Spirit Rock Meditation Center

Very peaceful place. Well organized , I had a short visit, feel very welcome

A wonderful week-long retreat experience. Dorms are comfortable, walking trails are plentiful and the food is exceptional! With so many wise teachers and communities practicing here, there is great energy and space for quiet and deepening presence.

The experience here used to be so much better before the pandemic and before they built the new building. I was excited to see the new meditation Hall but really disappointed to see it packed to the gills with attendees sitting in hard chairs. Gone were the blankets and cushions from the old days. There were a few people sitting on the floor in front but the majority were in very hard chairs. It felt like a very uncomfortable church. It used to be a very authentic place to learn about meditation, but it just feels like a huge cash grab now. They had 200 attendees at a one-day retreat recently, each paying $200 to spend a good portion of the day walking around the parking lot with 200 people doing walking meditation. That is $40,000 of revenue for what looked like something from an undead movie. Thank you for the old days when things were authentic and not overpriced and over commercialized.

The residential retreat was exceptional- the teachers were incredibly talented learning facilitators and the retreat organizers are impeccable. And I can’t say enough about the food. If you’ve been thinking about a residential meditation retreat, you should try spirit rock.

Spirit Rock is a great place to center yourself. Whether for a day program or a week long silent meditation retreat you’ll find what you need on their beautiful property. They have amazing food as well for those on their silent retreats!

"Silence Is Golden" no truer words have ever been spoken. If you want to up-level your personal best, go to a silent meditation retreat here at Spirit Rock Meditation Center or find one near you. I left this retreat a kinder, more compassionate, more patient human being with more love for myself than ever before. I actually feel different in my own skin, which is quite amazing and as I look through my eyes I feel that I'm looking through a different pair of lenses. I consider this place my Spiritual Home and I can't wait to go back. The simple daily rhythms could actually be difficult at times, but I never felt better. My body, spirit, heart/mind were nourished and filled up in a beautiful way. The combination of sitting, walking, working, eating on repeat, and going back to the absolute basics had me feeling alive and deeply connected to myself and the beautiful Coastal Miwok lands I was so honored to roam everyday. The phenomenal vegan/veg cuisine was probably the best gourmet food I've ever tasted in my life!!! I am so grateful to my company for paying for this and allowing me this professional development time to upgrade myself. Can't wait to do this again this new year! Thank you Rockwood Leadership Institute for this gift!!! p.s. I don't have any pictures of the gorgeous food (we ate the rainbow) cuz we had no cell phones during the retreat. If you really want to upgrade your life, ditch your cell phone (schedule time away from it) talk less and listen more Xoxo #meditation #spiritrockmeditationcenter IG: rumaten8r1nk

This was an amazing retreat center and the teachers were amazing! The food was plentiful and healthy. And at the end of the 40 day retreat, I was so much calmer and present. See you soon Spirit Rock.

Excellent retreat and instruction program. Shifted my practice and grounded me. My level of inner quit has significantly improved. Learned walking meditation technique. Great local for spending time in nature. Meals were outstanding.

beautiful experience, safe for women in my opinion, good food, amazing teachers and community

I've just returned home from a 9-day silent meditation retreat at Spirit Rock. It was my first long retreat, but the teachers made it very comfortable and easy for me. They all have had enough experience (some of them decades) to know just what I was experiencing. The land at SR is breathtakingly beautiful, and the buildings have been designed to blend into the landscape. There are multiple hiking trails that are accessible from the main campus, and all of them take you along beautiful routes. The guest houses ("dormitories") are simple yet have everything you need. Some retreat centers have you bring your own linens and toiletries, but SR supplies you. There is a mini-pharmacy for personal items you forgot and also for remedies, should you need them. The teachers were just wonderful, as were the staff. I must give a special nod to the kitchen staff, who worked hard and delivered one outstanding vegetarian meal after another. I enjoyed every aspect of my retreat. Other reviewers mentioned that they thought SR was too expensive, and while I admit their retreats are a bit pricey, having read the specifics on several other retreat centers around the country, I did feel as if I was getting the "luxury" version of a meditation retreat. In the meditation hall, retreatants will find every possible combination of cushions and chairs so you can be as comfortable as possible during sits and, as I mentioned, you don't need to bring your own linens. You also don't need to bring body wash, shampoo/conditioner, or body lotion. Vegan, cruelty-free products are supplied in the guest houses. All in all, I was just thrilled with my experience at SR and look forward to a return visit in the future.

I'm afraid SR has become just a business, and nothing more. From cranking out inexperienced "teachers" who are all trying to gain a following, and continuing the downward spiral of relying less and less on training students in techniques so one can develop on your own, and furthering the model of fostering ongoing student dependence on a "teacher" who mouths the dharma, and gives little to no instruction in technique. Insight meditation gained a foothold in this country due to a more secular take on how things were taught abroad. But over time, it has devolved into a business model. We need ongoing money from followers, so we will foster that model. I was there last new years, for what I thought was going to be a practice/sitting, and instead it was a party. Ok, my bad for not reading better. But, the whole vibe seemed to be that they were trying to gain followers from the most recent generation by mouthing their rhetoric. "We want to pay homage to the indigenous peoples on whose land this center sits". Ok, well, if you're that concerned about it, why don't you give them the land back. The older staff sat back and looked on, but their faces looked like they were just enduring the requisite marketing tactic. It did not feel like a spiritual center propagating timeless knowledge, but instead a profit center trying to stay "hep". I got up and left. Not sure how much I paid for that fiasco. I asked for a refund and was denied.

Recently completed a week long silent meditation retreat. The experience was wonderful, the teachers were supportive and informative. The grounds are very beautiful with views in every direction. While I didn't complete a long hike, I did take multiple shorter walks into the trials and enjoyed the exercise and beautiful nature. The food provided is healthy and delicious. I highly recommend attending a retreat if you're interested. Pro tip: bring a pair of slip on shoes, the Meditation and residence halls require you to remove your shoes. You'll do this often each day.

From the incredible silent retreat I did over New Years to the accessible live Zoom offerings, this is an incredible place to support and further cultivate your personal joy.

Over the years, I took some good courses here and enjoyed retreats. Unfortunately after my last experience I won't be back. I was part of a large format class that rakes in around $900,000 dollars annually. Yes, close to a million dollars. Nobody on the staff got back to me with issues I encountered, any message or survey that went out gave you a window of less than 24 hours to respond/complete or you missed out, and at many points it felt like a televangelist public "healing" in the most heinous sense. In other words: the whole thing felt like a racket. While I think a few of the teachers genuinely have something to offer. this experience completely eroded my trust in Spirit Rock and caused legitimate concern over their ethics. They have an ethics feedback button on their website, but you need not bother with that- nobody will respond. And no, you're not getting your money back even if you didn't ask. Consider it "dana" since that sounds better than tithing.

I've attended several workshops and walked away feeling aligned with my own self and connected to friends and family. Everyone's calm and friendly. The site is beautiful peaceful clean and spacious.

Sprit Rock is a magnificent recreation center for mediation, when we walked in , they had already the silent retreat sessions.Super delightful trails to walk off and the nature that gets all of your tension. The main meditation salon does have certainly the positive vibes .They do have fitting area for you to take of your shoes and coats. The place surrounded by wilderness nature full of different kinds of animal species such as woodpecker, owl , and ecc ... . The creation center does have rooms that you can rent for days and enjoy the serenity and positivity of the place.

I have attended workshops at Spirit Rock (specifically trauma workshops to help my work with people of color traumatized by systems of oppression). I was deeply troubled by teachers and staff at Spirit Rock who may have been well meaning white folks, but had very little insight and awareness of the experience of people of color, their privilege, and microaggression. Though they attempt to be inclusive to people of color, it is apparent that they have not done their work to really be inclusive, but just do it to check the box. One recent experience was truly disappointing. I emailed Michelle Latvala, Executive Director at Spirit Rock, to express my disappointment that they take from the Asian community (e.g. our religion, philosophy, art, etc), but do not provide support or solidarity while our community were suffering from attacks on our elders and people for just being Asian. She ignored my email expressing my disappointment and did not attempt to hear me out or hear my experience, so I decided to write a Yelp review of my overall experience as a community members and a woman of color. I received an email from Yelp informing me that my review would be taken down. This is Spirit Rock's way of silencing me, a woman of color and whose ancestors are Buddhist. I am asking Yelp to not take down my request again even if administrators at Spirit Rock request it. I can provide evidence that I atttended workshops and classes, so this review is valid.

Spirit Rock is a wonderful meditation center with incredible energy. I recently attended a three day non-residential mindfulness retreat here and enjoyed every second of it. The facility was beautiful, the staff were very welcoming, and the instructor Mark Coleman was incredible. This was my first retreat I've ever been to and it definitely will not be my last after this experience. If you are debating whether you should go to a retreat here, I highly recommend it. The course I took had a very nice balance of lecture, meditation, and practicing exercises in nature. The retreat was in noble silence, however, there were plenty of opportunities to ask questions based on the teachings. I also appreciated that this retreat was non-residential since then at the end of the day you could implement your practices into day-to-day life. The center itself has many of cushions and blankets for you to relax and get cozy with during your retreat. It does get cold at night, so bring layers to keep warm. Don't be afraid to overpack as there are plenty of cubbies to put your belongings in during your visit. The retreat I attended provided a light breakfast and a vegetarian lunch. The breakfast offered was oatmeal, fruit, muffins, granola bars, and hard boiled eggs. For lunch they cater in from around the area, and seriously every meal was such a treat. After lunch, we had some down time to do whatever we pleased for a little while. Spirit Rock has acres of rolling hills and trails, so if you enjoy to hike, bring some hiking shoes! The land is so beautiful. Also, if you end up craving a snack or sweets, they also have a snack bar throughout the day where snacks are $2 and they have a bookstore that is awesome! I can't wait to attend another retreat or class here. As a retreat newbie, I didn't feel overwhelmed at all and I left feeling very peaceful with many tools in my toolbox to apply to everyday. I can't recommend this place enough!

My girlfriends & I came here on a Thursday morning for their Thursday Morning Women's Group meditation service. The grounds are absolutely beautiful & peaceful. They have serene paths you can wander off to, places where you can sit & relax, & a small community of houses to stay in when you participate in their retreats. We did our service in their grand Community Meditation Center. The fee for their class is based on a sliding scale of $15-30, whatever you wish to give. They have name tags for returning members, & there were many, & tags for new people too. During our class, we spent the time listening to Grace's beautiful words, meditated, had a walking meditation, & came together for a group discussion. The environment was safe & as a newcomer, I felt so comfortable. I will definitely be returning when I come up to visit SF again. They have a bookstore where you can purchase items & books to help you practice meditation.

Recently did a 7-night silent retreat with Larry Yang, Noliwe Alexander, Devin Berry, Konda Mason and Amana Bembry. It was an amazing, life-changing experience. The teachers each shared their wisdom and experience in the most caring and generous way. It was clear that they genuinely care about inclusivity, community and the dharma. We laughed together, we cried together sometimes too. I was deeply touched by the commitment each of them showed in guiding us through a week of meditation and dharma talks. The food is generally wonderful, as long as you like vegetarian food! Lunch is the main meal of the day and it was always something delicious and varied. Dinners are a vegetarian soup and some variation on green salad, occasionally homemade bread or focaccia! Breakfasts are simple but filling and nutritious. Oatmeal, polenta, millet porridges with lots of optional toppings like pumpkin seeds, bananas etc. one morning there was a giant pot of delicious chai for us to ladle into mugs. The rooms are simple but comfortable, very clean. Spirit Rock is surrounded by hiking trails that offer the perfect balance of exercise after long periods of sitting meditation. If you're considering a residential retreat at Spirit Rock, they have so many of varied lengths and topics that you're bound to find one that suits you. Daylongs and classes are now in the brand new, beautiful Community Meditation Center---no more trailers that other reviewers complained about!

Do not take a class on line. They are expensive, have 800 people in the group, and it feels impersonal for so sensitive a subject matter. I have had difficulty logging in and have requested a new login several times. I have no idea how to find homework, and the phone number on the website is discontinued. Emails requesting help may or may not be answered but there is no human to speak with. Super frustrating experience. My sub group is in agreement. In fact one student dropped out after the first session, paid $1,200 and didn't even receive any response from her email.

Rather than listen to a Yelp Review of Spirit Rock, check out their website: www.spiritrock.org This is a place for serious Buddhist meditation retreats. You have to register months in advance, clear you calendar and get time off work, and then be ready for at least a few days of silent meditation. Of course, there are also daylong retreats but people fly in from all over the world for their longer residential retreats. Keep in mind reading these reviews that retreat participants are undoubtedly being seriously challenged--by the meditation and facing their own issues, etc. So take the negative reviews in particular with a huge grain of salt. I've attended one week-long meditation retreat at Spirit Rock and a few day longs. The accommodations are luxurious--a single room, beautifully appointed dharma hall, new day long events facilities, amazing outside hikes, gourmet vegetarian food prepared with care and love. If anything, it was a bit too nice for my taste. Spirit Rock has an excellent selection of teachers coming in to lead retreats. It's a great place to practice with and meet other serious meditators, as well. I ended up starting a sitting group with someone I met on retreat and who lived in my neighborhood! I know they are also making sincere efforts on diversity and equity. A bit difficult to access if you don't have your own car. Use the Rideshare Board before a retreat to see if you can carpool from SF or the airport. Meditators are usually very friendly and generous.

I just attended Sylvia Boorstein's New Year's retreat. Very disappointed. Spirit Rock billed this as a daylong retreat of instruction in mindfulness and metta meditation, with multiple sequences of guided sitting, feedback and help on individual meditation challenges, walking meditations, and other modalities. It was a pleasant day, mostly, but bore little resemblance to the program materials from which I signed up, and I have to admit for the benefit of others that I think my attention, entrance fee and goodwill were most heartily misused. In reality all we got were two brief sits, no walking meditation, no instruction, and two very brief sessions each of excellent drumming and qigong. The first sit was a 15-minute "opening meditation" that wandered in at least an hour into the day and whose q&a followup guidance came more than another hour after the sit concluded, so long after, in fact, that Sylvia had to remind us of what we'd done. This 'guidance' was limited to offering a mike to a strictly limited five people from the crowd of 200 or so, two of whom were sycophants who wasted their 'questions' on praising Dear Leader. The second sit was the only metta given, was perhaps 20 minutes long, and came at the very end of the day when we were mostly exhausted. I heard snoring. A lot of snoring. Much of what Sylvia said was entertaining, interesting, or amusing, and it probably had connection to the Dharma. But this was not billed as a day of sitting at the master's feet. It was billed very, very specifically as a day of meditation instruction. It felt more like an interminable car ride with a chatty and somewhat daft, beloved older relative. And Sylvia? Oh, there are a lot of lessons for me in why I was so disappointed. She was, alas, unwilling/unable/uninterested in giving us a structured or educational day. Given what may have been a lot of newcomers in attendance, it would have been helpful, for example, to learn before I wriggled with bursting bladder, two hours in, that there would be no planned breaks and that we should answer nature's calls as needed. We listened to Sylvia ramble, charmingly at first, and more and more alarmingly, all day long, with just two 15-minute interludes for the drummer/qigong leaders. In a 10-4:30 retreat, we got perhaps an hour of either sitting or qigong, an excessive full hour for our self-catered lunch, and the rest was wandering Sylvia. Digressions begat digressions until my mind gave up trying to follow and let it just drone on. I hope she has the showbiz sense to learn from why she'd lost much of her audience by the end of the day. The other attendees were overwhelmingly the chilly, shy, affluent older Marin women who clung to each other like glue and seemed to have only the slightest connection to the material. Last time I felt like this I was at an Episcopalian church on the East Coast where everyone froze in shock when the visiting minister asked congregants to greet the people to either side of them, and I received the dankest of limp handshakes by a patrician whose gaze was somewhere near my hairline. Sylvia, bless her heart, did a great deal of exhorting people to be free-spirited, open, and full of joy, which is my natural demeanor, but every time I cracked the lid even slightly on my friendly self (like smiling at others when going down the hall on a break) they avoided my gaze. I wanted so badly for this to be a lovely, overwhelming day, and there were positive attributes. The grounds are beautiful. The hall was gorgeous. The two brief qigong interludes in the day were creative, absorbing and unlike any other qigong or tai chi that I've ever experienced. I wish the qigong teacher/leader, an Englishwoman with infectious enthusiasm for her very mystical, very healing and imagination-based approach, had been credited in the retreat description, or had gotten more than a fleeting intro. I'd study with her again, but an hour combing their website yielded few clues of who she was. Maybe I imagined her. The drummer - also not credited - was a world-class Djembe improviser who accompanies her drumming with beat-poetry-like, spoken-word riffs that are delightfully silly, charming, effective and moving, all at the same time. Sylvia's self-indulgent rambling was about 70% of the content. There were nuggets of insight and plenty of what seemed shopworn greatest-hit anecdotes, but I came here to work and learn, not worship or indulge anyone's Great Leader.

Spirit Rock is so blissful!! I love the Thursday women's circle with Grace Fisher. Grace creates such a beautiful, safe space. She's incredibly knowledgeable on Buddhist teachings and always very loving, caring, nurturing, grounded, and very REAL. The grounds are insanely gorgeous! Something about that place, every time I arrive I immediately drop in to myself. Every time I leave, I feel so refreshed. A 2 hour meditation there is just as good as a weekend out of town. The book store inside has all kinds of great books, statutes, crystals, alter pieces, jewelry. I love browsing through the store. It's full of great gifts!

I was around back when Spirit Rock got started and welcomed the idea of an area Buddhist meeting/retreat center. The prices for a daylong started out high, but I thought that was just because they were getting started. I expected prices to fall. Silly me! Since then, the prices for events at Spirit Rock have continued to climb to the ridiculous level of over $100 for a few hours of a one-day event. Also, there's a cottage industry of lay Buddhist teachers who facilitate events, and they all have their hand out too. Given that they're area residents, why they feel they need to be paid is something I've never understood. I've heard many of them, the founder foremost, threaten to quit unless the sangha generously compensates them for showing up to the lecture hall. It's interesting that other Buddhist retreat center (vipassana) manages to offer teachings & good accommodations on a purely donation basis -- and prosper doing it. In contrast, Spirit Rock has always charged shockingly high prices and operates a professional fundraising campaign to accrue even more money. Where does all the money go? Some years ago I inquired, and the financial director wrote me back an indignant letter berating me for daring to ask the question. People may not know that the SR land was obtained as a gift, and the whole operation is through a tax-free nonprofit org. Want to look up its 990 and see what salaries they pay their workers? I tried, but Spirit Rock set itself up as a religious nonprofit (church), and so isn't required to file a 990. Nice. Anyway, it would have been nice if SR offered regular free meetings for people who just want to get together and practice, but all events are in the context of class structure, i.e., as a way to collect $. In sum, I think it's great that there's a Buddhist teaching center in Marin, but I don't agree with how they've chosen to run it. It's a complete commoditization of the Buddha's teachings, and SR misuses the sacred word "dana" in its fundraising messages. Traditionally, dana is supposed to be a two-way street of mutual giving, free teachings, and counseling in exchange for voluntary donations. but at Spirit Rock, the word means you need to pay at the door for each visit and give even more money to their org to sit on a cushion in a thinly carpeted room.

Attended a 10 day silent meditation retreat here with Jack Kornfield, Christiane Wolf, Teja, Alexis and many other instructors. The nature areas surrounding meditation hall were extremely beautiful and we were the highlight of my trip there. However, I was chastised by the staff for spending too much time being mindful in nature and not enough time attending the sitting meditations (which I mostly attended and found beneficial) and doing extremely slow walking meditation, which is my numbingly boring. The reason I give this place one star is that they advertise it as a pathway to happiness and joy, but the experience there is joyless and sucks the happiness right out of you by essentially forbidding happiness with extremely strict rules, soul crushing austerity, and Dharma talks which are incredibly solemn and austere, sucking all the joy and happiness right out of you while telling you that this is the pathway to joy and happiness. If you want to attend a meditation retreat, I strongly recommend going elsewhere unless you prefer joyless, austere, and extremely rigid meditation retreats where exploring nature is discouraged while you are located in an incredibly beautiful place in nature. The irony kills me. Also, I got chastised severely for stretching in the meditation hall (not during silent meditation time mind you.). What is the deal with that. The instructors here were self-righteous, unkind, joyless, austere, pretentious, self-important, pseudo-spiritual Buddhist Nazis. Stay away.

Kalya-mittat is a Buddhist concept of "spiritual friendship" within community life, applicable to both monastic and householder relationships. One involved in such a relationship is known as a "good friend," "virtuous friend," "noble friend" or "admirable friend" . Since early Buddhist history, these relationships have involved spiritual teacher-student dyads as well as communal peer groups. In general, such is a supportive relationship based on shared Buddhist ethical values and the pursuit of enlightenment. In contemporary Western society, this concept has gained increased currency within the Triratna Buddhist Community in the UK and here at Jack Kornfield's Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Spirit Rock is a welcoming retreat center tucked well behind the main road and nicely situated in a peaceful and scenic setting. A friend of mine invited me to come one night for a meditation sitting and perhaps justs a change of pace for where my life was going at the time. I appreciated her effort, enjoyed the room and the just regular folks here, and came out with a few things to think about. On the other hand, nothing really clicked longer term. That plus the distance from the East Bay hasn't brought me back, although I'd like to give it another go sometime.

I am in my 20s, and I gotta say SRMC is a wonderful place for millennials to find vitality, creativity, and the ability to regain focus in our consumerist culture. I have been to two residential retreats at SRMC. It has been both life-saving and life-altering for me. I found SRMC when I was in the depth of depression triggered by severe burnout, which left me pretty much lifeless and hopeless. Now I am so glad that I have made the right decision to go and be able to share SRMC with you. At SRMC, I was able to immerse myself in the serenity of breathtakingly beautiful nature, to unplug from the constant distractions of emails, messages and social media, to remove those mind clouds that blocked me from thinking effectively, to stroll around the beautiful mountains with deer and turkeys (!), and most importantly, to regain vitality and life that have been sucked out of me due to stress and burnout accumulated in the past couple of years. Staff there are very helpful and sympathetic. I love every person who prepared food for us, planned logistics, cleaned the bathrooms etc. Thank you so much! I also, love every person I met at the retreat. It has been a long journey to share with such supportive groups who I have learned from tremendously. I have made it my goal to go to SRMC retreats twice a year, to recuperate from exhaustion, and be able to gain insights and creativity as I go further down the spiritual path. I understand there are concerns over prolonged Dharma talks. It can be daunting for beginners. And trust me, I didn't get it either during my first retreat -- I slept through most of the talks. But at the second retreat, it came to me how closely the talks are related to our understanding and skills at meditation. Our mind is so complicated that you need the proper instructions in order to navigate it. It is like the pilots need to learn the basics of physics and aerodynamics in order to fly safely and effectively. I know those talks can be repetitive and boring at times. But please be mindful of the fact that a big part of Buddhism philosophy is tacit knowledge which can't be effectively communicated through a western teaching style with clear logic. It requires constant immersion and practice, hence the wordiness. When you felt it, you will get it. Also, I initially dislike the daily schedule as well. In the beginning, it feels like I was compelled to follow the routine instead of "winging" it. But slowly I found that it is laying a great foundation for good habits to form, which is the soil of a solid spiritual journey. Lastly, thank you SRMC helping me in so many ways that I can't numerate.

Fellow meditators and spiritual seekers- If you haven't been here, I encourage you to consider trying it out. For me, time spent here have been transformative. The silence, the surrounding nature, and teaching of dharma combine to heal, to connect to the heart, and to awaken true self. The accommodations are simple as I like it, and the food is natural and nourishing. I feel the ingredients are as good as what I buy for my family, and the taste is pleasing- I get inspired to make some of the dishes at home.

It's difficult to say any one thing about the Spirit Rock meditation center, since there is such a wide range of programs offered and teachers featured there. If one has an interest in Buddhism, and any particular event at Spirit Rock leaves one flat, one could probably easily find a different event or teacher at Spirit Rock that will be more inspiring, opening, and harmonious. Generally, it's possible to find teaching about the meditation and SouthEast Asian Buddhism in an accessible, sincere, and often beginner-friendly, way. The grounds of the center are beautiful and generally relaxing, and the accommodations and food are pleasant and clean (not always a given, in the American Buddhist scene) And there is much to admire about the way that they have set up their center, from recycling programs, healthy and delicious food, to carpooling. There are teachers who are regularly present at Spirit Rock who I recommend. The sincere, deeply dedicated monastic Ajahn Amaro adds respectability to the place, and he is entertaining and uplifting to listen to lectures by. Gil Fronsdal, one of the Spirit Rock council of teachers and a long-time teacher of mine, is a sincere, deeply experienced, and articulate, someone I consider a first-rate teacher. Another council member who I have done events with, Eugene Cash, I find heart-felt and trustworthy to listen to. Mary Orr, Sally Armstrong ... there are a number of teachers at Spirit Rock whose sincerity and wisdom I enjoy and respect. Still, there is an overall vibe at Sprit Rock that gives me the creeps. The senior teachers group as a group, and who they choose to welcome in, sometimes seems to me clique-y. Sometimes the ethos of the place seems less "Buddhist", and more agenda-driven equalitarian politics (sometimes it seems to me like Spirit Rock is a Martin Luther King-ist center where they dig the Buddha, rather than vice versa) and/or watered-down, new-agey Marin self-absorbed narcissism (as if Buddhism were only a way to relieve stress at the end of a difficult day lawyer-ing, or a way to better describe unhappy feelings to talk about with one's therapist). If that's what a person is looking for, fine, but I believe that Dharma (Buddhist teachings) more faithfully presented are of more use to people. For retreats, the teachers and support staff generally take their salary solely by donation, which I very much respect. The base cost of the programs In general, however, is expensive; it's in keeping with what I would say is the trend in modern America where the most affluent and poorest are squeezing the working middle class, the cost of Spirit Rock's programs are calibrated towards successful new-Prius-driving professionals with incomes from investments, and there is financial aid for, I guess, the non-profit changing-the-world-but-penniless and urban food stamps sets. But for those of us, like me, who work for a living, and neither own a big house in Marin nor are comfortable living off handouts, the price of events can seem steep. When I heard that the mother of John Walker Lindh (the American who fought for the Taliban) was a "Marin Buddhist", it did not surprise me. It also perhaps should not have surprised me as it did that Spirit Rock let Arj Barker film his, I would say, disrespectful-to-Buddhism "Sickest Buddhist" video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gCU5uplB4A) on their grounds.

I am in agreement with those here who have said the entire place reeks of the snobby, selfish and privileged. You can walk the grounds but there is the DO NOT and STAY AWAY feeling everywhere. Especially when there is a silent retreat; then you're basically relegated to the parking lot area. Fortunately there are beautiful parks all through the bay area to enjoy and meditate in with no such limitations. Spirituality is not only for the snobby. And its simply an untruth in their literature to act as if this place is for everyone. The sliding scale is ridiculous, I guess this is their version of religion but it is exclusionary. That's not the way the world works. Buddha himself was a person of color... remember? I've been going to Spirit Rock on and off for about eight years. I'm done. I simply don't feel welcome unless I'm in the bookstore where they are happy to take my money.

Although the mindfulness day-long retreat I took here had some elements that I could concur with, the statements that Buddhism will remove all suffering from one's life seems contradictory to the teachings. That, combined with the course(expensive) taking place in a triple-wide freezing cold portable, while immaculate, beautiful buildings surround the property for the elite, including constant reminders to "stay away" from them during walking meditation(undefined and not explained nor guided), reeks of a false, hierarchical Marin view of the selfish, single-mindedness approach that represents what's wrong with modern society, religion, and the 1% who dominate humankind. I'll stick with Dharma Punx, thank you.

I did a week long residential retreat last year. I did not have a strong meditation background and I did not consider myself to be spiritual or Buddhist, but that wasn't necessary to get a lot out of my time at Spirit Rock. It was very beginner friendly, and just friendly in general. Highly highly recommend. The only thing I wish I would have known before going was to bring long pants and long socks so that you're protected from ticks. But it's not so much a concern as long as you check for them and shower regularly. If you're reading this, that means you're interested in Spirit Rock. If you have the time and lifestyle to be able to do a residential retreat, I would strongly suggest you do so. I did the retreat with about 100 other people, and I think everyone had some sort of positive experience from it. P.S. This place is the most accommodating to various types of disabilities that I have ever come across. I am disabled and I struggle to fit into a life that frequently expects things of me that I cannot do. Your time at Spirit Rock is designed to be ultra-supportive, and it was so refreshing to feel like that lifestyle actually sat right with the physical limitations of my body. I also felt a strong effort to include queer and racial minorities. And their scholarships are excellent if you're financially strapped. Thanks Spirit Rock!

**I take issue with SRMC being labeled a "religious organization."** Let's just say that I'm not a very good yogi. In my own defense, my recent stint at SRMC was my first attempt at meditation. And it's a lot harder than it looks, both physically as well as mentally and emotionally. It's not that I'm devoid of spirituality, but I prefer my contemplation with action, if you please. That's because I am a problem-solver. I'm a do-er. I'm a fixer. And, I'm slightly obsessive about it. If there isn't a problem to fix, then I'll likely create one by over-analyzing a situation, effectively morphing a positive or benign experience into my next conquest. Despite the benefits such a trait provides me professionally, it's not exactly a healthy way to live. So, instead of following the road that will only lead me to stashing whiskey in my file cabinet, I decided to try meditation. But, as I said, I'm not a very good yogi. When we first arrived at SRMC, the organizers introduced themselves and there was a woman who was a bit older (about 65 or so) with a bald head and I thought, "Oh how powerful. She's battling cancer yet she's still dedicated to her practice." Um, turns out, she's a monk. Yeah, kinda missed that one. And I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't trying desperately to get cell phone service throughout the retreat. Even hiked to the top of one of the hills to see if I could. Sad, I know. And I snuck in Splenda. And an Elle magazine. And I forced my roommate to talk to me when we were supposed to be respecting "noble silence" (it's not like I had to hold a gun to her head, although she insisted on whispering, which I just didn't understand since we were breaking the rules anyway). And I freaked when I realized that dinner would be vegetable soup every night. And I skipped some of the group discussions because I honestly couldn't bear to listen to some of the chodes (aka "other retreatants") whine (aka "contemplate" or "share") anymore. Whoopsie! Yogis aren't supposed to judge. (What's the fun in that?!) Despite my resistance, I learned so much during the 3-day retreat. This experience taught me how to create some space in my mind, to breathe, to try to live in the moment as much as I can---and to appreciate those times when I actually do but not to judge myself when I waffle---and to fully experience the delights that life presents while they are presented. It's not like I'm gonna trade in my Marc Jacobs for Birkenstocks or start walking around with a patronizing (aka "enlightened") smile and a cushion. But I think there is something to be said for spending time to just be in your body and not in your mind, likely light years from the experience unraveling before you, right then, right now.

I was so disappointed. This was supposed to be a guided meditation. Amount of guidance offered: zilch. I've got a fair amount of experience meditating but I wanted to learn something new. That is why I came all the way out here to rural Marin, right? The teacher, Heather Sundberg, just said hello and asked if anyone was a first time visitor to Spirit Rock (as it turned out, about a third of the large group were first-timers). You'd think she would use this info to properly teach us and guide us. But no, she basically said "okay everybody, now relax" and hit a gong, and that was it for the next 45 minutes!! A lot of the crowd were visiting teenagers and they were so bored that they were giggling and leering at each other. It's okay, I get it, I was a bored teenager once. But think of how wonderful this experience could have been for them if they'd gotten some proper meditation instruction!! I'm actually pissed, looking back at the experience last night. If that is Spirit Rock's Monday meditation series, you can keep it. Oh one final point: the web site says they serve a vegetarian dinner. But when I phoned, tweeted and Facebooked to confirm this, nobody gave me an answer and when I got there the man working at the office made me feel like it was my fault for mistakenly assuming that food was part of it. You can drive back to Fairfax 10 minutes away for a bite, but I was led to believe that dinner would be served, based on the web site. There are a lot of great free guided meditations available on podcasts, and other places to go. You will find me there.

The courses are so-so in quailty, and overpriced. They charge $100 for each daylong, and hold them in a shabby room with old carpet, folding chairs, and low ceilings. I've taken 3 courses. In the first one, the teacher didn't seem to have prepared. He read definitions out of a dictionary, and rambled. The second and third courses were well-prepared, but I didn't learn very much. The energy seems to be very yuppie. Spirit Rock is asking for donations to raise $14M to build a new meditation center. Why does it cost $14M to build a house?

My dad and I traveled from the Peninsula to Spirit Rock for a daylong retreat. Upon arrival, we were disappointed by the amount of upheaval and construction that was onsite. Expecting to join other participants in a grand meditation hall as it's displayed online, we were further disappointed by the small trailer in which we were directed to congregate. At least, I thought, we could walk the upper grounds where the large, residential hall was. No such luck. Because of an ongoing silent retreat, we were forbidden to broach that area. We were essentially quarantined to a trailer and a parking lot with a few scattered benches. So did I get my $55 worth? Well if you want to count the wisdom I gained about what it means to spend $55 on a daylong retreat at Spirit Rock, my experience was invaluable.

I am not your typical meditation/retreat kind of guy. I do not spend my week-end at Whole Foods, I do not only eat seeds and I do not practice Yoga on a regular basis. I believe in what I see and touch. It was suggested to me that I should go and check Spirit Rock. I did it out of curiosity. I just went a couple of weeks ago to find the inner peace buried inside me. I did not have any hopes really but I wanted to be able to say, I went, I tried, it does not work. Well, I have been back 3 times. I go to the Monday night meditation teaching/practice. $10 parking if you are not 3 people per car plus $8 Donation. Who would have thought I would one day donate to a meditation center. Anyway, everyone is nice and relaxed. It is hard to be mad, resentful or in a bad mood going there. It is like you stop the clock and go dig deep inside and get some answers/peace or whatever you are looking for. I do not know what I am looking for, but I have found a way to decompress from the daily grind. Gotta try it, it is good. They have all kind of retreats, classes for everyone

I have read most of the reviews about this place, both good and bad. I did a one day meditation retreat from 8 am to 5 pm. My advice is to ignore all the reviews including this one because everyone's experience is different, we all come with different states of minds. If you are contemplating about coming here then I say to you come and experience it for yourself. I had a great time with wonderful guides mediating in nature, in silence.

My first time here for a one day Feldenkrais & Meditation seminar with Russell Delman. I took my four year feldenkrais practitioner training with Russell and the man is amazing. Take a class with him and you'll thank your lucky stars. I don't think I got a full taste for Spirit Rock after just a couple hours but the location is beautiful and I was impressed with the staff. I'm glad I finally made it to a class!

Spirit Rock Meditation Center is a refuge in the wilds of Marin County. After a winding drive through the wilderness, one finally comes to this little clearing in the trees. Spirit Rock has an Eastern counterpart, Insight Meditation Center in the Boston suburbs. Spirit Rock Meditation Center is a peaceful place, and surprisingly homespun, with the exception of the huge meditation hall and the prayer wheel. The place where most meditation takes place is in a temporary building with a couple of Buddha and Guan Yin statues. There's also a pleasant little bookstore. There's a Thursday morning women's group that's helpful and educational. Spirit Rock embodies the Buddhist beliefs of transience. It's still a work in progress. Yet in all the motion, there is silence and peace. A spectacular setting for serene meditation.

Cuz I got to see Alice Walker here in all of her glory Cuz my bff snored loudly during the meditation Cuz the walking meditation was somethin' out of dawn of the dead Cuz the concept of peace is cool even though we're an angry people cuz cuz cuz

I came to Spirit Rock in June for a 6-day silent retreat. I've been to a number of long silent retreats before Spirit Rock was built, and was expecting pretty much the same thing. I was disappointed to find that the meditation schedule was very much watered-down compared to my former retreats. The meditation sessions were shorter and the schedule included many more activities that involved talking in groups, lengthy Q&A sessions, etc.. After a couple days I realized that these activities were preventing me from settling into the silence as I am used to. I tried to avoid them, returning to the meditation hall at the scheduled meditation times, only to find that the talking activities were running overtime. Because of this, the afternoon meditations lasted 5 minutes instead of the scheduled 30. I complained about these deviations from the schedule, explaining that I was going through a crisis (my friend is dying) and really needed to meditate. The instructor whose sessions were running overtime (Eugene Cash) told me coldly, "Well that's not gonna happen. If you want to meditate in silence you can go somewhere else." The disagreement continued and culminated with him actually mouthing the words "Fuck you" to me from his teacher's seat at the front of the meditation hall (!). After the retreat several people told me they were shocked by Eugene Cash's insensitive, unprofessional manner. I complained to the Spirit Rock retreat coordinator who kindly refunded my retreat fee. Silent meditation retreats can be very valuable, but if you go to one here, make sure you understand what the schedule really includes. "Contemplative Inquiry" is Eugene Cash's pet thing, and it's more like group therapy than meditation. It's probably best to find a retreat where he will not be a teacher. The other thing that really bothered me about this place is that it's rife with LYME-DISEASE CARRYING TICKS. Lyme disease can ruin your life. Read up it before you come. We take a vow of non-harming at the beginning of the retreat, which means you don't kill anything. {unfortunately, the ticks to not take the same vow}. We're not allowed to use bug spray for this reason, and not allowed to use repellent because many people there are chemically sensitive. If you're planning to walk along the woodland paths, think again. When I got there I read the warnings: wear light-colored clothing. Tuck your pants into long socks. Brush off clothes and examine every part of your body: hairline, groin, behind ears,etc. These things aren't easy to do at a silent retreat. If you haven't brought light-colored clothes and long socks, you're out of luck. How are you going to examine yourself in a room with one tiny mirror? You are most likely to catch Lyme disease from a nymph tick, which is the size of a poppyseed. They live in leaf litter. During the retreat I walked in the middle of the asphalt paths, avoided all grass and leaf litter, but still found a tick walking on my neck in the middle of the meditation hall. The meals here are vegetarian and the food is pretty good. The dining hall is open 24 hours. Tea, peanut butter, cheese and crackers are always available for snacks. Coffee is not provided but you may bring your own coffee and filter and store them in a cupboard near the tea. You can also bring your own special food (label it!) and keep it in the fridge. Food is not allowed outside the dining hall. The rooms are small and spartan but provide everything you need. Consider bringing an extension cord and heating pad if it's cold, and perhaps a fan if it's hot. The room has a window but there's no cross-ventilation. If you've forgotten to bring your own sheets, they have some. There are unscented soap, shampoo and creme rinse in the bathrooms, and hand lotion on a shelf near the meditation hall. They sell other unscented grooming aids.

I find it a little odd to be evaluating Spirit Rock because there are so many teachers and classes that come out of this centre it is impossible to "rate" this institution like one would rate a restaurant or business. Spirit Rock is a Buddhist centre in the Theravvadan tradition and is the central Theravvadan teaching and retreat centre for this region. Spirit Rock offers classes suitable for the inexperienced and experienced. Don't be afraid to take a class or go on retreat here if you have never meditated before (or if you aren't Buddhist). We all begin somewhere and where you are is the right place to begin. To be a Buddhist is NOT required or necessary. I came here for one of their People of Color retreat and was tremendously grateful for having the opportunity to do so. A foundation generously supported the retreat fee for all retreatants. The opportunity was refreshing because American Buddhism tends to be very white, so it was a refreshing perspective to be in deep connection with other people of colour (students and teachers). Although I am in the Soto Zen tradition, I tend to think that anyone who is just beginning in Buddhism might have a clearer introduction through the Theravadan tradition. I tend to think so even though that was not the path I walked. Check out Spirit Rock's website for the numerous classes offered!

In short: overpriced, lack of diversity, absence of Dharma in usual business practices. Just an overall unpleasant experience of leadership and regular community members. I enjoyed being in practice with other yogis, however, leadership and "regulars" have proven to simply be in the BUSINESS of spirituality. Certainly not recommended for POC or folks dealing with mental health (which is why most Westerners turn to the Dharma). I wish I didn't have to leave there on the terms I did. Lots of work to be done in the Administrative leadership of the organization. Hopefully they'll finish erecting their expensive buildings and find the actual path of the Buddha.

Great retreat center up in Marin County - I've gone to several daylongs there in the past year and have enjoyed each of them - they were each a little bit different - one alternated yoga, meditation, and instruction, one alternated sitting meditation, walking meditation, and instruction, one alternated sitting meditation, group interaction, and instruction, and one was almost entirely lecture - but really great teachings. Each one contributed significantly to my personal growth. I enjoy the variety and appreciate the ability to customize my experience - if you look at their catalog or online website, you can choose an event or retreat related to your interests. They all involve mindfulness or meditation in some way - and some are even eligible for CEU credit for psychologists, counselors, etc. I haven't had the opportunity to attend a longer overnight retreat here yet, but I have heard great things about them - and I got to take a sneak peek at the facilities one time - they look more than adequate - simple, peaceful, and comfortable!

Big Fan of SpiritRock Meditation Center!!! Beautiful Peaceful Zen facility and their meditation retreats are the best!! So grateful for SpiritRock so close to me. Started my meditation practice in some of the worlds famous Meditation centers in Burma and Asia. If folks are complaining about some of the superficial conditions here, try learning meditaiton in Asia. Come on People, Seriously? SpiritRock teachers are well known internationally, and this is one of my favorite meditation teaching center to deepen my meditation practice. For those interested in learning more about Insight or Vipasana Meditation, will highly recommend Spirit Rock. Just read some of the previous reviews on here about how there's construction and wanted more services etc, and honestly Yelpers -- True meditation practitioners practice in the most earthiest and gnarliest conditions because it's never about the outside but what's taking place inside. It might just be a good idea for you to come back here and sit with all the things from the outside that's apparently coming up for you!! Cos if you catch yourself being super picky and negative about the external outside stuff, chances are you are probably not very happy with lots of other good stuff in your life. And more reason for you to come back here and try the 2 to 3 day retreats! It will change your life!! There are 3 day retreats and 5 days and much more, the Dhamma talks on Monday's super insightful led by Jack. It's a very popular event!! I highly encourage new learners to reach out to the Program Managers to see where and How to start. Jack K the founder is one of my favorite teachers and alot of his books and audio can be found on line. Thank You SpiritRock

I did a seven day silent retreat in 2017. My son recommended them due to trauma that came up in my life. It was a wonderful experience. I had no idea it would be the way it was. I found myself calm, I cried a lot, lots of stuff came up good and bad. I got through some huge lifetime problems. Thank you Spirit rock. Unfortunately I had to leave three days into it. I couldn't stay silent for some reason or another! But I will try and go back soon since he just returned from another retreat and is raving about it. It really is a loving, kind, non-judge mental wonderful place! I was shocked to read the poor reviews. With that three days I did stay, my life changed in a good way. I never experienced such wonderful people. I went from chaotic in my brain to calm and more caring. I walked away from there happy and fulfilled. I bought books and gifts for myself! Don't leave without going to the bookstore it's wonderful. Thank you Spirit rock again. I will be coming for a silent retreat soon. I'm more grown-up now and I do meditation daily.

I agree on Jack Kornfield. His lectures are very easy to understand and enriching. People should be aware about parking fee. If you have less than three people in your car, you have to pay $10 for parking fee.

This place is a gift to the community and the Bay Area. If you haven't been here for a meditation class, you don't know what you're missing. They have day-long workshops almost every weekend in addition to the longer overnight retreats. They get great speakers and teachers, everyone is warm and has integrity. What an awesome community.

So wonderful to smell something besides the city, to see the fawns, to not have to make conversation or think about what's for dinner (always vegetarian and extraordinarily good). To not have expectations about what is supposed to happen now or next. Away from city lights, some stars manage to shine through. Being from Oakland, with the exception of the People of Color Retreat, I have found the lack of cultural diversity is a bit jarring. OK. A lot jarring. But it's Marin and I always walk around Marin marveling at how it can manage to be so monotoned. And then I learn to notice these feelings and that is what the Buddha called awareness. The main meditation hall magnificent. Love the place.

This is an amazing and true sanctuary. Great for day retreats and meditation practices. The newsletter is very easy to read and they always have some of the best speakers around. I'm so grateful for a place like this, you can really see the kindness and compassion in the whole community that is involved in making it what it is.

I absolutely love this place. It's a beautiful stretch of land filled w people dedicated to the practice of enriching and mastering this wonderful gift we call "life." Every time I come, I meet someone new and discover something new about myself and the world. It really is a North Bay treasure.

I absolutely love this retreat center, staff, and grounds. I have been going every year since 2003 and will continue to do so. I have been part of the Thanksgiving Retreat and Easter Retreat in Joshua Tree and I highly recommend both! I love Jack, Robert, and Wes! They are special spirits! The grounds are beautiful with wild turkeys roaming, deer, and other creatures. This will be the first year that I will attend an all women retreat. I will keep you updated!

I never knew you could go there without an invitation. I was shocked to learn that I could take my child to visit and enjoy the grounds to meditate. It was a beautiful experience. The bookstore offered offered a rich selection of books ranging from self-help to children's fables and classic stories. It was everything you expected from a bookstore at Spirit Rock! The people there were wonderful they allowed me to read to my daughter and enjoy the bookstore while a seminar was being conducted and the book room emptied. The stories found in the children's books were powerful in their own right and brought both my daughter and self to tears and back to soft giggles as we kept quiet out of respect for the area. Although I could not afford their books (expensive but if I had enough I would have bought them all) however my child and I got a tremendous free of value from our visit and we did end up purchasing some Henna and some special meditation tools and items to help with our chi. They have wonderful classes, they are expanding, they have wonderful trails, a creek that runs through in non drought years and a field of flowers in front where you are welcome to meditate or do yoga. I love this place. If you want to clear your head, work on yourself, or just feel good go there and take a deep breath and stay awhile. (Outdoors unless in class or bookstore).

I went to a one day Jack Kornfield retreat. For the record, even though we only came with two ppl in the car, there was no fee. Gorgeous hills, oaks and forested valleys all around the area. The meditation "hall" was a big disappointment though. Jack K. said that it was 7 portables pushed together... and it felt just like that. Really low ceiling. There were not really sufficient bathrooms for that many people... and although they were clean, they were funky.... portable style. There were people packed into the space: no space for lying/sitting on the floor, just a huge amount of metal folding chairs that SQUEAKED a lot the whole time. I am glad I brought earplugs.... The meditation was a great experience, sitting alternating with walking yoga. I would probably choose to go to a nicer retreat space when I go again: not too into the metal folding chairs and ugly portable.

This Buddhist meditation center, set in a beautiful wooded valley in Marin, teaches Insight meditation, or the practice of mindful awareness. Founded by Jack Kornfield, one of the world's most eminent teachers of meditation and dharma, it offers numerous classes, workshops, and retreats for anyone looking for balance and awareness. I was privileged to be present at Jack's 60th birthday celebrations, and was struck by the sense of community and peacefulness. Will definitely go back to attend some of the classes. http://www.spiritrock.org/