Welcome to Retreat, by Richard Miller

In 1985, I shared deep stillness with my teacher, Jean Klein. We sat together overlooking the inner courtyard at Santa Sabina Retreat Center, before heading into the teaching room for Jean’s morning meditation program. Fast forward to 2003, and I’m now sitting quietly in the same spot, sharing silence with one of my students, before heading in to teach.

Today, I am in my thirty-second year of coming to Santa Sabina. Of all the worldwide centers where I’ve been on retreat, Santa Sabina is my favorite site. It was built in 1939 as a house of spiritual formation for women preparing to join the community of Dominican Sisters. However, in 1970, its doors were opened to spiritual seekers of all traditions. The Center’s contemplative roots permeate this sacred space, as a place of study, community gathering, and contemplative spiritual exploration. The atmosphere at Santa Sabina is truly a place of peace and welcoming, saturated with deep silence and stillness that wholeheartedly supports mining the depths of meditative self-inquiry and awakening to our Essential Nature.

Stephanie Lopez and I are now welcoming you into retreat — into the teaching room — to begin our annual winter iRest Meditation four-day silent retreat.​ Imagine yourself in community with like-minded peers, exploring the depths of the precious spiritual teachings of unqualified nondualism through early morning chanting, breathsensing and meditation; mid-morning bodysensing and iRest yoga nidra; afternoon meditation, self-inquiry and dialogue; and evening meditation and intimate conversation. This is your time for rest, renewal, and for embodying these sacred teachings in your life. Isn’t it time you stepped into retreat? I look forward to seeing you in February.

Join Stephanie & I on Retreat at Santa Sabina

Blessings,
Richard