PREREQUISITES
Prerequisites for One-Month Retreats: BEFORE applying, you must have already completed at least 14 nights of silent residential retreat time. This retreat time must include a minimum of two (2) silent residential retreats with each of these six (6) nights or longer.
Prerequisites for Two-Month Retreat: BEFORE applying, you must have already completed at least 21 nights of silent residential retreat time. This retreat time must include a minimum of three (3) silent residential retreats with each of these six (6) nights or longer.
Other Important Notes About Prerequisites: These retreats must have been led by Spirit Rock, IMS, or IRC teachers, or other recognized Insight Meditation teachers. Previous retreats must be silent residential retreats and have a similar format to this retreat, with instructions, practices and talks focused on Insight Meditation. Online retreats DO NOT qualify for these retreat prerequisites. DO NOT list retreats you will attend in the future.
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Application Period: First round applications are accepted May 13 - June 24, 2025. Any application received after this date will be reviewed for eligibility and placed on a wait list for a second round of notifications if space is still available. It is likely that scholarships will not be available for waitlisted applicants, but we still encourage you to apply.
Application Review: Spirit Rock staff and teachers will review all applications for eligibility. First round notifications will be sent between July 3 - 10, 2025. Applicants will be notified whether you have been accepted into the retreat or placed on a wait list.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
- Prerequisites: Applicants must meet the prerequisite BEFORE applying. Online retreat experience does not fulfill the prerequisite. Attendance in a future retreat also does not qualify. The prerequisites are strict, so DO NOT apply even if you are close to meeting them.
- Insight Retreat: Practitioners are expected to follow teacher’s instructions related to Vipassana (Insight Meditation).
- Length and Cost of One-month Retreats: The length and cost of the February and March retreats are slightly different from each other this year. Please complete this application with care when choosing which retreat and rate you are interested in.
- COVID Safety Protocols: Learn about current protocols.
- Room Occupancy: All two-month attendees will have a guaranteed single room. For single-month attendees, those paying at the Supporter Rate will have a guaranteed single room. All other registrations will receive either a single or double room. We are not able to assign everyone a single room, so those that are willing and able to share a room will be considered first. We will have a limited number of single rooms which will be prioritized for those with serious medical condition(s) or other needs.
- Photo Required: You will be asked to upload a photo of yourself.
This application may take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete depending upon your situation and your preparation. Submit only ONE application. If you need to make a change to an already submitted application, contact us.
To make the application process go more quickly, we recommend that you gather the necessary information to fill out the application prior to sitting down and filling it out.
You will need: a digital photo of yourself, a list of your retreat experience (including teachers' names, length [# of retreat nights] for each, dates/years of each retreat, what style of retreat [metta, concentration, if applicable], and location), emergency contact information, therapist name & contact if applicable.