A Buddhist Meditation Retreat on Classical Mindfulness Practice
Time: Thursday, October 15th 6 pm to Sunday 18th, 3pm, 2026
Where: Metta Meditation Center, Janesville MN
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana) form the cornerstone of Buddhist meditation practice and the direct path to liberation taught by the Buddha himself. This comprehensive retreat offers an in-depth exploration of these fundamental teachings, providing both theoretical understanding and practical application of mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, and mental objects. Drawing on the ancient wisdom of the Satipatthana Sutta, participants will learn to establish continuous mindfulness in all aspects of life, developing the clear awareness that leads to insight and freedom.
Through guided meditations systematically exploring each foundation, you will learn to observe physical sensations, emotional tones, mental states, and the arising and passing of all phenomena with clarity and equanimity. This retreat emphasizes the Buddha's original instructions for developing complete awareness, teaching you to recognize the impermanent, unsatisfactory, and selfless nature of all experience. By mastering these four domains of mindfulness, participants will establish a solid foundation for insight meditation and develop the continuous awareness that transforms ordinary experience into profound wisdom.
Join us to explore the Buddha's most essential teaching on mindfulness and discover how these four foundations can become the bedrock of your spiritual practice and daily life awareness.
Highlights:
Guided Meditation: Throughout the retreat, you'll engage in daily guided meditation sessions systematically exploring each of the four foundations, led by experienced meditation instructors trained in classical Buddhist mindfulness. These sessions will help you develop precise awareness in each domain and understand how they interconnect to create complete mindfulness.
Dharma Talks: Learn from seasoned Buddhist teachers as they share deep insights into the Satipatthana Sutta and its practical application, including detailed instructions on mindfulness of body sensations, feeling tones, mental states, and mental formations. Gain comprehensive understanding of how these teachings form the complete path to awakening.
Mindful Activities: Explore each foundation through various practical activities, such as body scanning meditation, feeling-tone awareness exercises, mind-state observation, and recognition of mental patterns. These structured practices will help you integrate the four foundations into comprehensive mindfulness practice.
Silent Contemplation: Embrace the power of silence as you partake in periods of silent contemplation focused on systematic mindfulness development. Silence provides the ideal environment for developing the subtle awareness needed to distinguish between the four foundations and their interrelationships.
Noble Silence: Experience the profound practice of Noble Silence during specific segments of the retreat, creating space for deep investigation of each foundation without external distractions, allowing for pure observation and insight development.
Mindful Movement (Yoga or Tai Chi): Complement your sitting practice with gentle yoga and mindful movement sessions that embody the first foundation—mindfulness of the body. These practices deepen bodily awareness while integrating movement with breath and mental observation.
Liberation Through Insight: Discover the path to complete liberation as you master the systematic approach to mindfulness taught by the Buddha. Learn to observe the arising and passing of all phenomena across the four domains, leading to direct insight into the three characteristics of existence and ultimate freedom.
Vegan Meals: Savor nourishing and delicious vegetarian meals eaten with systematic mindfulness, practicing awareness of bodily sensations, feeling tones, and mental states that arise during the simple act of nourishing the body.
Community and Support: Connect with fellow practitioners dedicated to mastering this foundational Buddhist practice. Share insights and discoveries within a supportive sangha committed to developing complete mindfulness through the Buddha's original instructions.
Breathtaking Natural Setting: Immerse yourself in the tranquil natural surroundings of our retreat center, providing the perfect environment for developing the refined awareness needed to distinguish and cultivate each of the four foundations of mindfulness.
Teacher: Bhante Sathi has been practicing meditation for more than 35 years and teaching for 25 years. Sathi has traveled throughout the United States and Europe leading meditation retreats and workshops. Sathi is the founder and leading teacher at the Metta Meditation Center and author of "The Mind Workout," bringing profound understanding of classical Buddhist mindfulness practice and the systematic development of the four foundations.
Retreat Format: In-person only
Register before: October 2nd, 2026
Fee Details:
General Fee: $450 (includes food and lodging)
Discounted Rate: $400 for sponsors of the Triple Gem
Sponsors: Individuals who contribute monthly donations of $100 or more
Private Room Option: Add $60 for a private room
Dāna (Pali, Generosity): A customary practice at the end of a retreat is to consider the Buddhist practice of Dana, which includes making an additional financial donation. Your generous contribution enables us to continue sharing the teachings (one donation to the Teacher) and another donation to support the programs and operations of Triple Gem of the North and the Metta Meditation Center. Thank you for your kindness and support! Your generosity truly makes a difference.
Food: Vegan breakfast and lunch and Dinner will be provided.
Accommodation:
The retreat will take place at the serene Metta Meditation Center. Your room assignment will be provided upon registration. While the accommodations are not luxurious, they are comfortable and well-suited for the retreat’s purpose. Each participant will have their own room, offering privacy and convenience. The center also provides a beautiful view of the lake, and the meditation hall is both quiet and spacious. Bedrooms are easily accessible. If you have any specific requests or preferences, please let us know in advance.
Attendance: Retreat participants are asked and strongly encouraged to start and end the retreat with the entire group. Any exceptions to this are only made by the teacher with special permission granted.
Clothing and Other Details: Clothing worn during the retreat should cover the entire body (for example long pants are preferred over shorts). Short-sleeved shirts are acceptable though sleeveless shirts should be avoided. Clothing should be comfortable. Also, heavily scented perfumes/products should be avoided. There are members of the community who are sensitive to certain scents.
To reserve your spot immediately, register and submit your payment below.
Make your payment here and/or see additional instructions at the end of this page.
Retreat Itinerary
Thursday Night Schedule
- 05:00 PM – 06:00 PM: Check-in
- 06:00 PM – 07:00 PM: Opening night - Welcome & Introduction
- 07:00 PM – 07:45 PM: Sitting Meditation
- 08:00 PM – 09:00 PM: Guided discussion
Friday & Saturday Schedule
- 06:00 AM – 07:00 AM: Mindful movements
- 07:00 AM – 08:00 AM: Meal and independent practice
- 08:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Morning teachings
- 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Walking and sitting practice
- 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Mindful moments
- 12:00 PM – 02:00 PM: Lunch and independent practice
- 02:00 PM – 03:00 PM: Q&A
- 03:30 PM – 04:30 PM: Group sitting
- 04:30 PM – 05:30 PM: Mindful motion with Yoga or Qigong
- 06:00 PM – 07:00 PM: Dinner
- 07:00 PM – 09:00 PM: Guided discussion
Sunday Closing Day
- 06:00 AM – 07:00 AM: Mindful movements
- 07:00 AM – 08:00 AM: Meal and independent practice
- 08:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Morning teachings
- 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Walking and sitting practice
- 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Mindful moments
- 12:00 PM – 01:00 PM: Lunch and independent practice
- 01:00 PM – 02:00 PM: Cleaning
- 02:00 PM – 03:00 PM: Closing practice
Logistics
- Location: Google Maps has been known to take our guests to the main house rather than the center. When you arrive, you’ll pull into a gravel road on the highway, simply keep driving until you see a large yellow building on your left-hand side next to a large white cross. That is where the Center is.
- Accommodations: The registration fee is inclusive of a room and meals. Rooms are dorm-style with shared bathrooms.
- Clothing: Try to bring comfortable clothing as you will be spending a lot of time conducting various types of meditation and mindfulness practices.
- Toiletries: Try to avoid bringing heavily scented items as some individuals are sensitive to such products.
- Food: We provide food for you. If you need to bring your own food for whatever reason, we encourage you to put your name on the food and place it in the fridge located on the main floor. We can show you where that is when you check-in.
- Towels and sheets: Please keep in mind that we do not provide linens for your stay as we only have a few extras. We recommend bringing a set of twin sheets and some towels. If you forget these items, we can help you out by letting you borrow some of our extras.
Make your payment here. See instructions below:
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