Online Retreat with Upasaka Upali and Tucker Peck, Ph.D.

Friday, January 22nd – Sunday, January 31st, 2021

What to expect

  • The same structure as a residential retreat: Group Meditation, 1:1 Interviews, and Dharma talks all happening live and in-person over Zoom.
  • To deepen your practice from your own home or from wherever you decide to attend!

The Schedule

  • The schedule is based around a series of 4-hour meditation blocks throughout the day. It alters seated and walking meditation. It’s a recommended schedule, so it’s not set in stone. You’ll receive a link to the schedule when you register, and there’s an example in the FAQ below.
  • Each full retreat day has a dharma talk at 1 pm New York Time (10 am San Francisco / 7 pm Berlin)
  • You will also have two 1:1 meditation interviews throughout the long weekend that work with your timezone. Office hours are available if you’d like to talk more.

Cost

  • There is a $300 refundable deposit to attend, aka “the flake tax” that can be returned after you complete the retreat. This is to ensure attendance for interviews and Dharma talks.
  • The retreat is taught on Dana, a Pali word meaning generosity. At the end of the retreat, you may give Dana to support the teachings and the teacher. Upali will explain more about Dana if you have questions.

Registration


    
     
   
If you have any special instructions or comments, put them here.

FAQ

Do I have to follow the schedule to attend the retreat?
You are NOT required to follow the schedule precisely in order to attend. You can design a schedule that works best for you. Please make sure you attend dharma talks, 1:1 interviews, and as much group meditation as possible. Also, please be intentional with your schedule. For example, if you are making your own schedule, please plan that schedule in advance and avoid making last-minute changes during the retreat. Also, keep in mind that a significant point of a meditation retreat is to meditate as much as possible. Wherever possible, let your schedule reflect this.

I want to attend, but I can’t for the whole retreat. Can I still come?
Short answer: Yes. More meditation is usually better than less meditation. While attending the entirety of the retreat is ideal, if attending a portion of this retreat is all you can do, you are welcome to attend. Make sure to let me know the days you will attend in the registration form so I can know when to schedule your 1:1 interview(s).

Do I have to maintain noble silence to attend?
Please maintain Noble Silence during your time scheduled to participate in the retreat. To get the full benefit of retreat, this would ideally carry over beyond our online times together throughout the entirety of the retreat. However, if you are in a situation where you must communicate with others outside of the practice time, or it’s more appropriate for you to communicate with others, that’s okay. You might use times of communication during the weekend to be especially mindful of Right Speech.

Where do meditation interviews happen and how often?
Interviews happen through breakout rooms in Zoom. All you need to do is be present at the main zoom link, and I will send you an invite for our 1:1 meeting that will take you to a separate video chat room. You will have 2 interviews in total. There will also be “office hours” if you need to check-in with a teacher more often.

This will be my first meditation retreat. How does a meditation retreat work?
Congratulations! Check out this general meditation retreat FAQ. (It’s for in-person retreats, but it might help you get more of an idea about what to expect).

What does the schedule look like?
Here’s a sample:

Proposed Eastern / New York Time Schedule

HourTimeActivity
08:00 AMSeated Meditation
19:00Walking Meditation
1.59:30Seated Meditation
2.510:30Walking Meditation
311:00Seated Meditation
412:00Meal, Physical Activity, Break, or More Meditation
513:00Dharma Talk
6.514:30Break or Walking Meditation
715:00Seated Meditation
816:00Walking Meditation
8.516:30Seated Meditation
9.517:30Walking Meditation
1018:00Seated Meditation
1119:00Meal, Physical Activity, Break, or More Meditation
1220:00Seated Meditation
1321:00Walking Meditation
13.521:30Seated Meditation

Still have questions? Just email upasakaupali@gmail.com