Protecting the Sacred in Difficult Times

A weekend Vipassana Meditation Retreat

with Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey 

Lanai Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, Lanai, HI

November 10 - 12, 2017

(Friday evening to Sunday at noon)

Join Buddhist teacher Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey for a weekend retreat on the wonderful island of Lanai. During our time together we will be in silence,  learning about the practices and principles of Vipassana: mindfulness, concentration, and kindness offered in our tradition to stabilize the mind and gain powerful insight into the nature of life to help us alleviate suffering. We will take our inspiration from the members of the Lanai Hongwanji community, who once had to protect their sacred altar from confiscation or destruction during WWII. We will learn about their powerful story and use it as an example of how we must all protect our most sacred places of the heart when confronted by threats and challenges in life or within our own minds.

This retreat is a fundraiser for the Lanai Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. All proceeds will go to support the longevity of this important place. Overnight accommodations at the temple are limited to 8 people. If you are coming from off-island and wish to arrange other accommodations for the duration of the retreat, please contact us.

Teacher dana - In accordance with tradition, all Vipassana Hawai’i internationally respected teachers offer their guidance and teachings free of charge and are supported through the freely-offered generosity of students and supporters. Costs associated with retreats cover the expenses associated with food, lodging, and administration but not teacher time, training, effort, or energy. We believe that this commitment helps keep the purity of the teachings alive and thriving, as it has for millennia. They do not collect salaries in keeping with the time-honored tradition of sharing openly the chance for peace. This allows us to pass on our direct facility costs and keep our registration fees as low as possible. As a result we strive to give back in monetary gratitude so that they may continue their endeavors and share their wisdom. To learn more about the practice of dana, and to offer it online, please visit our website.

Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey moved to the Island of Hawai‘i in 2011 to serve as key support for the Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu sangha. As a teacher of Vipassana (insight) meditation within the broader context of the Theravadan Buddhist tradition, his teaching aims to inspire the skills, determination, and faith necessary to realize the deepest human freedom. A student of Michele McDonald, his approach is rooted in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma and encourages an exploration of the relationship between ethics, insight, and action. He is the resident teacher for Vipassana Hawai’i and teaches around the world. Jesse was a co-founder of The Stone House, a center for spiritual life and social justice in Mebane, NC and was a board member of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship for several years.

Please note our Cancellation Policy:

If you cancel more than 45 days prior to the retreat: We will refund all fees less paypal fees - usually $50.00- $60.00
If you cancel 14-44 days prior to the retreat: We will refund all fees less $200.00.
If you cancel less than 14 days prior to the event: Unfortunately we cannot afford to offer a refund. Last-minute cancelations are costly and sometimes mean that others cannot attend the retreat. If there are extreme circumstances and we have someone else to fill your spot, we may be able to support some kind of refund.