This Is It — A Daylong Buddhist Insight Meditation Retreat
Date: Saturday, September 26, from 10:00am to 4:00pm+ Pacific Time
Location: Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple at 6401 NE 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97211
Cost: Gift economy / aka donation
Registration: RSVP required; fill out this form.
There will be a daylong retreat every other month; see further below for the schedule & mission statement.
Retreat Overview
This daylong retreat will invite us to drop the sense of past and future, of getting somewhere or achieving something, and instead nurture along our innate capacity to be here now.
We’ll practice relating to the things that seem to be obstacles not as enemies to be destroyed but present moment occurrences to be seen with awareness and wisdom.
In essence, we’ll practice in the view that “this is it” — that your peace and liberation truly don’t come after a gazillion hours of meditation, but right now.
The day will be held in Noble Silence. Meditators of all experience levels and backgrounds are welcome. There are no prerequisites, requirements, or prior experience with this community needed.
Logistics
The meditation portion of the day will go from 10:00am to 4:00pm PT, with a lunch break around 1pm. Please bring your own lunch.
There will be plenty of chairs and cushions available at the venue.
You are welcome to leave at 4:00pm or stick around for up to another hour for informal socializing and tea.
Sample Schedule:
10:00 – 10:30 — Welcome and opening dharma talk
10:30 – 10:40 — Gentle stretching
10:45 – 11:35 — Lightly guided sitting meditation
11:35 – 12:10 — Walking meditation
12:10 – 1:00 —Lightly guided sitting meditation
1:00 – 1:45 — Lunch
1:45 – 2:00 — Short dharma talk
2:00 – 2:35 — Lightly guided sitting meditation
2:35 – 2:50 — Walking meditation
2:50 – 3:30 — Silent sitting meditation
3:30 – 3:45 — Mindful talking & listening
3:45 – 3:55 — Q&R
3:55 – 4:00 — Closing reflections
Cost
Offered on the gift economy (aka, generosity or donation).
Your presence is the biggest gift, though if you’re able, monetary contributions are always appreciated & help keep the ship afloat. For more info on why I choose to teach entirely on donation, check out this article on “the gift economy.”
Donations can be made in person or electronically via this link.
Bi-Monthly Daylong Retreats – Schedule
- November 21, 2026 – Theme TBD @ H.O.W. Temple
- September 26, 2026 – This Is It @ H.O.W. Temple
- July 25, 2026 — Understanding Nature @ a riverside horse ranch
- May 16, 2026 – Everything Belongs @ H.O.W. Temple
- April 4, 2026 – The Four Foundations of Mindfulness @ Portland Dhamma Center
- January 24, 2026 – The Power of Silence @ Portland Dhamma Center
. - November 22, 2025 – Unraveling Craving @ Portland Dhamma Center
- September 27, 2025 – Wise Aspiration @ Portland Dhamma Center
- July 26, 2025 – The Four Elements @ a riverside horse ranch
- May 24, 2025 – Flowing Awareness @ H.O.W Temple
- March 29, 2025 – Essential Insight @ H.O.W Temple
- January 25. 2025 – The Power of Silence @ H.O.W Temple
. - November 16, 2024 – Courageous Compassion @ H.O.W Temple
- September 7, 2024 – Uprooting Affliction @ H.O.W Temple
- July 27, 2024 – True Nature @ a riverside horse ranch
- May 25, 2024 – Mindfulness of Mind @ H.O.W Temple
- March 30, 2024 – No Self, No Problem @ H.O.W Temple
- January 20, 2024 – The Power of Silence @ virtual
. - November 11, 2023 – Embodied Awareness @ H.O.W Temple
- September 2, 2023 – Opening To What Is @H.O.W Temple
Daylong Retreats – Mission Statement
In a world that pulls our attention in so many directions, there is something incredibly powerful about taking a whole day with meditation as our top priority. In that spirit, here are the two primary purposes of these bi-monthly retreats:
- To create the conditions for people to go deeper into the dhamma — into a more robust stability of mind, peace, loving-kindness, and liberating insight.
- To practice the entire Noble Eightfold Path — as the Sangha Service Days focus more on the virtue section of the Buddha’s Eightfold Path, these days will focus more on the meditation & wisdom sections. This allows us to make a regular practice of the entire path, and do so not in isolation but with others!
Teacher Bio
David Sudar is a former Buddhist monk, who has completed over 3 years of silent retreats, including an intensive 21-month Vipassanā Meditation retreat in Myanmar with his core teacher, Sayadaw U Tejaniya. He currently works as a Buddhist & meditation teacher in Portland, OR. He has taught extensively for the 10% Happier app, Pause Meditation, and the Path of Sincerity Sangha.