Discover the power and beauty of waking up in the wild.
The teachings at Vallecitos are centered in the practice of Land as Dharma Teacher. Our diverse programs aspire to reflect the many faces of awakening. While each retreat is unique, reflecting the personal style and understanding of our teachers and tailored to the participants, the common pulse running through all retreats is the power and liberation of practicing in the wild. We teach and practice together within our living experience, close to nature.
In those who practice at Vallecitos, we see the natural softening of the sense of a separate self. We see a movement from constriction to connection, from isolation to belonging. We explore the waters of stillness, movement, silence and sharing together. Vallecitos is grounded in the deep and sacred teachings of early Buddhism, including the tradition of holding longer retreats of a week or more, as well as the tradition of holding retreats led by monastics. We also embody an innovative appreciation of what is possible as forms of dharma expression.
Recognizing that there are countless entry points to awakening, we offer many different styles of insight meditation retreats. Some include song, ritual, movement, relational practice, mindful self-compassion, inquiry and more. Some are classical insight meditation retreats in which we take the refuges and precepts (the refuges are what inform and sustain our practices, and the precepts are the guidelines of ethical conduct that tend to the welfare of ourselves and the community). We also offer affinity retreats, including a BIPOC retreat, LGBTQIA+ retreat, and an Indigenous Peoples retreat. All that happens at Vallecitos is held in the container of mindful awareness, an intrinsic capacity of the human heart-mind. Join us to rest, explore and discover for yourself the power and beauty of waking up in the wild.
