When: May 20th-23rd, 2027 (Thursday 5:00 PM to Sunday 3:00 PM)
Where: Metta Meditation Center, Janesville MN
This special retreat offers women an opportunity to step away from everyday responsibilities and enter a supportive environment of mindfulness, reflection, connection, and renewal.
Through meditation, periods of silence, mindful movement, reflection, and shared practice, participants will have space to slow down, listen inwardly, and reconnect with what is most meaningful in their lives.
The retreat will explore themes relevant to living with greater awareness, compassion, emotional balance, and wisdom while creating space for both individual practice and supportive community.
Whether you are new to meditation or have practiced for many years, this retreat is an invitation to rest, reconnect, and nourish the qualities that support a peaceful and meaningful life.
Mindfulness
Reconnect • Rejuvenate • Health. Mindfulness
Join us for a transformative retreat that nurtures your entire being—mind and body. Rooted in the practice of mindful routine, this retreat offers a holistic path to wellness by blending meditation, techniques, gentle movement, and practical self-care.
Throughout the retreat, we will explore the deep and dynamic connection between the mind and body, discovering how awareness and intention can enhance our physical, emotional, and relational health. Each day will include mindfulness teachings alongside healing practices designed to restore balance and vitality.
Retreat highlights include:
- Guided mindfulness and meditation sessions for inner calm and clarity
- Yoga and Tai Chi to harmonize breath, movement, and energy flow
- Workshops on skin care for both men and women, as well as how mindfulness and diet affect skin health
- Mindful relationship care, with tools for deeper connection and communication
- Holistic health and nutrition guidance for sustainable well-being
- Daily self-care routines to support long-term emotional and physical balance
Whether you are new to mindfulness or looking to deepen your practice, this retreat offers a supportive and enriching environment to reconnect with yourself and return to daily life with renewed energy and insight.
Retreat Format: In person
Limited: Space is limited to 25 participants. Secure your spot for this retreat by completing full registration.
Fee Details:
- General Fee Private room: $540
- Sharing room with someone $480
- Sponsors: Individuals who contribute monthly donations of $100 or more get a $60 Discount
Dāna (Pali, Generosity): A customary practice at the end of a retreat is to consider the Buddhist practice of Dāna, 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.
We use the Zeffy platform to collect donations and card payments. When you reach the payment page, Zeffy will invite you to add a percentage to support their service. The default amount is 11%, but you are free to change it, including setting it to 0% if you wish.
Click here to register and complete your payment
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 at the center. 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. If you plan to participate in gardening activities, please bring mud shoes and clothes for gardening.
Toiletries: Try to avoid bringing heavily scented items, and some individuals are sensitive to such products.
Food: We provide vegan meals. 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: Now we provide bedding and two towels for each.
Retreat Itinerary
Thursday Evening (Arrival Day)
05:00 PM – 06:00 PM: Check-in & Light Dinner
06:00 PM – 07:00 PM: Opening Session – Welcome & Introduction
07:00 PM – 08:00 PM: Journaling (Gina & Dr. Dharshini)
08:00 PM – 09:00 PM: Sound Healing (Gina Gafford)
Friday Schedule
06:00 AM – 07:00 AM: Qigong (Gina Gafford)
07:00 AM – 08:00 AM: Breakfast & Independent Practice
08:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Introduction to Self-Care Through Mindfulness (Bhante)
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Sitting & Walking Meditation (Bhante)
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Journaling
12:00 PM – 02:00 PM: Lunch & Independent Practice
02:00 PM – 03:00 PM: Q&A / Group Check-In (Bhante)
03:30 PM – 05:00 PM: Skin Health (Faye Nouraee)
05:00 PM – 06:00 PM: Yoga and Qigong to harmonize breath, movement, and energy flow.
06:00 PM – 07:00 PM: Dinner
07:00 PM – 08:30 PM: Guided Discussion on -The Weight Women Carry: Caregiving, Emotional Labor, and Learning to Rest (Dr. Dharshini))
08:30 PM – 09:00 PM: Sound Healing (Gina Gafford)
Saturday Schedule
06:00 AM – 07:00 AM: Qigong (Gina Gafford)
07:00 AM – 08:00 AM: Breakfast & Independent Practice
08:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Meditation
10:00 AM – 12:00 AM: Forest Bathing (Teresa Hershey)
12:00 PM – 02:00 PM: Lunch & Independent Practice
02:00 PM – 03:00 PM: Journaling (Gina Gafford, Dr. Dharshini)
03:30 PM – 05:00 PM: Values Activity (Dr. Dharshini)
05:00 PM – 06:00 PM: Yoga and Qigong to harmonize breath, movement (Gina Gafford)
06:00 PM – 07:00 PM: Dinner
07:00 PM – 08:30 PM: Guided Discussion on - Coming Home to Yourself: Self-Compassion, Identity, and Inner Worth (Dr. Dharshini)
08:30 PM – 09:00 PM: Sound Healing (Gina Gafford)
Sunday (Closing Day)
06:00 AM – 07:00 AM: Qigong (Gina Gafford)
07:00 AM – 08:00 AM: Breakfast & Independent Practice
08:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Meditation
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Creative Recipes for Mindful Living (Faye Nouraee)
12:00 PM – 01:00 PM: Lunch & Independent Practice
01:00 PM – 02:00 PM: Closing Practice
02:00 PM – 03:00 PM: Mindful Cleaning
Click here to register and complete your payment
Our Precenters
Dharshini Goonetilleke, EdD, LPCC: She regularly leads mindfulness sessions at the Metta Meditation Center and for the Triple Gem of the North. She is a Counselor Educator, currently holds a faculty position at Metro State University, actively instructing in the Co-Occurring Disorders Recovery Counseling Master's program. She is also a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in MN.
Faye Nouraee: Faye, a highly skilled Advanced Practice Aesthetician with over 20 years of experience, is not just the owner but also the driving force behind Faye’s Facial Clinic in Eden Prairie. Specializing in result-oriented skincare, she passionately integrates natural and healthy alternatives into her practice, ensuring her clients achieve radiant and long-lasting results. Committed to excellence, Faye combines her expertise with personalized care, providing a rejuvenating experience that surpasses expectations.
Gina Gafford, MA, is a holistic health practitioner certified in massage therapy, Qigong, and yoga. She is also an author and photographer whose creative work complements her healing practice. With a Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies, Gina supports whole-person wellness through an integrative mind-body-spirit approach.
Teresa Hershey is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200), Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Certified Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher, Certified Naturalist, and Wilderness First Aid Basics-trained practitioner. She is passionate about helping others slow down, reconnect with nature, and awaken a deeper sense of presence and well-being. Through forest bathing, mindfulness, yoga, and meditation practices, Teresa gently guides participants to carefully observe their senses and discover the healing wisdom of the more-than-human world around them. Her compassionate and grounded approach creates a welcoming space for rest, reflection, and personal renewal in nature.
Bhante Sathi, Sathi serves as the principal instructor at the Metta Meditation Center and is the visionary behind Triple Gem of the North, a non-profit committed to fostering Buddhist teachings, meditation, and mindful living. With over 35 years of experience, his workshops provide tangible pathways to inner tranquility. Grounded in Buddhist principles, Sathi’s teachings bridge cultural divides, guiding many toward spiritual awakening. He is also the author of The Mind Workout (2025), a practical guide that presents meditation and mindfulness as a way to train and strengthen the mind for greater clarity, balance, and well-being.