What is Awakening? 4 Practices Rooted in Tradition and Confirmed by Neuroscience, 5-day Silent Meditation Retreat

April 9th - 13th, 2026

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Program is Cancelled Due to Low Enrollment.

Tiered Tuition:
Subsidized – $375
Standard – $ 475
Supporter – $575
+ 4 nights lodging
Combined at checkout

Meals & drinks included
Inc. V, VG, GF

Add extra nights at 50% off

About the Retreat

In this retreat, Tina presents the four categories of meditation rooted in Buddhist tradition and now confirmed by neuroscience. One day is spent on each practice. This allows you to experience the meditation’s purpose, what it does to your consciousness, and how it supports awakening in unique and important ways. This helps you to make wise use of precious time spent in daily practice and retreat, and to better understand  the overall trajectory of your spiritual unfoldment, which can be used over a lifetime of practice.

Tina also explores the question: “What is awakening?” Awakening is the inspiration for many on the spiritual journey, but we may be unclear about what it is, how it happens, and what we can commonly encounter. She provides an overview of how awakening is understood across wisdom traditions, clarifies misconceptions (as well as why scandals happen), and shares more about how to integrate spiritual experiences into everyday life. Participants are also guided in tuning in to their own “flame for awakening.” For a 7-minute video of Tina describing the retreat, click here. The retreat has many periods of sitting meditation, daily dharma talks with Q&A, one guided meditation period daily, and a group or individual interview with the teacher. This retreat is held in silence.

Why Did Past Participants Love this
Retreat?

“I’ve deepened my practice more than ever, due to the clarity of the teaching.”

“My faith in Buddhism has been deepened to a degree previously unimaginable, but is tempered by a profound sobriety of mind and wisdom. Every word of the dharma talks penetrated the core of my being and accelerated my practice.”

Program Schedule

Day 1

Thursday, April 9th – Welcome to the Land

2:00-5:00pm  Registration

5:30-6:00pm  Orientation 

6:00-7:00pm Dinner

7:00- 8:3pm Opening Dharma Talk in Meditation Hall

Days 2-4

Friday-Sunday, April 10th-April 12th – Welcome to the Retreat

 6:30-7:00am Sitting Meditation

 7:00-8:45am Breakfast

 8:45-9:30am Sitting Meditation with Instructions

 9:30-10:00 Walking Meditation, Interviews 

10:00-10:45am Sitting Meditation

10:45-11:15am Walking Meditation, Interviews

11:15-12:00pm Sitting Meditation

12:00-1:45pm Lunch

1:45-2:30pm Sitting Meditation

2:30-3:00pm Walking Meditation, Interviews

3:00-3:45 Sitting Meditation

3:45-4:15 Walking Meditation, Interviews

4:15-5:00pm Sitting Meditation

5:00-6:30pm Light Dinner

6:30-7:00pm Sitting Meditation

7:00-7:15pm Break, Qi Gong

7:15-8:30pm Dharma talk, Q&A

8:30-open Optional Sitting Meditation

Day 5

Monday, April 13th

6:30-7:00am  Sitting Meditation

7:00-8:45am Breakfast

8:45-9:30am Sitting Meditation with Instructions

9:30-10:00 Walking Meditation

10:00-10:45am Sitting Meditation

10:45-12:00pm Dharma Talk, Q&A, Retreat Closing

12:00-1:30pm Lunch and Departure

Retreat Faculty

Tina Rasmussen

Tina Rasmussen, Ph.D., began meditating at age 13, and has practiced in the Theravada and Tibetan Buddhist traditions for 30+ years. In 2003, after many years of Buddhist practice, she was drawn to undertake an intensive year-long solo retreat in which profound experiences occurred. In 2004, Tina took refuge with Tibetan Buddhist teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche, [...]

Lodging

We have several accommodations to choose from during checkout.
All options include our healthy meals and drinks. Inc V, VG, GF.

Off Land
Participants who wish to commute from home or arrange their own accommodations off-campus (for example, a bed and breakfast, camping nearby)  pay tuition, plus $54/night for meals (3 meals per day) and use of our facilities.

Car Camping
We have 5 primitive parking spots in the Rigden parking lot, for simply parking and sleeping. This includes food and access our bathhouses in Rigden Lodge
Note: We don’t have any water or electric hook ups for RV’s.

Dormitories
Rooms with beds for up to 7-8 people. Gender-segregated with men in their own dorm and women in another. The dorms use a shared bathroom down the hall, which is also equipped with shower stalls.

Monk Rooms
A cost-effective option for participants looking for indoor, solitary lodging, but who don’t mind using a shared bathroom or are looking for a more affordable retreat solution. These rooms are in the same hall as the Ridgen Dormitories, but offer more privacy than the dorms. In addition to a bed, bedding, a private room and closet, the monk rooms also have a large window and a desk and desk chair for added comfort.

Single and Double Rooms
The perfect choice for a retreat where you want both your own space and your own bathroom. Each room offers a little more space, a dresser and closet, and a 3/4s bathroom (toilet, sink, and shower, no bathtub) attached to each room.

Junior Suite
Our Lodge Junior Suites include a queen-size bed topped by a cozy comforter, a desk, dresser, closet and private bath with bathtub, plus a sitting area.

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