Weekend Insight Meditation Retreat with Howard Cohn [Feb5ac]

Be Aware, Be Free - A Weekend Silent Insight Meditation Retreat Howard Cohn, Fri Feb 5 - Sun Feb 7, 2027
About this Event

RETREAT DESCRIPTION - Be Aware, Be Free

The unaware mind wanders through an imaginary world, bound to its own stories and conflicts. The aware mind releases that distress and returns to life as it actually is—simple, immediate, and whole.

This retreat weaves sitting and walking meditation into a continuous thread of embodied presence. Moving between stillness and mindful movement, we train not just in isolated sessions but in the art of letting go across every posture, transition, and breath. Awareness is portable—alive on the cushion, alive on the path, alive in every ordinary moment. This is liberation through letting go in action.

Open to all. Whether you are taking your first retreat or your hundredth, you are welcome. No experience required. Just come as you are, and meet this moment fully.

The general schedule (all times are Vancouver Pacific Time):

Friday, February 5: 7:15–9:00 PM
Saturday, February 6: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Sunday, February 7: 9:30 AM–3:30 PM

GENERAL INFORMATION

Registration: Registration opens on November 5. Please register for your ticket on Eventbrite before the start of the event. There will be no registration onsite at the door. If you are unable to register online or have any questions, please contact [email protected]

In-Person Health and Safety: This retreat is planned to have a limited number of attendees. All health guidelines in place at the time of the retreat for group gatherings will be followed and communicated to attendees. Click for BCIMS' Health and Safety webpage. Please do not attend if you have any symptoms of a fever, cough or a cold, or have had recent contact with anyone with COVID.

A mask optional event: This is a mask optional gathering. We will have masks on site for those who prefer to remain masked. We may change our masking policy should community health conditions shift. We shall communicate any changes on this page and with registrants directly.

Fees: A sliding scale of fees is offered. Please choose the highest rate you can comfortably offer:

Supported Ticket $75 CAD: The supported rate covers about 60% of what is needed for retreat costs and to run our organization. To balance our budget and wisely manage our resources, donations must supplement registration income.
Sustaining Ticket $125 CAD: The sustaining rate represents the actual cost to BCIMS to operate our programs.
Generosity Ticket $175 CAD: The generosity rate covers the cost of the program and also provides funds to subsidize supported tickets and financial assistance. Tax Receipts: Please note that we are unable to offer tax receipts for folks who purchase the Generosity Ticket. If you are interested in receiving a tax receipt, we recommend you purchase a Sustaining Ticket and offer a donation of any amount to BCIMS via our page.
Friday Night Only Ticket $40 CAD: We offer a small number of tickets for folks only able to join for the Friday evening portion.
Student Discount $60: We welcome this option to current students!
Financial Assistance: No one is turned away for lack of funds. If you require additional financial assistance to attend this retreat please contact [email protected].

Please note that your registration fee goes toward retreat costs and BC Insight Meditation Society organizational expenses which allow us to continue offering retreats such as this one. Financial support for the teacher is offered separately.

Teacher Dana: In the Buddhist tradition, teachings are offered freely because they are considered priceless; in the Buddhist tradition we also practice dana, or generosity, by making monetary offerings to the teachers. Dana is not payment for goods or services rendered; it is given from the heart. Your generosity is a gift that supports not just the teachers, but also the Sangha, the larger Dharma community, and your own practice. More info on Dana is shared below.

Cancellation/Refund Policy: You may request a refund up to 24 hours before the start of retreat. Please note there is a $25 non-refundable registration fee. To cancel your ticket, log on to Eventbrite with your email address. Go to your tickets for this event and click on "Request a Refund". Cancellations within 24 hours of the start of retreat will not receive a refund.

Ridesharing: The information collected during registration regarding ridesharing will be shared by email to all interested attendees 7 days prior to the retreat. Attendees are then responsible for connecting directly with each other to make any ridesharing arrangements.

Accessibility: Please visit this outlining accessibility to the Asian Library, located in the Asian Centre.

Before you go: Information about preparing for the retreat, including what to bring, and safety reminders, are sent to attendees a few days before the start of the retreat. You may also to view the information and reminders.

Questions? Please email Retreat Program Director Jess Lee [email protected] if you have any questions. We also invite you to check out our page!

DANA

In-person offering: Envelopes labelled "Dana" will be available at the retreat for you to offer cash dana to Howie.

Other options for offering dana:

• PayPal donations are also welcome at [email protected]. If the option is available, pleasemake the donations to “Friends and Family”.
• Interac transfers may be sent to [email protected]

TEACHER BIO

Howard Cohn is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in the San Francisco Bay area. He has guided Mission Dharma Meditation Community in San Francisco, been in private practice as a counselor/mentor and led Vipassana retreats worldwide since 1985. Although his root tradition is the Burmese Insight Meditation lineage of Mahasi Sayadaw, he also incorporates the influences of Zen, Tibetan Dzogchen and Advaita Vedanta in his teaching, with an emphasis on reawakening our natural peace and freedom. He is the author of Invitation to Meditation.

For more information about Howard and his practice:

DETAILED SCHEDULE

Like all phenomena, the schedule is subject to change. All times listed are Vancouver Pacific Time.

Friday

6:45 - 7:15 PM Check in

7:15 - 9:00 PM Sit and Dharma Talk

9:00 PM Evening Session Ends

Saturday

9:00 - 9:45 AM Instruction and sitting meditation (latecomers: please walk)

9:45 - 10:30 Instruction and walking meditation

10:30 - 11:15 Sitting meditation

11:15 - 12:00 Walking meditation, or practice discussion at the front of the hall for new meditators

12:00 PM - 12:30 Sitting

12:30 - 1:30 Lunch* (Optional Lunch Gathering for new meditators, please see * below)

1:30 - 2:00 Sitting

2:00 - 2:15 Dana Talk

2:15 to 2:30 Questions and Response

2:30 - 2:45 Walking meditation

2:45 - 3:30 Dharma talk

3:30 - 4:15 Walking meditation, or practice discussion at the front of the hall for retreatants A through G

4:15 - 5:00 Sitting

*Optional Lunch Gathering for folks newer to meditation: a BCIMS community leader will be holding space in an informal setting on Saturday to check-in, ask questions, and share in community. We invite experienced yogis to support us in maintaining noble silence through your lunch hour. We will offer more information at the retreat during the Morning Welcome.

Sunday

9:00 AM - 9:45 Instruction and sitting meditation (latecomers: please walk)

9:45 - 10:30 Walking meditation, or practice discussion at the front of the hall for meditators H through O

10:30 - 11:15 Sitting meditation

11:15 - 12:00 PM Walking meditation or practice discussion at the front of the hall for meditators P through Z

12:00- 12:30 Sitting

12:30 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30 - 2:00 Sitting

2:00 - 2:30 Walking meditation

2:30 - 3:20 Dharma talk / Questions and Response

3:20 - 3:25 Teacher Closing / Dedication of Merit

3:25 - 3:30 Closing Announcements

3:30pm End

Optional Post-Retreat Gathering: Please join with community for a post-retreat gathering in the lobby, share snacks, connect with friends old and new, and come out of retreat together! Folks from BCIMS will be on hand to help answer any questions as well.

With heartfelt gratitude, BCIMS acknowledges we are based in what is now known as Vancouver, BC, the beautiful, traditional, and unceded lands of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, who live on and have stewarded this land for thousands of years.