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We are following COVID-19 protocols
Taught by Michele Benzamin-Miki & Caitriona Reed
In-person, Silent, Residential Retreat
February 13 - 16, 2026
The four limitless states of mind known as the Brahma Viharas — Sanskrit for Home of the Gods — are natural states, innate to our human experience.
When we shed patterns of resistance and begin to heal old traumas, and open to our place in the vast natural flow of the universe they flower spontaneously. Love, compassion, joy, and serenity feed each other, ourselves and our surroundings, and transform the foundation of consciousness.
Let’s explore ways to uncover these beautiful states of being, their cultivation, their shadow, and what they mean for living a truly examined life. If you trust that spiritual practice effects not only yourself, but those around you, please join us for these days of reflection, meditation, and play.
This is a Dāna supported retreat
This is a Dāna supported retreat
Dāna (दान) is a Sanskrit and Pali word for the virtue of generosity. The Buddha said the teachings were priceless, more valuable than all the jewels in the kingdom and so are offered freely to all. This has amazingly been sustained for 2,600 years. Honoring this tradition, the teachings at Dhamma Dena continue to be offered freely.
Teacher, center and cook support is provided by voluntary donations at the end of the retreat. These offerings are often the only source of teachers’ income and an important source for the center. Donations to the center help sustain the cost of buildings and food.
Covid Protocols
Covid Protocols
Please review our full COVID-19 Protocols for a residential retreat here.
About the Teachers
About the Teachers
Michele Benzamin-Miki is an artist who has exhibited widely. She has worked with conscious entrepreneurs, front line activists, and youth in the prison system. Along with her partner Caitriona she bridges Zen, Vipassana, Deep–Ecology, and Social Activism. She trains individuals in NLP, Hypnotherapy, and Family Constellation work. She works with creatives, artists, and visionaries who have a strong desire to create positive impact in their communities and in the world. She is one the world’s highest ranking women in the martial disciplines of Aikido and Iaido Sword, and has taught non-violence, meditation, creativity, and diversity for organizations, schools, within the prison systems, and on Native reservations. In 1997, along with Jack Kornfield, she initiated the first POC retreats at Spirit Rock. With Caitriona she led retreats at Dhamma Dena for twelve years prior to cofounding Manzanita Village.
www.fivechanges.com
Caitrìona Reed, is a trans woman who transitioned in 1998. She has led trainings, workshops, and retreats worldwide for four decades. She was empowered as a teacher by Ruth Denison in 1983 and by Thich Nhat Hanh in 1991. She bridges Zen, Vipassana, Deep–Ecology, and Social Activism, guided by a passion to integrate authentic spiritual practice with engagement in the ‘real’ world. She works with and trains individuals in NLP, Hypnotherapy, and Family Constellation work, and mentors artists, entrepreneurs, and creatives to embody the understanding that creativity, success, spiritual awakening, and joy are an inside job. Caitriona and Michele both currently work with teachers from the global south to lend indigenous perspectives to current global crises. Prior to cofounding Manzanita Village Retreat, between 1981 and 1993, she led regular retreats at Dhamma Dena.
www.fivechanges.com
Retreat FAQ
Retreat FAQ
What is the nearest airport to the center?
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP). Ontario (ONT) is the second closed aiport (about an hour and a half away) and sometimes has cheaper flight options, however we are unable to do pick ups and drop offs there.
Will I be able to get a ride to and from the airport to the center?
We offer rides to and from the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) for $30 each way. You can specify that you need to be picked up or dropped off in your registration and we will contact you to arrange that. You can also email us at retreats@dhammadena.org. Please be prepared to wait for consolidated pick-ups and drop-offs and please avoid late night or early morning arrivals and departures. There will also be a retreat carpool/ride share and encourage retreatants to support each other and the center by offering each other rides to and from the retreat.
I want to come but I can’t afford to get there. Is there any support I can get with travel costs?
The Open Dharma Foundation offers scholarships for helping to cover the cost of travel for retreats. You can apply here: https://opendharmafoundation.org/scholarship
Does this retreat include food and lodging? What will those be like?
Yes, this retreat includes lodging and 3 vegetarian meals daily. Dhamma Dena has been lovingly (and often creatively) built by Ruth Denison’s students over the course of the last forty years. The structures and atmosphere can be described as rustic, quirky, beautiful and a work in progress. There is a main house where the kitchen and the office are located, the zendo (or meditation hall), two main houses for retreatants, as well as a range of other structures and trailers to stay in. On the grounds, there is also a walking labyrinth as well as four outhouses, two outdoor showers and a bathhouse. Residents are provided with either their own room or trailer or a shared room or trailer and access to single stall shared bathrooms as well as outhouses and outdoor showers around the land. Housing options depend on what is available at the time you arrive. Please let us know if you have accessibility needs around your housing before you come. We have a very limited number of single rooms, so please only request this if it is absolutely necessary for you. Camping on the land or staying in your van/RV are also options.
I’m on a special diet. Will I be able to cook my own meals?
Food provided for retreatants will include options for a variety of diets, and we ask that you indicate your dietary needs in the registration form so we can meet them. We do have kitchens available if your diet requires that you cook your own meal. Please indicate this is what you plan to do on your registration form (or email us at retreats@dhammadena.org) so we can arrange a kitchen for you to use.
How much dana should I give?
There is no one answer to this question. We encourage you to give dana according to your heart and your means and to cultivate and appreciate the beautiful quality of generosity within. The meditation center, the teachers and the cooks offer their services freely and receive no payment other than what the community gives to support them and to support the teachings to continue to be given freely into the future.
Can I bring my dog or pet?
No, we cannot accommodate dogs or other pets on this retreat. If you have a service animal as described in the American Disabilities Act, please let us know as soon as possible so we can reserve you an appropriate room.
Is this retreat wheelchair accessible? Will it meet my access needs?
Yes, the facilities are wheelchair accessible, offering two ADA bedrooms and bathrooms and a fragrance free environment. Please let us know your access needs when registering. Dhamma Dena is committed to making the center accessible to all who would like to come.
What do I need to bring?
Notebook and pens/pencils
Loose and comfortable clothes, suitable for both moderate and cold weather
Slip on shoes for going in and out of buildings more easily
Shoes suitable for hiking in the desert
Sunglasses
Sun hat
Sunblock lotion
Water bottle
Flashlight or headlamp
Alarm Clock (we have additional alarm clocks to borrow from the office, as you are asked to check in or put away your mobile phone for the retreat)
Toiletries and personal hygiene products – please avoid all fragrances (see the Fragrance Free Policy)
Warm outerwear as evenings and mornings can be quite chilly in the desert
Optional but highly recommended: fragrance free lip balm, body lotion or oil (skin gets dry in the desert), gloves & scarves, umbrella & rain gear, your personal meditation cushions/benches (the Zendo is well-stocked with a wide variety of these, as well as chairs, so you don't need to bring your own unless you wish)
Sheets and towels will be provided but you’re welcome to bring your own
If you have further questions about this retreat, reach out to us at retreats@dhammadena.org
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