Grounding in the Dharma
With Mary Stancavage, Ian Challis, Valerie Cusson and Jokai Blackwell
March 25 - 29, 2026
Open to experienced and new practitioners
Registration closes on March 11, 2026. If joining after this date, please contact us.
Buddhist practice offers a path to connect with ourselves and a way to live in harmony with others. This retreat will remind us of the simplicity of the teachings that offer freedom from greed, aversion and ignorance and a path to liberation.
An in-person, multi-day retreat is a rare and invaluable opportunity to practice. Coming together, we will cultivate the energy and support that allows the body-mind to find refuge in the kind embrace of Buddhist teachings. It is suitable for new and experienced practitioners.
We will follow a time-honored schedule of meditation, daily movement and qi gong, dharma talks, delicious vegetarian meals, and time for rest, all held in a container of silence. Please join us in coming home to what is truly important, in the company of friends, for the benefit of all.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THIS RETREAT
This is a silent mindfulness retreat with alternating sitting and walking meditation, instruction, dharma talks, work meditation, and practice discussion with the teachers.
Learn more ABOUT RETREAT & SEE A SAMPLE SCHEDULE.
GENEROSITY: Retreat Costs and Fees
Registration fees for this retreat support the cost of developing and offering BBRC programs, which include lodging, meals, and staff compensation. Teacher compensation is not included in your registration fees. We price fees to make programs as financially accessible as possible.
As part of this tradition, many meditation teachers (including the teachers of this retreat) offer their teachings without set fees or compensation. As a practice of generosity from the heart, participants are invited to offer “teacher dana” (donations-generosity) to the teachers at the end of the retreat. It is encouraged but not required. Learn more about dana here.
Is cost a barrier? Nobody is turned away at Big Bear Retreat Center due to finances. We ask that financial assistance be prioritized for those who self-identify as BIPOC, hold marginalized identities, or are in financial need. For more information, please contact us at guestservices@bigbearretreatcenter.org.
SIMPLE YET COMFORTABLE, NESTLED IN NATURE
Accommodations
We offer several lodging choices nestled in nature for each retreat.
Meals
Our meals are freshly prepared to support your retreat experience.
Preparing for your retreat
We offer several resources and information to best help you plan your time on retreat with us.
Getting to BBRC
We have several resources to support your travel. Visit Getting to BBRC & Rideshares and Shuttles for more.
FEEL WELCOME AND INCLUDED: A PLACE TO BELONG
Our intention is to be as accessible as we can, even in ways that we may not be aware of yet. We hope this is a space of inclusivity where people feel welcome and held. For us, it is a practice of consistent attunement, presence and care to our community. However you identify – race, gender, sexuality, disability, mental health, and so on – it is our wish to meet your needs for belonging.
Please consider this about our environment:
– The center is on a hill with outdoor walkways between dining, gathering, and residential spaces.
– We are located at an elevation of 6,500 feet altitude in a ski town in the mountains of Southern California.
– We experience weather of all four seasons.
– We are located about 2 hours from Los Angeles and near 3 major airports. Learn more about getting here.
– We have a commitment to everyone’s mobility needs. Please contact us about ADA accessibility.
Visit our Planning Your Retreat page to learn more about accessibility and other resources. Contact us if we can support ahead of time.
HEAR MORE ABOUT BIG BEAR RETREAT CENTER
Big Bear Retreat Center is exceptional in every way. The accommodations are outstanding, food exceptional, staff very responsive and helpful and the teachers are always so loving and knowledgeable. Just a top notch retreat experience!! – Sheila
I love Big Bear Retreat Center. It’s my dharma home away from home. Everything about it – staff, teachers, food, accommodations, setting – is exceptional. A true gift to the community!!
Big Bear Retreat Center is indeed a refuge. A safe space to open your heart. – Laura
Teachers & Facilitators
Mary Stancavage has practiced meditation, yoga, and cultivated a spiritual practice for over 35 years and in 2009 was empowered to teach Buddhadharma. Mary is based in the Los Angeles area and teaches classes, retreats and does individual mentoring both locally and internationally. She has taught mindfulness at recovery centers, has co-facilitated Year-to-Live groups since 2008, and has had a weekly dharma class for over a decade. Her Morning Meditation group has met daily at 7am PT since March 2020. Mary is part of the Guiding Teachers Council at Insight Community of the Desert and a founding teacher at Meditation Coalition. Mary completed the…
Learn more about Mary Stancavage
Ian has been practicing and studying within the Insight Tradition of Buddhism since 2005.A long time resident of Seattle, he now makes his full-time home in Palm Springs. He is a founding board member and past president of Insight Community of the Desert. Ian is a graduate of the Community Dharma Leader training program of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and was authorized to teach Insight Meditation in 2017. He is also a qualified teacher of MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction). In 2022 Ian was formally invited by Arinna Weisman to teach in the lineage of U Ba Khin and Ruth…
Learn more about Ian Challis
Valerie Cusson M.Ed., has found meaning, community and her spiritual home in the dharma since 2001 when she checked out a book about the Dalai Lama from her local library. A few years later she discovered Vipassana meditation and the heartfelt teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. The peace she had sought for so long began revealing itself in beautiful moments on and off the cushion. She was moved to share the dharma with others and completed Level I Community Facilitator Training with Noah Levine and JoAnna Hardy in 2012 and Level II Facilitator Training with JoAnna Hardy and Vinny Ferraro…
Learn more about Valerie Cusson
Jokai moved to Southern California from the UK in 2000 to study residentially at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center. During his formal training, Jokai completed the full Zen koan curriculum. In 2014, he received Dharma Transmission (authorization to teach) in the White Plum lineage of Zen Buddhism from Charles Tenshin Fletcher Roshi, and Inka (final approval) in 2022. Jokai emphasizes the direct experience of awakening using contemporary language and time-honored methods. He is the Guiding Teacher for Long Beach Meditation, and serves as a member of Insight Community of the Desert’s Guiding Council. After completing 20 years of residency at Yokoji…
Learn more about Jokai Blackwell