Introduction to Insight Meditation: Mindfulness of Ease and Difficulties

Introduction to Insight Meditation: Mindfulness of Ease and Difficulties is a daylong insight meditation retreat offered online by Spirit Rock Meditation Center of Woodacre, California, and led by Howard Cohn, MA. It is an introduction to Insight Meditation, in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, for anyone who wants to learn to meet their experience with a relaxed, kind and curious attention. First-timers and long-time practitioners are equally welcome.

What to Expect

The day runs from 10:00am to 3:00pm Pacific Time on Zoom. It is built around the two basic forms of Insight Meditation: sitting and walking. Howard Cohn offers instruction in both, along with teachings on mindfulness of ease and of difficulties, and there is time set aside for questions.

The central invitation is to develop mindfulness and friendliness together. By sustaining attention on the present moment, we can recover a natural balance, ease and clarity, and come to know ourselves more intimately. That closer acquaintance helps us see the causes of both suffering and happiness, and can leave us feeling freer and more at ease.

About Howard Cohn, MA

Howard Cohn is one of the original teachers at Spirit Rock. He has led Insight Meditation retreats around the world since 1985. For more than 40 years he has also led the Mission Dharma Community in San Francisco, which now meets mostly online, with frequent in-person hybrid day retreats as well.

Continuing Education

This introductory program offers 4 continuing education credits for licensed and license-eligible mental health and health care professionals, including psychologists, social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and nurses. The credits are an optional add-on, sponsored by Mindful CECs, and must be arranged before the program starts. Full live attendance is required, so participants need to sign in to Zoom with the email they registered with, join on time through the Zoom app or a web browser (phone dial-ins are not tracked), and stay for the whole program. Credit covers instructional time only. Participants should confirm with their own licensing board that Spirit Rock's credits are accepted.

Before You Go

No experience is required. Newcomers receive foundational instruction in sitting and walking practice, and experienced meditators can use the day to deepen their familiarity with these qualities of attention.

- Registration includes unlimited access to a recording of the program, available about ten days afterward. Register by the deadline to receive it.
- Spirit Rock offers a sliding scale, with a scholarship rate for BIPOC, Mudita/Karuna and young adult participants. The higher rates help support the teachers and Spirit Rock, as well as practitioners who need to pay less. For the online program, no one is turned away for lack of funds, as space allows.
- Spirit Rock lists both on-land and online versions of this program. Register for only one format. This description covers the online daylong on Zoom.
- Meals and lodging are not part of the online program.
- If the program fills, a waiting list is created.
- Cancellations are not refunded. If you cancel by midnight the day before, you may take an open credit or donate your fee to Spirit Rock.