times, Fast Company, and Tricycle. Vincent was honored to be part of Wired UK’s “Smart List 2012: 50 people who will change the world.” Along with his wife Emily Horn, he makes his home in Asheville, North Carolina—that is until the distinction between atoms and bits dissolves.