Home Practice Program (HPP) Meditation Retreat, Led by UM Coaches/Trainers

The Home Practice Program (HPP) is an online meditation retreat held by conference call, so you can take part in retreat offerings from your own home. It is led by Unified Mindfulness (UM) coaches and trainers, and it suits anyone who wants a weekend of structured mindfulness practice without travelling. Shinzen Young, the founder of Unified Mindfulness, leads some editions of the program, while others are led by UM trainers or coaches.

What to Expect

Each HPP runs over a weekend, from Friday to Sunday, and takes place entirely over a conference call. You practice where you are, in your own space, with a teacher guiding the retreat offerings remotely. The program is part of a wider calendar of Unified Mindfulness events that also includes a weekly Life Practice Program, which is aimed at taking practice beyond the cushion, and a periodic virtual retreat.

This edition is led by UM coaches and trainers. The organizer's schedule shows that the weekend retreats are led by different people at different times of year: some by Shinzen himself, some by UM trainers, and some by a combination of coaches and trainers. The call format means the retreat fits into a home setting, which suits people who cannot leave work, family or location for a residential retreat.

About Shinzen Young

Shinzen Young is an American mindfulness teacher and neuroscience research consultant. He is known for Unified Mindfulness, his systematic approach to categorizing, adapting and teaching meditation. His work has led to collaborations with Harvard Medical School, Carnegie-Mellon University and the University of Vermont in contemplative neuroscience, and he is co-director of the Science Enhanced Mindful Awareness (SEMA) Lab at the University of Arizona.

His interest in Asia began at 14, when he chose to attend Japanese ethnic school in his native Los Angeles. He majored in Asian languages at UCLA and then entered a PhD program in Buddhist Studies at the University of Wisconsin. For his thesis research he lived for three years as a Shingon (Japanese Vajrayana) monk at Mount Koya, Japan, where he received the name Shinzen.

Before You Go

The retreat takes place online by conference call, so what you need is a quiet place at home where you can sit and listen for the length of the sessions. Because the program is offered remotely, there is no travel, lodging or packing involved. Check which teacher is leading the edition you are considering, since the leader varies from one weekend to the next.