Tag: Jeanne Corrigal

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.

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.

December Daylong 🏠

This is for a past event – please visit our Upcoming Events page for current offerings.

A Simple, Quiet Day

A softly focused view of grasses with sparkling frost Image by Olga Fil from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/frost-winter-grass-ice-snow-7714187/

An in-person daylong retreat
with Jeanne Corrigal

Saturday, December 6, 2025
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saskatoon Unitarians, 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.

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.

Weekend non-residential retreat 🏠

This is for a past event – please visit our Upcoming Events page for current offerings.

Close-up of pink bleeding heart flowers with green leaves in the background. Image by Jing from Pixabay.

The Wise Heart
Cultivating the Divine Abodes

A weekend non-residential retreat with Jeanne Corrigal

November 7-9, 2025
Saskatoon Unitarian Centre

Friday, 7-9 pm
Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Sunday, 9 AM to 3 PM

The four heart qualities known as the Divine Abodes are qualities we can cultivate which help the heart and mind to meet and respond wisely to all circumstances of our lives. With the basic good will of kindness, this heart can meet suffering with compassion, abide in joy as a balancer and nourisher, and develop the wisdom of equanimity in the midst of change. All of these qualities lead to liberation of the heart and mind – even in very difficult times. This weekend will offer these practices from the perspective of the early suttas, the 5th century Vissudhimagga, and from contemporary creative approaches – all with the encouragement to develop your own personal style.

This weekend 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.

We understand that finances can sometimes be a barrier. Please know that everyone is welcome, regardless of ability to pay. You are warmly invited to offer what feels appropriate and sustainable for you.

Registration

Registration is closed.

Jeanne Corrigal

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.

October 4 Daylong 🏠

This is for a past event – please visit our Upcoming Events page for current offerings.

The Whole Path in a Nutshell

A narrow, winding path composed of large, irregularly-shaped gray stones. These stones are laid across a shallow stream of water. On either side of the path, tall, golden-brown reeds stand densely packed. The water is dark and reflects the reeds and stones. The background shows a faint glimpse of buildings, suggesting an urban environment merging with a natural setting. Image by 은주 송 from Pixabay.

An in-person daylong retreat
with Jeanne Corrigal

Saturday, October 4, 2025
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saskatoon Unitarian Centre

Join us to walk through the heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: the Eightfold Path. This day will move progressively and experientially through this core teaching. This is the place to start, if you are newer to the path, and would like a sense of the “big picture”. It is also very helpful for experienced practitioners, as the path is an ever deepening, living teaching.

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.

Registration

Please register here
https://saskatooninsight.com/forms/view.php?id=85354

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.

Living the Dharma in Community 🏠💻

A Deep Dive into the Heart of the Path

a circular formation of six stylized human figures, each differentiated by a distinct color: dark blue, red, cyan, orange, dark gray, and yellow. Each figure has a round head and an arm extending towards the center, suggesting connection and unity. The figures are evenly spaced around a central object, which is a stylized purple lotus flower with gradient shading from light to dark purple. The background is white, highlighting the colorful elements in the image.

Friends, we are delighted to announce that our next 7-month deep dive dharma program opens soon 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 Insights of Insight Meditation: The Heart of the Path.

We will delve into the three liberating insights of Insight Meditation: anicca (impermanence), dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), and anatta (not-self).

These teachings illuminate the nature of reality and serve as pathways to ease and peace. We will focus especially on anatta, exploring it through key wisdom teachings. Together, we will investigate how understanding not-self can lead to greater happiness, well-being, and freedom in our lives.

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.
  • Optional practice talks with Jeanne Corrigal.

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 a deep dive and exploration of the heart of the Buddhist teaching. The course is designed in a 6 year rotation through the core teachings. 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.

Is This Program Right for You?

This program is best suited for practitioners with a minimum of two years of Insight Meditation practice. The teachings will build on foundational meditation skills, such as mindfulness and concentration, and explore deeper insights into the nature of reality.

If you have less experience, or if your practice background is primarily rooted in another tradition, we warmly invite you to have a preliminary discussion with a teacher. This conversation will help determine whether the program aligns with your current practice and aspirations.

Dates and times

For online folks, click links for conversion into other time zones.

In person (Thursdays, and one Tuesday)
7-9 pm
Saskatoon Unitarian Centre		Online (Thursdays and one Tuesday)
7-9 pm Sask time
(links other time zones)
Thu Sep 25Thu Oct 2 (6-8 PDT/9-11 EDT)
Thu Oct 30Thu Nov 6 (5-7 PST/8-10 EST)
Thu Nov 27Thu Dec 4 (5-7 PST/8-10 EST)
Tue Jan 6Thu Jan 15 (5-7 PST/8-10 EST)
Thu Feb 12Thu Feb 26 (5-7 PST/8-10 EST)
Thu Mar 12Thu Mar 26 (6-8 PDT/9-11 EDT)
Thu Apr 16Tue Apr 28 (6-8 PDT/9-11 EDT)

Course fees

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.

Registration

To register for the IN-PERSON offering, click here:
https://saskatooninsight.com/forms/view.php?id=83870

To register for the ONLINE offering, click here:
https://saskatooninsight.com/forms/view.php?id=84737

Course Teacher

Jeanne Corrigal with shoulder length curly hair, wearing a blue top with lighter blue scarf - standing in front of an evergreen tree.

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.

Local Dharma Leader

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.

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 $20/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 $35 – $65 per class. (This would be a range of something like $250 – $450 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.

Cancelled: Zeden Lake Insight Meditation Retreat – September 2025 🌲

The Peace of our True Nature

We are sorry to share that this year’s retreat at Zeden Lake has been cancelled.

After visiting the site recently, we saw firsthand the ongoing impact of the recent fires. While the camp is still hosting children’s programs this summer – guided by the beautiful spirit that nature is still here and can still be learned from – we found that the area is not workable for our retreat at this time. Walking trails are limited, rehabilitation work is underway, and smoke from northern fires continues to be a concern. Given the unpredictability of conditions in the coming months, we feel it is best to cancel now.

We will be in touch directly with participants to arrange full refunds.

This moment reminds us again of how deeply the climate crisis is affecting our northern lands. And yet, even in this shifting landscape, we are still held in relationship with the earth. As Robin Wall Kimmerer teaches, it is a sacred task to continue receiving and offering love to the land in reciprocity, in whatever way is ours to do. You might find support in her reflection:
Returning the Gift – grateful.org

We will reimagine this retreat for next year and will share updates as they unfold.

May nature continue to nourish your heart and mind, right where you are.

With care and connection,
Jeanne and the retreat team

Silent Insight Meditation retreat at lovely Zeden Lake, with Jeanne Corrigal

September 11-16, 2025

some people in canoes and a paddleboard are floating on a lake with reeds, the sky is a hazy blue and there are tall evergreen trees in the background
Meditating on the lake in 2023
Photo by Andrea G.

When we connect quietly and mindfully with nature, we harmonize with the larger nature body. As we settle into this embodied way of knowing, our earth body can reconnect, remember, and deepen into the wisdom of peace. As Thai Forest Master Ajahn Chah said, we can learn all we need to awaken from nature. This retreat will offer spacious time for this re-connection and re-membering, supported by guidance from the Buddha’s path of awakening in nature. The gifts received from nature can be offered back in a circle of care, much needed in our world today.

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.

Two pine trees frame the view of a lake with the opposite shore in the distance. There is blue sky with some grey and white cumulus clouds.
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 2-5: 6 am to 9 pm
Day 6: 6 am to noon

Logistics

  • We will set up our home at the St. John Bosco Wilderness Camp.
    • 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: $250, 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 $55 (total $305 + food contribution)
      2) A private bedroom in a cabin for an additional $265 (total $515 + food contribution)
      3) A private bedroom with a shared bathroom for an additional $315 (total $565 + food contribution)
    • 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.