Vipassana & Embodied Insight

A unique retreat where Vipassana Meditation meets movement practices from Butoh, dance improvisation, and ecosomatics to support the unfolding of embodied insight.

We explore the principles of Vipassana meditation: clear-seeing, understanding of impermanence, non-self and suffering, and insight into interconnectedness — through silence, stillness, and movement.

​

How can Vipassana meditation be supplemented with active, embodied practices to help support the unfolding and living of insight?

Over four days, we connect with ourselves and with each other, held within a simple schedule.

At 6 AM we begin with Vipassana meditation, followed by a guided movement practice. After breakfast, we enter a contemplative movement session in the studio. In the afternoons, after a one-hour group meditation, we explore simple exercises from dance improvisation that cultivate embodied insight, both in the studio and in nature. Evenings hold space for a Dhamma talk and a group meditation.

This retreat differs from a traditional Vipassana retreat in that solo meditation is complemented by practices that help us meet the world and move with awareness. Embodied Insight means carrying what we cultivate on the cushion into movement — engaging with authenticity and a lived, embodied understanding of non-self, impermanence, and interdependence.

In the texts, Vipassana practice is often preceded by contemplation of the body: the elements of the body, the impermanence of the body, the body as an empty vessel devoid of “I, me, mine.” We have found many parallels in movement and dance that explore these themes. This retreat creates a space where these preliminary contemplations can be explored alongside sitting Vipassana meditation.

A 48-hour silence period will deepen our process, allowing inner and collective silence to emerge. Writing, alone time, and group sharing will support integration. We encourage participants to step away from the online world during the retreat.

As facilitators, our experience in intensive meditation retreats found fertile ground when we entered the realm of dance. We believe that silence and stillness are profoundly enhanced by dance and movement therapy, fostering connection with beauty, mystery, and interconnectedness. In this way, transformation moves from the individual to the collective.