Category: 2027 Events

March Daylong 🏠

Opening to This Moment
Cultivating the Conditions for Practice to Unfold

A close-up view of a branch with white blossoms partially covered in snow. The branch is thick and textured, displaying a brownish-gray bark with hints of reddish tones. The flowers are budding, with some in full bloom, showcasing delicate white petals and green sepals. Fluffy snowflakes rest on the branches and blossoms, creating a contrast with the organic textures of the plant. The background is a soft, grayish-blue, enhancing the visual focus on the branch and its frozen blossoms. Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay.

An in-person daylong retreat
with Andrea Grzesina

Saturday, March 20, 2027
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saskatoon Unitarians, Saskatoon

As winter gives way to spring, we are reminded that growth cannot be forced. Just as a bud opens in response to warmth, light, and the right conditions, our meditation practice unfolds through patient attention and gentle care.

This daylong retreat offers an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with the present moment, and deepen the foundations of mindfulness. Through periods of sitting and walking meditation, a dharma reflection, silent lunch, and shared practice, we will explore how simple awareness can nurture qualities of steadiness, kindness, and wisdom in our everyday lives.

Suitable for both new and experienced meditators, this retreat invites us to let go of striving and discover what becomes possible when we simply open to this moment.

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 our teachers.

Registration

Please register here:
coming soon

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 completed the 2024-25 Buddhist Geeks Teacher Training with Vince Fakhoury Horn and Emily West Horn. Jeanne Corrigal has been her teacher and mentor for many years. 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 community dharma teacher, planning committee member, volunteer, retreat manager, and occasional cookie baker.

January Daylong 🏠

Compassion and Resilience in Our Times

A tall, white statue of Quan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, against a serene blue sky. The statue is intricately detailed, showcasing Quan Yin in a standing pose, with one hand raised in a gesture of blessing while the other hand cradles a small object, symbolizing compassion and care. Her facial features are serene, embodying tranquility and kindness. She wears flowing robes adorned with delicate patterns that accentuate the elegance of her form. Above her head, a smaller figure is depicted, representing the sacred quality of her being. The soft lighting around the statue enhances its divine appearance, and gentle clouds can be seen in the background. Image by Thúy Đỗ from Pixabay.

An in-person daylong retreat
with Jeanne Corrigal

Saturday, January 23, 2027
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saskatoon Unitarians, Saskatoon

Compassion has qualities of wholeness, openness, spaciousness, and the capacity to meet suffering without being shattered. Self-compassion builds inner strength through loving acceptance and care. Together, compassion for others and self-compassion support resilience and equanimity in these times. Quan Yin is known as a manifestation of compassion, and this retreat will include a special Quan Yin chanting ceremony, calling forth compassion for ourselves and all beings.

This day will include instruction, dharma reflections, practices, 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:
coming soon

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.