Category: 2026 Events

June 2026 retreat 🏠

Please note that as of October 4, we are fully subscribed for the residential and commuter spots. However, the wait list is not that long, so we can still accept people to the waitlist. Register using the link below.

Samadhi and Insight: Anapanasati Sutta

Co-hosted by the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community
and Edmonton Insight Meditation.

A serene statue of Buddha sitting in a meditative pose. The statue has carvings that define the robes and facial features. Surrounding the statue are cherry blossom branches with soft pink and white petals. The background is a blur of more blossoms. The lighting is soft. The statue is partially shaded by a rocky formation on the right. Image by Medusa_Print_Art from Pixabay.

The Anapanasati Sutta (Mindfulness of Breathing in sixteen steps) is an experiential map of joy, tranquility, and liberation. This classic teaching provides the foundation for cultivating concentration (samadhi) and developing insights that lead to the freedom of mind and heart.

It is inspiring to know that this was a fundamental practice for the Buddha. This teaching underlies much of our mindfulness practice, and when explored in-depth can enliven, energize, and deepen the practice as we become more able to work with it intentionally, on retreat and in our daily lives. Anapanasati can become a steady and embodied support for wise response in these times.

Date

June 5-14, 2026

Beginning on the first day with optional supper and then 7 pm start
Ending at 11 am on the last day with clean up and then optional lunch after

Location

The Star of the North Retreat House
3A St. Vital Avenue, St. Albert, AB T8N 1K1

Registration

This is the registration link.

Retreat Information

Registration Fee

Private single occupancy bedroom – $1450 (benefactor $1750, supported $1150) – 50 rooms available
Commuter $830 (benefactor $995, supported $665) – 8 spots available

Accomodations

There are 50 private single occupancy bedrooms for overnight accommodation each with their own bed, sink, desk and chair and access to shared bathrooms with showers.

We have a very limited number of rooms with ensuite bathrooms for a base rate of $1600. If you would like to be considered for an ensuite, please let us know why. We cannot guarantee your request will be granted.

Meals

The following meals will be provided:
Breakfast (June 6-14)
Lunch (June 6-13)
Supper (June 6-13)

For an additional fee, you can optionally add supper on June 5 ($26.50) and/or lunch on June 14 ($21.50).

Cancellation Policy

50% of the registration fee is due upon confirmation of registration. Your spot will not be reserved until payment is received.
Full payment is due by March 1, 2026.

If you find it necessary to cancel, your administration fee will be refunded according to the following schedule:

  1. $50 fee for cancellations March 15, 2026 or earlier.
  2. Cancellations after March 15, 2026, and onward, will not be refunded+*

+ Exception: if we are able to fill your spot with someone from the waitlist, you will be refunded less a $50 fee.
* Exception: For registrations at the Benefactor rate, we will refund the difference between the Benefactor and Sustaining rates.

Our teachers

Jeanne Corrigal - The image shows a smiling individual standing outdoors in front of a lush evergreen tree. The person has curly, shoulder-length brown hair with prominent gray streaks at the front. They are wearing a vibrant blue top and a textured, multicolored blue scarf. A backdrop of green pine needles fills most of the background, providing a natural and fresh setting.

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.

Kristina Baré - A photograph of a woman facing the camera and smiling. She has long brown hair that drapes over her right shoulder. She is wearing a colorful patterned scarf with shades of red, green, and gold. The background is a plain, light-colored wall.

Kristina Baré, MFT, SEP, is an insight meditation teacher, therapist, and Somatic Experiencing practitioner. She has trained primarily in the Burmese lineages of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw and Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw. She enjoys supporting students deepening samadhi, loving-kindness and insight. Opening the door to an expansion of the heart and to liberating wisdom. In support of the Buddha’s teachings, Kristina also draws on knowledge from western psychology and Somatic Experiencing. She invites a kind, patient, and embodied approach as a base for samadhi, loving-kindness and insight meditation practices.
http://www.kristinabare.com/

Frequently Asked Questions

Can beginners join?

This retreat is best for those with some meditation experience, particularly those who have participated in daylongs or weekend retreats. Beginners with a sincere interest are welcome to reach out to us. We are happy to discuss your experience and help determine if this retreat will be a good fit for you.

What is Anapanasati?

Anapanasati means “mindfulness of breathing.” It is a foundational Buddhist meditation practice involving focused attention on the breath. The Anapanasati Sutta outlines sixteen steps that guide practitioners to cultivate calm concentration (samadhi) and develop deep insight into the nature of mind and experience, leading to greater freedom and peace.

What is a typical day like?

Each day includes periods of seated meditation alternating with walking meditation to support sustained awareness and refresh the body. Mornings usually begin with guided meditation to help establish the practice, and evenings often feature a Dharma talk exploring the teachings in depth. Afternoons may include practice of the Brahma Viharas — the four immeasurables: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. There will also be an option to participate in a period of mindful movement

What does noble silence mean?

Noble silence is a supportive practice where participants refrain from verbal communication to deepen focus and reduce distractions for themselves and others. During this time, phone calls, reading, journaling, and other forms of communication are discouraged to help everyone settle more fully into their meditation.

Will there be time for questions or discussions?

Yes. Each participant will have the opportunity to attend one group practice talk and a couple of one-on-one sessions with the teachers. Some time may also be set aside during daily sessions for questions and answers. Additionally, participants can leave notes for the teachers at any time.

What is the practice of dana?

Dana, or generosity, is a fundamental Buddhist practice of giving that supports the accessibility of the teachings. The retreat fee covers the basic costs of hosting the event. Teachers offer their time and guidance without compensation, embodying the spirit of dana to cultivate generosity and gratitude within the community.

Weekend non-residential retreat 🏠

A clear blue sky with a bright sun radiating strong beams of light from the top left corner. The sun's rays create a lens flare effect, casting subtle circular highlights across the sky. Sparse, wispy clouds are scattered across the middle and lower sections of the image, offering a contrast to the deep blue of the sky.

Peaceful, Spacious, and Bright
The Liberating Teachings of Our True Nature

A weekend non-residential retreat with Jeanne Corrigal and Dawn Scott

May 1-3, 2026

Tentative schedule:
Friday, 7-9 pm
Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Sunday, 9 AM to 4 PM

The Buddha’s liberating teachings on the nature of the mind include those of not-self and of emptiness, which we will explore in this weekend. These understandings can be experienced as a grounded, flowing, and loving way of being, and yet sometimes can feel mysterious or be unsettling. During this retreat, we will explore these doorways to the highest happiness through meditation, dharma talks, and the support of the community.

We find refuge in that quality of stillness, silence, and spaciousness, which is the mind’s own nature.
~ Ajahn Amaro, Small Boat, Great Mountain

This retreat is open to everyone. It is especially supportive for experienced practitioners who wish to deepen their practice in the company of other dedicated meditators. Newer practitioners are warmly welcome as well, with the understanding that although some teachings may be new to you, the retreat offers an encouraging setting to explore them.

This is the beginning of our intention to offer experienced practitioners some specific retreat support for deepening your practice. If you are interested in this retreat, please register early. This will give us a sense of whether this kind of retreat is needed in the community, and help us with future planning.

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 and Dawn.

Registration

Please register here:
https://saskatooninsight.com/forms/view.php?id=91546
There is a limit of 50 retreatants for this retreat.

Jeanne Corrigal, a person with curly, shoulder-length hair standing outdoors. The hair is dark brown with streaks of gray. The person is wearing a bright blue top and a textured scarf in various shades of blue. The background features a lush, green pine tree with dense branches.

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.

Dawn Scott, a person sitting indoors, smiling warmly at the camera. They have long, dark, tightly coiled hair and are wearing glasses with a black frame. Their hand is resting casually on their head. They wear a textured gray knit sweater and a black wristwatch. The background includes a green wall with a framed mirror and elements of home decor, including a table lamp and books on a shelf.

Dawn Scott has been practicing Insight Meditation since 2008. She is a graduate of the Insight Meditation Society’s teacher training program and is a core teacher of Spirit Rock’s Liberation, Emptiness, and Awareness Practices (LEAP) Program. Dawn has a deep love of long retreat practice and the Buddha’s liberative teachings.

March Daylong 🏠

The Blossoming of Intention
A Spring Refuge

A bird perched on a branch surrounded by clusters of white blossoms. The bird has a vivid orange breast, grey-brown back, and is depicted mid-song with its beak open. The blossoms have delicate white petals with noticeable yellow stamens in the center. The background is softly blurred, providing a gentle pink hue that contrasts with the sharp focus of the bird and flowers. Image by Aneta Rog from Pixabay

An in-person daylong retreat
with Jeanne Corrigal

Saturday, March 28, 2026
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saskatoon Unitarians, Saskatoon

In the spirit of the renewal of spring, this daylong retreat invites us to explore intention as an ever-present refuge and a wellspring of resilience and renewal. Intention offers us a way to begin again, to find nourishment and meaning in each moment, and to come home to what matters most. We will reflect on intention as a source of joy, purpose, and wise response in challenging times. The day will include meditation instruction, dharma reflections, practices of joy and celebration, and community practice.

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.

Registration

Please register here:
https://saskatooninsight.com/forms/view.php?id=91036

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.

February Daylong 🏠

Meditation as Hibernation
The Medicine of Seclusion and Stillness

An illustration of a brown bear sleeping on a light blue surface. The bear is covered with a soft blue blanket of snow. Above, a night sky is filled with bright stars against a deep blue background. The stars vary in size and include both white and yellow hues. The scene is encased in a circular shape with a gradient blue border. Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay.

An in-person daylong retreat
with Jeanne Corrigal

Saturday, February 28, 2026
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saskatoon Unitarians, Saskatoon

In the depth of winter, nature turns inward to rest and renew, offering us inspiration for our own practice. This retreat invites us to embrace the healing qualities of stillness and the wisdom of seclusion. Through guided meditations, dharma reflections, and practice, we will explore how turning inward can nurture resilience, clarity, and a deep sense of ease. Join us for a day of mindful rest and replenishment, supported by the quiet of winter and the warmth of community.

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.

Registration

Please register here:
https://saskatooninsight.com/forms/view.php?id=90311

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.

Connecting Inward, Connecting Outward 💻

An Evening of Social Meditation

Abstract shapes and illustrations of people in green, salmon, mustard-yellow, and gray against a pale yellow background. Above each person is a abstract shape. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

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 are new to meditation or looking to expand your practice, we invite you to join us for a unique evening of connection and reflection.

Thursday, February 5, 2026
7:00-8:30 pm
Online – Zoom

This evening is offered on the basis of mutual generosity. There will be an opportunity to contribute to SIMC’s administrative costs and to support the teacher.

Register here:
https://saskatooninsight.com/forms/view.php?id=91706

Andrea kneeling next to a black and white dog on a grassy area, with the South Saskatchewan River and the Saskatoon cityscape in the background.

Andrea Grzesina is a certified mindfulness teacher with the Mindfulness Training Institute, having trained under Mark Coleman and Martin Aylward in 2021. She also an authorized Buddhist Geeks Teacher, having completed a two year teacher training program with Vince Fakhoury Horn and Emily West Horn. Also as part of Andrea’s passion for the Dharma and continuous learning, she has completed the Intensive Practice Program at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, various Social Meditation Facilitation courses, along with many dharma study programs, through centers like Spirit Rock and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. She has been a dedicated practitioner since 2014, and she contributes to SIMC as a community dharma teacher, planning committee member, volunteer, retreat manager, and occasional cookie baker.

Indigenous Presence Daylong 🏠💻

Indigenous Presence
Wisdom Teachings from the Indigenous and Insight Meditation Traditions

Fish Lake
Fish Lake Metis Settlement, Saskatchewan

Saturday, January 24, 2026
noon-6 PM CST (1-7 PM EST, 10 AM-4 PM PST, other time zones)
In-person in Saskatoon and online with Zoom

This very special hybrid daylong will bring together 5 friends who are Indigenous teachers, healers, and Insight Meditation teachers, from Canada and North America. They will weave Indigenous and Buddhist ways of knowing, exploring connections in the teachings of mindfulness, kindness, and Indigenous knowledge systems. Both traditions are anchored in a meaningful relationship with nature, ancestors, and healing silence. Gentle reflective practices will honour interconnection, and turn to our innate wisdom and capacity for peace.

This retreat is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from around the world.

Portions of this retreat may be offered as a recording. In order to support a sacred, live opportunity for all present, we will make the decision of what is appropriate to share after the retreat is complete.

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 our teachers.

Registration

Please register here:
https://saskatooninsight.com/forms/view.php?id=90101

Bonnie Duran, DrPH, an Opelousas/Coushatta descendant, began Buddhist meditation practice over 35 years ago. She enjoys teaching Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioners Program, short and long retreats, and holds a People of Color and Allies Sangha in Seattle, WA. She also directs the University of Washington’s Center for Indigenous Health Research, is a member of Spirit Rock Teachers Council and a core teacher for IMS’s Teacher Training Program.

Carol Cano, M.A., began her practice over 30 years ago at Wat Kow Tahm in Thailand and has actively engaged in building communities and teaching Dharma internationally. She is a graduate of the 2017-2020 Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Teacher Training program and a teacher at Spirit Rock often. She is a core teacher and a former board member of East Bay Meditation Center. Carol co-founded Philippine Insight Meditation Community in the Philippines. Her unique teachings are deeply grounded in Basque, Native American and Buddhist influences that braid the Dharma along indigenous wisdom and Earth-based practices. Her psychology background gives her a unique view into the human condition, which helps her hold community in a compassionate and confident manner. Carol reminds us to keep grounded in our hearts as we uphold spiritual ideals and encourages us to remain balanced within the demands of modern life.

Jeanne Corrigal - The image shows a smiling individual standing outdoors in front of a lush evergreen tree. The person has curly, shoulder-length brown hair with prominent gray streaks at the front. They are wearing a vibrant blue top and a textured, multicolored blue scarf. A backdrop of green pine needles fills most of the background, providing a natural and fresh setting.

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.

Karen Waconda-Lewis is a native from Isleta/Laguna Pueblo. After initiation into the Native Medicine, she brought the native medicine into an urban American Indian health clinic in Albuquerque, NM and continues to expand the program to local hospitals, Indian Health Service, VA Hospital and surrounding organizations. She joins Western Medicine with Native healing in preventive health, mental health and overall well-being. She is the founder and director of Center for Native American Integrative Healing, LLC located in Albuquerque, where other indigenous healers practice their traditional medicine and extends out to the community. She also is the founder of Wa’Kanda Retreat & Spa which brings in holistic, chemical free, healing for those in chronic need.

Head and shoulders of Elvina Charley, in front of a yellow background.

Elvina Charley, Ed.S. is Diné (Navajo) school psychologist practitioner and integrates mindfulness as a part of serving children and youth. Charley has been practicing mindfulness since 2013, introduced to her by Bonnie Duran, Ph.D. as a way to heal from historical trauma. She found parallels between her Diné philosophy of life – Sa’ah naaghái bik’eh hózhó and Buddhism. Charley continues to cultivate her practice through people of color retreat programs through the Insight Meditation Society and Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center. Charley also received training through Mindful Schools to bring back mindfulness to reservation schools.

Mindfully Unwinding Whiteness

Eight Guided Community Conversations about Whiteness, Racism, and Antiracism

When/where

Day/time: Sundays, 1:30-3:45 pm
Dates: Jan 11 & 25, Feb 8 & 22, Mar 8 & 22, Apr 5 & 19, 2026
Location: Round Prairie Library, 250 Hunter Road #170, Saskatoon.

Registration

Registration required through the Events portal Saskatoon Public Library (SPL).
https://saskatoonlibrary.ca/events-guide/event/13830

Mindfully Unwinding Whiteness (MUW) is intended for “white”/Euro-Canadian participants because, as Ajay Parasram and Alex Khasnabish explain in Frequently Asked White Questions, it would be “unfair to non-white participants to have to offer . . . training and support” to white participants and also “unfair to expect white people to understand the politics of race when the very operation of racial politics in Canada has encouraged them to not think or talk about race lest they appear to be racist.” Please be prepared to answer when registering why you want to participate.

MUW will be offered free of charge thanks to partners the SPL, the Saskatoon Foundation, and the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community.

Program Description

MUW invites participants to mindfully explore their educations in race and whiteness, and to cultivate understanding of the inevitable internalizing of racism in racist cultures. We’ll focus mostly on the invention of race and whiteness at the outset of European imperialism and colonialism, on interpersonal and systemic racisms, and on anti-Indigenous racism and antiracism. Conversations will, however, attend to a range of racialized identities and invite consideration of racism’s intersections with other oppressions. MUW aims to both foster reconciliation understood as relational repair and build support for Indigenous resurgence. Our sessions will familiarize participants with antiracist strategies, practicing interventions when observing interpersonal racism or systemic protection of the racialized status quo.

Mindfulness will be taught and practiced at each gathering, encouraging a gentle but intentional focussing on the present moment while with steadiness observing our thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness can thus help us regulate our emotions while discussing emotionally charged topics like racism and other oppressions. Framing the unwinding of whiteness within mindfulness and compassion practice invites a kind, non-shaming approach to such discussions while consciously pursuing difficult truths about race and racism.

Facilitator

Headshot of Susan Gingell - a person with long, straight gray hair and glasses, smiling at the camera. The background is a solid green with partially visible text.

Susan Gingell is a Euro-Canadian immigrant to Turtle Island/North America, grateful to live on Treaty 6 territory and the homeland of the Métis/Metis.