Dates: May 18 - 23, 2025
Location: Open Door Meditation Community (map) and online
Enrich your practice with a multiday, non-residential retreat for both new and experienced meditators. This retreat is designed to be accessible to all whose work and family life make attending a weeklong residential retreat challenging. The partially hybrid retreat* schedule includes a Sunday late afternoon/evening in-person opening session, morning online instruction, and five evening in-person sessions. Over the six days of the retreat, Open Door co-founders Alexis Santos and Susa Talan will support participants as they deepen and grow their practice both on the cushion and in their daily lives.
*What is meant by a partially hybrid retreat?
Partially hybrid means the morning sits will be online, and the opening and evening sessions (dharma talk, sit, and Q&A) will be held in person at ODMC.
Who should participate?
While no prior retreat experience is necessary, participants must commit to attending the Sunday in-person opening session, all in-person evening sessions, and all morning online sessions. (See below for more details about the schedule.) A Zoom link will be provided to registrants for the morning online sessions.
What does the schedule look like?
Sunday, May 18
Afternoon in-person opening session: 4-8 pm; break for potluck dinner
Monday, May 19 - Friday, May 23:
Morning online instructions: 7:30-8:30 am
Evening in-person sit, dharma talk, Q+A: 6-8 pm*
*Wednesday evening, ODMC sangha joins first hour (5:30-7:30pm)
Final Friday evening closing potluck
What does it cost?
There is no registration fee for this retreat. In keeping with the Buddhist tradition of dana, the retreat will be supported entirely by the practice of generosity. Please note that the teachers will be supported only by dana, with the same being true for rental costs for the Open Door space. Participants’ generosity will be vital to the continuation of such remarkable offerings. Information about how to contribute will be provided at the end of the retreat.
Questions? Please email Julia.
Alexis Santos started his meditation and mindfulness practice in 2001. His primary teacher is Sayadaw U Tejaniya, from the Burmese Theravada tradition, with whom he ordained as a Buddhist monk from 2003 - 2005. He is a 2016 graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS four-year teacher training program and co-founded Open Door Meditation Community in Portland, ME with Susa Talan. Alexis leads meditation retreats across North America and around the world.
Susa Talan cofounded Open Door Meditation Community with Alexis Santos. She has studied and practiced Insight Meditation since 2006 and is a long-time student of Sayadaw U Tejaniya with whom she temporarily ordained in 2010. Susa graduated from a two-year Community Dharma Mentoring program with Narayan Helen Liebenson through Cambridge Insight Meditation Community. Learn more about Susa and her availability here.