The Nature of Practice: An Awareness and Wisdom Insight Meditation Retreat
Join us for a four-day residential insight meditation retreat at Appalachian Mountain Club’s Medawisla Lodge and Cabins in Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness.
Teachers: Alexis Santos and Susa Talan, Insight Meditation Teachers and Open Door Co-founders
When: Wednesday, September 10 at 2:00 pm - Sunday, September 14, 2025 at 2:00 pm
Where: AMC’s Medawisla Lodge and Cabins on the Medawisla Access Road, one hour beyond Greenville, ME (directions)
This four-day retreat will support attendees’ exploration of awareness and the development of wisdom through the practice of insight meditation in daily life in a natural setting. In addition to daily dharma talks and formal practice, there will be ample opportunity to practice out of doors by taking advantage of the beautiful lake and surrounding forest to explore mindfulness in nature. This retreat will be appropriate for meditators of all experience levels. Click here for a sample schedule.
Teachers
Open Door co-founders, Alexis Santos and Susa Talan, have extensive experience as insight meditation practitioners and teachers. We are excited to have the opportunity to practice with them again this year. For more information about Alexis and Susa, click here.
Location
The retreat will take place at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Medawisla Lodge and Cabins in Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness, an awe-inspiring setting with comfortable accommodations and delicious, healthful meals. AMC has a long-standing commitment to sustainable operations and environmental stewardship. The main lodge, where our sangha will gather to practice and to enjoy our meals, is solar-powered. In addition, Medawisla (Abanaki for loon) is located on land that has been designated an International Dark Sky Park and is one of the best places for stargazing in the region. Finally, the lodge is accessible by car on a graded dirt road. There is no need to walk or backpack in.
Housing Options
Lodging choices include the following: Bath in Cabin, which indicates a hilltop cabin with bath on the same level as the lodge; Bathhouse Cabin, which indicates a meadow cabin with a shared bathhouse near the waterfront, a short walk downhill from the lodge; and Bunkhouse, one by the hilltop cabins and the other by the meadow cabins, both of which use shared bathhouses. Note that most of the accommodations are shared, with a limited number of private rooms available. For more information about housing options and prices, click here. For a map showing the locations of the cabins, click here.
Recreational Opportunities
There will be periods of time each day for practicing awareness and meditation in nature. Attendees are welcome to bring paddleboards, windsurfers, kayaks, gravel or mountain bikes, swimsuits, wetsuits, fishing rods, etc. Hiking boots and hiking poles are recommended given uneven trail surfaces. A complete checklist of recommended clothing and gear, as well as maps of the surrounding area, will be provided in the summer mailing.
Dana
A foundational Buddhist practice is dana or generosity. Alexis and Susa will offer their teaching as a gift to us. We can show our gratitude by offering dana to them. For more information about offering dana for this retreat, click here.
Scholarships
Open Door is committed to providing equitable access and opportunities for those who otherwise could not attend due to their financial situations. Varying levels of support are available. For more information about how to request a scholarship to attend the retreat click here.
Health/Infectious Disease Policy
Because our aim is to provide a safe and healthy environment for everyone, all attendees will be asked to read and agree to the Health/Infectious Disease Policy.
Cancellation Policy
All attendees will be asked to read and agree to the Cancellation Policy. Note: there will be no refunds after August 1, 2025.
Registration will open on March 14, 2025 at 5:00 pm ET.
Questions: Contact us at residentialretreatopendoor@gmail.com.