Vipassanā Meditation Retreat (In-Person & Online Retreat)
2027-04-23 - 2027-05-02 | British Columbia
Photo courtesy of Ava Maclean

Meditating In Nature: A Day Workshop At Beautiful Clear SkyWith Duncan Cryle and Karen McAllister Are you longing to reconnect with the natural world and discover a deeper sense of belonging? Do you sense that healing the separation between yourself and nature could transform your experience of life? Join us for a day immersed in the mountains, forest, meadows and Food Forest at Clear Sky, where we’ll explore natural meditation practices that awaken us to our intimate connection with all of life.

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This is a great retreat to reset your nervous system, especially if you are stressed, overwhelmed or burnt out. Being in Nature and reminding ourselves of the teachings of nature was powerful. It was effective in going into deeper self-reflection and contemplation. A gift of rest and recharge everyone deserves.
LilianNonprofit leader

Reconnecting with the Web of LifeLiving in our modern world, it’s easy to forget that we are part of an ecosystem that is incredibly old and spans a whole planet. This forgetting has become so deep that it shapes our culture and institutions. Yet the separation we feel – from nature, from our bodies, from each other – is not the truth of how things are. This day retreat offers a path home. Through simple yet profound practices done outdoors in Clear Sky’s stunning mountain setting, we’ll rediscover a natural connection with our breath, the earth, and the land around us. We’ll learn to see with fresh eyes, as if we were explorers encountering life for the first time.

Who This Retreat Is ForWe welcome anyone who: Feels disconnected from nature and longs to reconnectIs new to meditation and wants an accessible entry pointHas meditation experience but wants to deepen their practice outdoorsSeeks healing from the stress and isolation of modern lifeIs curious about Buddhist approaches to ecology and interconnectionNo prior meditation experience is required. The practices we’ll explore are simple yet profound – suitable for beginners while offering depth for experienced practitioners.

This is a gentle retreat for people without meditation experience. It helps people to be attuned to their senses and become more aware of their feelings and emotions. This retreat welcomes people from all religious background.
Annie

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What You’ll ExperienceIntroduction To Breathing Meditation: Foundational accessible instructions in reconnecting to our breath, and using the breath as a natural anchor to support presence. Breathing With Nature: A beautiful meditation practice that reconnects us with the ancient dance of giving and receiving between humans and nature. This simple practice rapidly brings calm and wellbeing while revealing that we truly belong to something much larger than ourselves. Nature Contemplation: Guided explorations in Clear Sky’s forests, meadows, and along its mountain trails. We’ll practice seeing the interconnectedness that reveals itself wherever we look – discovering, as the early explorers did, how encountering the natural world transforms our sense of who and what we are. Embodied Presence: Practices that bring us home to our bodies as living expressions of nature itself. We’ll learn to savor the breath as rare nectar and discover how attention to our embodied experience reconnects us to the larger body of life.

TThis was an amazing experience. The food, the weather, the slowing down, the quiet, the exercises to connect with self and nature. Staying in my tent… Bliss!!
Carolyn

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About Your GuidesDuncan Cryle has practiced meditation and Buddhist Dharma for over 35 years in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Sensei. He was a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004 and a resident since 2018. Duncan has been teaching for over 20 years—with Awaken in Toronto, Despertando no Brasil (“Awakening in Brazil”), and through Clear Sky’s Integrating Mindfulness program. Through the intense work of living in intentional community—navigating conflict, collaboration, and collective decision-making—he’s learned firsthand what it takes to stay whole in fragmented times. He also spent many years in senior business roles pioneering workplace mindfulness, and now consults with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations on building mindfulness, resilience, and trust. Karen McAllister has practiced meditation for over 20 years and is a senior teacher at Clear Sky. She is a contemplative leader and certified money coach who integrates embodiment, relational practice, and material life as a path of awakening. As Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky, Karen brings a deep commitment to aligning spiritual practice, community life, and the ethical flow of resources in service of collective flourishing.

Course DetailsLocation: Clear Sky Meditation Center, 3567 Cockell Road, Fort Steele, BC, V0B 1N0Date: Saturday, September 5th 2026Time: Arrive 9.30 am for a 10 am start; day retreat finishes 5 pm MTCost: Sliding scale pay-from-the-heart from $80 to $200

"The best! Such beautiful energy and gentle guidance."
Carolyn

"Karen and Duncan create a womb of spiritual teaching, practice, and wisdom that support the student to look deeply and leap. A tender and yet sharp clarity that is a precious, priceless gift for those lucky to be taught and loved by them."
ErikaWriter and Filmmaker

"Wise, compassionate, firm and funny 🙂 Grounded and well able to engage in difficult conversations, a rarity in this age :)"
KristenSchoolteacher

"So kind and gentle! I love that they are down to earth and eat and spend time with us"
Annie

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FAQs

Do I need meditation experience to attend this retreat?

No prior experience is needed. This retreat is designed to be accessible to complete beginners while still offering depth for those with an existing practice. The practices are simple, grounded, and done mostly outdoors — no background in Buddhism or meditation is required.

What does meditating in nature actually involve?

The retreat includes guided breathing meditation, outdoor nature contemplation walks through Clear Sky’s forests and mountain meadows, and embodied presence practices. Everything takes place on Clear Sky’s 300-acre property in the BC Rockies — the land itself is very much part of the teaching.

When and where is this retreat held?

The day retreat runs Saturday September 5th, 2026 from 10 am to 5 pm MT at Clear Sky Meditation Centre, 3567 Cockell Road, Fort Steele, BC. Clear Sky is about 40 minutes from Cranbrook International Airport and a four-hour drive from Calgary. See our Getting Here page for directions.

What does the day retreat cost?

Pricing is based on a sliding scale pay-from-the-heart approach from $80 to $200. This price includes lunch and coffee/tea/snacks. We are pleased to also be able to offer scholarships to support attendance to this program. Contact us for information.

Is this day retreat suitable for people dealing with stress, burnout, or eco-anxiety?

Yes — this is one of the central intentions of the retreat. The practices are specifically designed to address the disconnection and overwhelm that come with modern life, including eco-anxiety. Participants regularly report feeling calmer, more grounded, and more connected after spending a weekend in nature with these practices.
