Saturday, December 7, 2024 10:00 am – 4:00 pm The Studio at Oshun House, Saskatoon
Join us for a day of simplicity, stillness, and also kindness, as a way of preparing for what can be a busy or complex season. Together we will practice cultivating the inner refuge of peace that we can carry in our hearts anywhere we go.
This day will include instruction, dharma reflections, deep practices of rest and nourishment, and community practice. Everyone is welcome.
Please bring a mat for lying down meditation.
This retreat is offered through mutual generosity. When you register, there will be an opportunity to pay a registration fee to help SIMC cover our administration costs. During the retreat, we will provide information for those who are able to offer financial support to Jeanne.
We have a limit of 20 spots for this event. Please register early to avoid disappointment.
Jeanne Corrigal is the guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, and a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS teacher training program. She has trained primarily in the Burmese lineage of Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, with a great affinity for the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Buddhadasa and for the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is a certified MBSR teacher, is certified with Indigenous Focusing Oriented Trauma Therapy (IFOT), and she has trained with Mindful Schools and Somatic Experiencing. She has taught with Mindfulness Magazine, Lion’s Roar and Tricycle’s online programs, and teaches across North America. She is Metis, and one of her first teachers in loving presence was Cree Elder Jim Settee.
An in-person residential retreat with Jeanne Corrigal
November 15-17, 2024 St Peter’s Abbey, Muenster SK
The Buddha invites us to ‘Live in Joy’, touching its source in our own hearts. Mindfulness allows us to clearly see subtle joys and how to cultivate them: joy sustains the heart and leads to liberation. This retreat will touch reliable kinds joy that are accessible in every moment, open our eyes to unexpected sources of joy, and explore the role joy plays in temporary awakening. Knowing the doorway to this nourishment can support us in daily life, and in the challenges of our times.
The weekend will include dharma talks, instruction, practice, reflection, and relational practice, so that we feel the support of the community as we reflect together.
This retreat is held at St. Peter’s Abbey, in Muenster, SK. There are 29 single occupancy rooms available, and lovely grounds to walk in.
We request that you fully commit to participating in the whole retreat, from 7:00 pm pm November 15 to 4 pm November 17.
This retreat is offered by mutual generosity. When you register, there will be a registration fee to help SIMC cover our costs. If cost is a barrier, scholarship support is available.
During the retreat, we will provide information for those who are able to offer financial support to Jeanne.
Registration
Registration is closed.
Health and Wellness Protocol
As an act of care for our community, especially since some of our retreatants have immune deficiency issues, we will try to be sensitive to everyone’s needs. While mask wearing is optional, we will suggest frequent hand washing and social distancing. In addition:
If you have any respiratory or flu symptoms (coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath, runny nose, fever, or sore throat), no matter what you think the cause for these symptoms might be, we are asking you to wear an N95 or KN95 mask and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
Physical distancing should be possible in the hall.
There will also be air filters in our meditation hall. The center itself does not have air purifiers, but we will keep them on in the hall throughout the week.
Jeanne Corrigal is the guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, and a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS teacher training program. She has trained primarily in the Burmese lineage of Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, with a great affinity for the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Buddhadasa and for the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is a certified MBSR teacher, is certified with Indigenous Focusing Oriented Trauma Therapy (IFOT), and she has trained with Mindful Schools and Somatic Experiencing. She has taught with Mindfulness Magazine, Lion’s Roar and Tricycle’s online programs, and teaches across North America. She is Metis, and one of her first teachers in loving presence was Cree Elder Jim Settee.
This is for a past event – please visit our Upcoming Events page for current offerings.
An Evening of Social Meditation
Join us for an immersive evening of Social Meditation, where mindfulness meets community. In this introductory session on social meditation, we will explore practices designed to deepen your awareness while engaging with others in a supportive environment. Guided by the principles of mindfulness, this evening offers an opportunity to experience how meditation can be both personal and collective. Whether you’re new to meditation or looking to expand your practice, we invite you to join us for a unique evening of connection and reflection.
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 7:00-8:30 pm The Studio at Oshun House, Saskatoon
This evening is offered on the basis of mutual generosity. There will be an opportunity to contribute towards the expenses of the evening and to support the teacher.
Please register here: registration closed
We have a limit of 20 spots for this event. Please register early to avoid disappointment.
Andrea Grzesina is a certified mindfulness teacher with the Mindfulness Training Institute, having trained under Mark Coleman and Martin Aylward in 2021. Jeanne Corrigal has been her teacher and mentor for many years. She was invited into the 2024-25 Buddhist Geeks Teacher Training with Vince Fakhoury Horn and Emily West Horn. Andrea’s passion for the Dharma and continuous learning led her to complete the Intensive Practice Program at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, various Social Meditation Facilitation courses, along with many dharma study programs. She has been a dedicated practitioner since 2014, and contributes to SIMC as a local dharma leader, planning committee member, volunteer, retreat manager, and occasional cookie baker.
Unfortunately we have cancelled this offering due to lack of enrolment. Please watch our website for future offerings.
This six-week introduction to mindfulness course will teach skills to develop a focused and embodied attention, self awareness, emotional intelligence, and greater sense of ease and well being. The course will include a variety of mindfulness meditations and practical ways to integrate mindfulness into daily activities at work, home and in relationships.
The course will include the following:
Training in meditation, developing awareness of breath, body, feelings and thoughts.
Managing stress and learning how to shift from reaction to response.
Recognizing and letting go of unhelpful habitual thoughts and mind states.
Exploring, understanding and working with a range of emotional experience.
The intro course is designed for beginners to mindfulness or those who would like a refresher in its basic principles and techniques.
Each two-hour class will have a mix of the following components:
Guided meditation
Talk on weekly themes
Practice check-ins
Question and Responses
Experiential practices or exercises
Small group practices (dyads, triads, mindful listening and speaking), or alternative journaling activities
Suggested home practices
Dates and times
Tuesdays, October 29-December 3, 2023 7-9 pm
Location
The Studio at Oshun House, Saskatoon
Course fee
Administration fee: The administration fee paid at the time of registration helps cover the administrative costs for SIMC. This is offered on a sliding scale.
Teacher dana/donation: The registration fee does not include teacher support – there will be an opportunity to offer dana to the teachers. See dana information below.
Registration
Cancelled.
Course Teacher
Andrea Grzesina is a certified mindfulness teacher with the Mindfulness Training Institute, having trained under Mark Coleman and Martin Aylward in 2021. Jeanne Corrigal has been her teacher and mentor for many years. She was invited into the 2024-25 Buddhist Geeks Teacher Training with Vince Fakhoury Horn and Emily West Horn. Andrea’s passion for the Dharma and continuous learning led her to complete the Intensive Practice Program at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, various Social Meditation Facilitation courses, along with many dharma study programs. She is also a dedicated practitioner since 2014, and contributes to SIMC as a local dharma leader, planning committee member, volunteer, retreat manager, and occasional cookie baker.
Guest Teacher
Jeanne Corrigal is the guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, and a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS teacher training program. She has trained primarily in the Burmese lineage of Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, with a great affinity for the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Buddhadasa and for the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is a certified MBSR teacher, is certified with Indigenous Focusing Oriented Trauma Therapy (IFOT), and she has trained with Mindful Schools and Somatic Experiencing. She has taught with Mindfulness Magazine, Lion’s Roar and Tricycle’s online programs, and teaches across North America. She is Metis, and one of her first teachers in loving presence was Cree Elder Jim Settee.
This course outline has been adapted from the Six-week Introductory Training in Mindfulness, developed by the Mindfulness Training Institute.
Some words about the practice of dana
We often have queries about what might be an appropriate range for any financial dana offering to the teachers, that you might wish to make. Before we consider this, it is really important to know that the teaching of dana is a liberation teaching, because it is an intentional opportunity to practice generosity, which can directly erode the habit in the mind of grasping. The Buddha invites us to tune into the joy of dana, the joy of giving, before, during and after… so please, see this as a joy and liberation practice!
One of the gifts of dana is that it is optional, and if people decide to give in this way, they can give according to their means. And at the same time, asking about a range is a reasonable question… in Asia, folks often have an idea of how much is needed to support a teacher’s “requisites”, but in the west, we don’t have the same kind of guidelines, and folks in the west can be left a little bit out at sea in this area.
Offering guidance can be sensitive, as everyone’s circumstances are different. That said, in order to support the teachings, we offer these guidelines as a place to start, and those who wish to give in this way can move up or down on the scale, according to their means.
One guideline is to give the amount that brings you joy, knowing that your dana is supporting the teachings to carry on (while being aware of not breaking the bank 🙂). One may also seek guidance by looking at the fees that are charged for similar events of workshops in our culture. Movies now cost $15 or more; yoga classes often $15/hour; in addition, workshop leaders are often compensated in recognition of the time it takes to prepare materials, the presentation, as well as their expertise.
Perhaps a helpful starting point for our sessions would be $30 – $40 per class. (This would be a range of something like $180 – $240 for the course).
Please feel free to offer less than this in order to ensure your participation, knowing that your presence and any financial contribution are valued. Please feel free to offer more, if you are able, and it brings you joy to support others and the program in this precious way. And, please know that we are very grateful for both the dana of your presence in the course, and your financial dana; both contribute to our capacity to continue teaching. You can feel that your support is supporting the Dharma. Thank you.
We aspire always to nurture community and connection. Committed to being truly inclusive, we welcome people of all social identities, including all ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, abilities and cultures.
This is for a past event – please visit our Upcoming Events page for current offerings.
Tending our Inner Garden
“I believe in our resilience. What is best in us is eager to grow.” – Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
An in-person daylong retreat with Jeanne Corrigal
Saturday, September 28, 2024 10:00 am – 4:00 pm The Studio at Oshun House, Saskatoon
In the season of harvest, we will water and grow wholesome states which nourish our hearts and minds. This quiet community tending is a sacred activity, which blossoms in the midst of all the ongoing challenges we face now. It is an essential work, supporting and sustaining the heart for our work in the world.
This day will include instruction, dharma reflections, sitting, walking, and relational practices. Everyone is welcome.
This retreat is offered through mutual generosity. When you register, there will be an opportunity to pay a registration fee to help SIMC cover our administration costs. During the retreat, we will provide information for those who are able to offer financial support to Jeanne.
Jeanne Corrigal is the guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, and a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS teacher training program. She has trained primarily in the Burmese lineage of Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, with a great affinity for the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Buddhadasa and for the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is a certified MBSR teacher, is certified with Indigenous Focusing Oriented Trauma Therapy (IFOT), and she has trained with Mindful Schools and Somatic Experiencing. She has taught with Mindfulness Magazine, Lion’s Roar and Tricycle’s online programs, and teaches across North America. She is Metis, and one of her first teachers in loving presence was Cree Elder Jim Settee.
Friends, we are delighted to announce that our next 7-month deep dive dharma program is open for registration. Living the Dharma in Community (LDC) supports participants to deepen their formal practice and to integrate the dharma into their daily life through study, reflection, and community practice.
Our theme this year will be The Path to Awakening: Exploring the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. The Seven Factors of Awakening are important qualities both on retreat and in daily life. Cultivating and balancing these factors support insight and freedom, understood as the highest happiness. We will also explore liberation teachings themselves, including Liberative Dependent Origination, emptiness, awareness, and not-self. This course will be situated in the context of our lives: how can these teachings support us in wisdom in the midst of all that is happening in the world.
Living the Dharma in Community combines the wisdom of study, reflection, and practice together. The course includes:
7 two-hour monthly-ish sessions (in-person or online) combining dharma talks, small group reflections, and relational practice. Participants have shared that one of the highlights of this course is the relational practice, which truly supports dharma friendship.
Monthly home reflections, including sutta study, reading, audio resources, practice suggestions and reflection questions following each session.
Connecting with dharma buddies.
Optional daily support for integration during the month of January with Andrea Grzesina.
Administration fee: The administration fee paid at the time of registration helps cover the administrative costs for SIMC.
Teacher dana/donation: The registration fee does not include teacher support – there will be an opportunity to offer dana to our teacher Jeanne Corrigal. Jeanne will also share your generosity with our supporting dharma leader, Andrea Grzesina. See dana information below.
Jeanne Corrigal is the guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, and a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS teacher training program. She has trained primarily in the Burmese lineage of Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, with a great affinity for the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Buddhadasa and for the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is a certified MBSR teacher, is certified with Indigenous Focusing Oriented Trauma Therapy (IFOT), and she has trained with Mindful Schools and Somatic Experiencing. She has taught with Mindfulness Magazine, Lion’s Roar and Tricycle’s online programs, and teaches across North America. She is Metis, and one of her first teachers in loving presence was Cree Elder Jim Settee.
Some words about the practice of dana
We often have queries about what might be an appropriate range for any financial dana offering to the teachers, that you might wish to make. Before we consider this, it is really important to know that the teaching of dana is a liberation teaching, because it is an intentional opportunity to practice generosity, which can directly erode the habit in the mind of grasping. The Buddha invites us to tune into the joy of dana, the joy of giving, before, during and after… so please, see this as a joy and liberation practice!
One of the gifts of dana is that it is optional, and if people decide to give in this way, they can give according to their means. And at the same time, asking about a range is a reasonable question… in Asia, folks often have an idea of how much is needed to support a teacher’s “requisites”, but in the west, we don’t have the same kind of guidelines, and folks in the west can be left a little bit out at sea in this area.
Offering guidance can be sensitive, as everyone’s circumstances are different. That said, in order to support the teachings, we offer these guidelines as a place to start, and those who wish to give in this way can move up or down on the scale, according to their means.
One guideline is to give the amount that brings you joy, knowing that your dana is supporting the Dharma to carry on (while being aware of not breaking the bank 🙂). One may also seek guidance by looking at the fees that are charged for similar events of workshops in our culture. Movies now cost $15 or more; yoga classes often $15/hour; in addition, workshop leaders are often compensated in recognition of the time it takes to prepare materials, the presentation, as well as their expertise.
Perhaps a helpful starting point for our sessions would be $30 – $40 per class. (This would be a range of something like $210 – $280 for the program). For one-on-one practice talks with Jeanne, a range of $35 – $50 per meeting could be a good range to consider.
Please feel free to offer less than this in order to ensure your participation, knowing that your presence and any financial contribution are valued. Please feel free to offer more, if you are able, and it brings you joy to support others and the program in this precious way. Feel free to offer monthly or once or twice during the course – whatever works for you. And, please know that we are very grateful for both the dana of your presence in the program, and your financial dana; both danas contribute to our capacity to continue teaching. You can feel that your support is supporting the Dharma. Thank you.
If you wish to offer your generosity to support Jeanne and our community, please visit our dana page to find details.
More information about the LDC
This program supports a shift from seeing the dharma as something we fit into our lives, to seeing our life through the lens of the dharma: the movement from having a spiritual practice to having a spiritual life. This is not about changing our lives, but rather changing our relationship with life. This program is offered in support of each of us living fully, with an open heart, expanding kindness, and wisdom and care for the world. Living the Dharma in Community combines the wisdom of study, reflection, and practice together.
This annual course is designed both for new participants and as a progressive deepening for those who join over multiple years. Currently we plan a rotation over 6 years, spiralling round to the first themes again in year 7. You can join in any year, and deepen through more than one 6 year cycle, coming to the first themes again with lived understanding. This can be a way of really seeing the deepening of our practice, over time. There are in-person and online options.
This is for a past event – please visit our Upcoming Events page for current offerings.
Please bring a vegetarian potluck dish Sept 19 at 6:00 pm to celebrate. We will be at Leanne Brunelle’s home a few kilometres outside of Saskatoon, hopefully outside, if weather permits. Thank you so much, Leanne! Directions will be included in the confirmation email to you when you let us know you are coming.
Bring a vegetarian dish to share, along with your own cutlery, cup, and dishes. Tea will be available. If you have a chair, please bring that as well.
Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s retreat. Although we hoped that the date change to early September would work for the community, we just don’t have enough registration to go ahead. We have already tentatively scheduled back to the last week of August for 2025 (August 25-31 – dates to be confirmed), and we hope that you can join us again then. We will update our website when the dates and other details are figured out.
Our True Nature: Still, Easeful, Spacious
Silent Insight Meditation retreat at lovely Zeden Lake, with Jeanne Corrigal
September 2-8, 2024
Meditating on the lake in 2023 Photo by Andrea G.
Practicing in community with beloved nature as a teacher can cultivate deep settling, nurture the heart, and free the mind. This retreat will support these innate processes through pathways of concentration, kindness, awareness, and liberation. As we rest into these practices we can come to understand our own true nature more deeply, and this can be a nourishment and wisdom that we carry in all aspects of our lives. In this time of global crisis, the refuge of nature can support our embodied care, engagement in the world, and capacity to love the earth.
The retreat includes dharma talks, practice talks with Jeanne, reflective meditation practices, and gentle paddling each day. For more information, please email the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community at contact@saskatooninsight.com.
Photo of Zeden Lake, from the St John Bosco Wilderness Camp website.
Retreat requirements
To support the safety and practical aspects of this nature retreat, we ask that participants have:
A minimum of one weekend silent insight meditation retreat, or a conversation with Jeanne to understand more about your experience.
Previous insight meditation practice.
Good swimming and basic canoe skills.
If tenting, basic camping experience.
Retreat Etiquette
We will share the happiness of the community work meditations of on-site food preparation and clean up.
This retreat will be held in silence, except for safety and logistical needs, and for practice talks with Jeanne. This supports the whole community.
Please come prepared to participate fully in the retreat schedule: Day 1: 3:45 pm to 9 pm Days 2-6: 6 am to 9 pm Day 7: 6 am to noon
Please note there is no cell-phone coverage at this location. An emergency number will be provided for you to give to family or friends in case they need to contact you.
Base registration fee: $315, plus a food contribution equaling about $80-$100.
The base fee is for those who plan to camp (bring your own tent, etc.). There are some additional options for accommodation: 1) A bed in a bunkhouse for an additional $63 (total 2) A private bedroom in a cabin for an additional $315 3) A private bedroom with a shared bathroom for an additional $378
Some scholarship support is available, if the registration fee is a barrier.
Registration fees cover the operational expenses of the retreat (site, equipment, fees, transportation, etc.). They do not cover the teachings, which are offered on a dana basis. Dana is a Pali word meaning generosity. In keeping with Buddhist tradition, teachers do not charge for their services but are sustained by the generosity of their students. Dana allows the teacher and retreat manager to continue their Dharma work. There will be an opportunity to offer dana to Jeanne for her teaching. (Ways to offer dana to Jeanne.)
Protocols to safely offer this retreat in light of Covid will be determined closer to the event.
Registration
Registration is closed.
Jeanne Corrigal is the guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, and a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS teacher training program. She has trained primarily in the Burmese lineage of Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, with a great affinity for the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Buddhadasa and for the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is a certified MBSR teacher, is certified with Indigenous Focusing Oriented Trauma Therapy (IFOT), and she has trained with Mindful Schools and Somatic Experiencing. She has taught with Mindfulness Magazine, Lion’s Roar and Tricycle’s online programs, and teaches across North America. She is Metis, and one of her first teachers in loving presence was Cree Elder Jim Settee.
June 1-8, 2024 Queen’s House Retreat & Renewal Centre, Saskatoon
A fuller retreat description is coming soon.
This retreat will offer dharma talks, practice talks, and to close, gentle relational community practice.
Details about the retreat are being confirmed.
This retreat is offered by mutual generosity. When you register, there will be a registration fee to help SIMC cover our costs. During the retreat, we will provide information for those who are able to offer financial support to the teachers. If cost is a barrier, some scholarship support is available.
Registration
Registration is closed
Guidelines for caring around COVID
We will review the situation in Saskatoon closer to the event and will publish guidelines at that time.
Guy Armstrong has been practicing Insight Meditation for over 30 years. His training included a year as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, primarily with Ajahn Buddhadasa. He began teaching in 1984 and has led retreats in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Guy is a member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council and a Guiding Teacher of Insight Meditation Society. He is the author of Emptiness: A Practical Guide for Meditators.
Sally Armstrong began practicing vipassana meditation in India in 1981 and started teaching in 1996. She is a member of the Spirit Rock Teacher’s Council and has served as a co-guiding teacher at Spirit Rock. She developed and led Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioners Program and Advanced Practitioner Program. She has a keen interest in supporting students who want to deepen their practice and understanding. She regularly teaches retreats on themes such as metta or concentration, as well as the multiweek retreats at Spirit Rock and the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts.
Jeanne Corrigal is the guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, and a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS teacher training program. She deeply appreciates metta and nature based practices. She has been practicing since 1999, and is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioner and Community Dharma Leader Programs. Jeanne is certified with Indigenous Focusing Oriented Trauma Therapy (IFOT), is a certified MBSR teacher, and she has trained with Mindful Schools and Somatic Experiencing. She is Metis, and one of her first teachers in loving presence was Cree Elder Jim Settee.
This is for a past event – please visit our Upcoming Events page for current offerings.
Sitting in the City
An in-person daylong retreat with Jeanne Corrigal
Saturday, May 4, 2024 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Starting at The Salon at Oshun House
Join us for a day of contemplative meditation practises in the parks and elm lined streets of Saskatoon. This urban retreat will explore sitting, walking, and four elements practice as ways of opening to our own nature of spacious awareness. As we strengthen our connection to this innate refuge, we can engage with the ongoing challenges of our world with more steadiness.
This retreat is anchored in Early Buddhist teachings, combined with teachings from Jeanne’s Metis background. Everyone is welcome.
This retreat will begin indoors, and if weather permits, will continue outdoors as much as possible. If weather is not conducive, all of our practices can be done indoors also.
What to bring: rain gear (just in case!) warm enough clothing to be outside all day something to lie on, on the ground lawn chair or other easily carried sitting gear water bottle lunch to eat outdoors
This retreat is offered through mutual generosity. When you register, there will be an opportunity to pay a registration fee to help SIMC cover our administration costs. During the retreat, we will provide information for those who are able to offer financial support to Jeanne.
Registration
Registration is closed.
Jeanne Corrigal is the guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, and a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS teacher training program. She deeply appreciates metta and nature based practices. She has been practicing since 1999, and is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioner and Community Dharma Leader Programs. Jeanne is certified with Indigenous Focusing Oriented Trauma Therapy (IFOT), is a certified MBSR teacher, and she has trained with Mindful Schools and Somatic Experiencing. She is Metis, and one of her first teachers in loving presence was Cree Elder Jim Settee.
