Rest and Restore: A Fall Meditation Retreat

Join us for a weekend of slowing down to prepare for the rest and restoration of the winter months. 

Registration for this program closes on Friday, October 30 @ 12:00pm MT.

Retreat Details 

• Teachers: Rachel Ashley and Emily Ballentine
  
• Dates: November 6 – November 8, 2026.
• Arrivals & Departures: Students arrive between 2:30-5:00 pm on November 6 and may depart the morning of November 9, after a full day of programming on November 8. If driving themselves, students may choose to depart after the final teaching session on November 8, ending around 6:00 pm.
  • A note on Shuttles to and from the Bodhi House:
    • Arrival Shuttles- The final arrival shuttle to the Bodhi House departs from MSO at 3 pm on Friday, November 6th. Please arrive at the Missoula Airport by 2:30 p.m. at the latest to ensure you can make the 3:00 p.m. departure for Bodhi House.
    • Departure Shuttles- Shuttles will depart on November 9th around 9:00 a.m.
• Location: Namchak Retreat Ranch in Hot Springs, Montana
• Format: In-Person

About this Retreat

As we move from autumn into the winter season, there is a natural slowing, quieting, and settling that allows the body and mind to prepare for the rest and restoration of the winter months. If we can follow this natural rhythm, we can allow it to guide us to greater alignment with deeper peace and presence.

This November, we invite you to gather in beloved community at the Namchak Retreat Ranch in Hot Springs, Montana, to slow down, tune into inner wisdom, and allow our minds and bodies to settle more deeply into their natural states. Throughout the weekend, we will immerse in Buddhist practice and meditation to help cultivate greater presence, peace, and gentleness. Through practicing Shamatha, mindfulness of body and breath, tenderness and loving kindness, we will create the inner and outer conditions to begin releasing the habits of ‘doing’ and ‘pushing,’ so we can settle into our truer nature of simply ‘being.’

This retreat is only offered in-person. 

Program Description

Throughout the weekend, participants will explore foundational Buddhist teachings, meditations, and mindfulness practices, including:

• Shamatha meditation, to cultivate feelings of inner calm and stillness.
• Body scans and regulation tools, to help release tension and bring more relaxation to the body and mind. 
• Clearing of the Stale Winds (pranayama technique), to help settle the mind before meditation. 
• Tenderness (tsewa), to experience our innate warmth and basic goodness.
• Loving Kindness (metta), to nurture good will for oneself and others.
• Mantra recitation, to connect with our peaceful and loving nature.
• Sangha Skills, to bring more awareness, presence, and compassion into daily interactions and relationships. *These tools were developed by Aaron Stern and the Academy for the Love of Learning™

This Retreat is Ideal For: 

• Anyone who would like to learn foundational meditation practices.
• People interested in starting and developing a meditation practice. 
• Existing meditators looking to deepen their practice.
• People looking for relaxation and regulation tools to compliment their meditation practice. 
• Those who are curious about Buddhist techniques and interested in applying these teachings to their lives. 
• Anyone who feels called to embody more loving kindness, spaciousness, tenderness, and ease in their lives. 
• Those who are interested in connecting with others in sangha (community) to experience and contemplate these practices together. 

Preliminary Schedule (Subject to Change)

Friday – November 6, 2026 

• 2:30 – 5:00 pm: Rolling Arrival and settling in
• 5:30 – 6:30 pm: Dinner
• 6:30 – 7:00 pm: Retreat Orientation
• 7:30 – 9:00 pm: Opening Circle and Evening Guided Meditation
• 10:00 pm: Noble Silence

Saturday – November 7, 2026 

• 6:50 am: Bell to Start the Day
• 7:00 – 7:30 am: Gentle Yoga
• 7:30 – 8:00 am: Morning Guided Meditation
• 8:00 – 8:45 am: Breakfast
• 8:45 – 9:45 am: Morning Karma Yoga & Break/Optional Silent Meditation
• 10:00 – 12:00 pm: Morning Teaching Session: The What’s, Why’s, and How’s of Meditation Practice & Introduction to Shamatha
• 12:00 – 12:45 pm: Lunch
• 12:45 – 1:15 pm: Afternoon Karma Yoga & Break/Optional Silent Meditation
• 1:30 – 3:30 pm: Afternoon Teaching Session: Nurturing Tenderness & Loving Kindness Practice
• 3:30 – 4:30 pm: Rest & Integration Time
• 4:30 – 5:00 pm: Afternoon Guided Meditation
• 5:00 – 5:45 pm: Dinner
• 5:45 – 7:15 pm: Evening Karma Yoga & Break/Optional Silent Meditation
• 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Evening Guided Meditation
• 8:30 – 9:30 pm: Tea & Light snacks
• 10:00 pm: Noble Silence

Sunday – November 8, 2026 

• 6:50 am: Morning Bell
• 7:00 – 7:30 am: Gentle Yoga 
• 7:30 – 8:00 am: Morning Guided Meditation 
• 8:00 – 8:45 am: Breakfast
• 8:45 – 9:45 am: Morning Karma Yoga & Break/Optional Silent Meditation 
• 10:00 – 12:00 pm: Morning Teaching Session: Engaged Awareness in Action with Sangha Skills & Tao Walk 
• 12:00 – 12:45 pm: Lunch
• 12:45 – 1:15 pm: Afternoon Karma Yoga & Break/Optional Silent Meditation
• 1:30 – 3:30 pm: Afternoon Teaching Session: Chenrezig Mantra and Carrying our Practice into the World  
• 3:30 – 4:30 pm: Rest & Integration Time
• 4:30 – 5:00 pm: Closing Guided Meditation 
• 5:00 – 5:45 pm: Dinner
• 6:00 pm: Formal programming complete (some students depart)
• 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Optional Silent Meditation 
• 10:00 pm: Noble Silence

Monday – November 9, 2026
* Departure Day 

• 7:00 – 8:00 am: Optional self-guided yoga and meditation 
• 8:00 – 8:45 am: Breakfast
• 9:00 am: Shuttles depart 

Lodging + Meals 

Participants will enjoy nourishing meals, with vegetarian and meat options, prepared on-site, including:

• 3 dinners
• 2 breakfasts
• 2 lunches
• Snacks & tea

Meals are designed to support your practice, with options to accommodate dietary restrictions.

Sliding Scale Pricing Structure:

Financial Accessibility
Our intention is to make this offering financially accessible to all, so we offer a tiered fee structure. Please choose whichever level works best for you. No one will be turned away due to a lack of funds.
If you would like to apply for financial assistance to attend this offering, please reach out to our Community Steward, Kate (kmorris@namchak.org).

Payment Plans
If supportive, students may opt to pay a 50% deposit on their ticket at the time of purchase and pay out the remaining 50% of the retreat ticket cost in equal installments over the next 6 months (180 days) following the start of the program (November 6, 2026).

Our Tiers

• Supported – For those with limited financial resources who will benefit from participating in the retreat.
• Suggested – For those with sufficient financial resources who can pay for the experience without difficulty.
• Sponsored – For those with the financial resources and the desire to support access for others.

In-Person Tuition Options

The in-person ticket price for this retreat includes a shuttle* from Missoula Airport (MSO) to Bodhi House at Namchak Retreat Ranch in Hot Springs, Montana, meals, and lodging.

• Supported Room -$300
• Suggested Room -$450
• Sponsored Room -$650

Logistics & Transportation:

• Shuttles:
  • A shuttle to and from the Bodhi House from the Missoula airport will be provided on Friday and Monday.
  • Arrivals: In order to be included in the arrival departure schedule, please plan to arrive in Missoula, MT by 2:30 pm on Friday, November 6 at the latest.
  • Departures: Please note that the shuttles back to Missoula on Monday, November 9, will not arrive at the ranch before 9:00 am. We recommend scheduling return flights accordingly. We will provide a departure shuttle on Monday departing at 9:00 AM to the Missoula Airport (90-minute drive).
  • If you need to catch an early morning flight, you’ll need to book a private shuttle with MSO Shuttle. Their one-way fare is approximately $309, and they can be contacted directly for scheduling. You can also rent a car from the Missoula airport upon your arrival to accommodate your flight schedule. 
  • Lodging (small individual rooms with a twin-sized bed at the Bodhi House), food, and a shuttle are included in the retreat price.
  • If you have questions or concerns about shuttle timing, feel free to reach out to our Program Logistics Manager, Meggan, at mquigley@namchak.org

Inbound Shuttles to the Namchak Retreat Ranch:

• Shuttle 1 will depart at 1 pm from Missoula on Friday afternoon, November 6th.
• Shuttle 2 will depart at 3:00 pm from Missoula on Friday afternoon, November 6th.

Outbound Shuttles to the Missoula, MT Airport 

• Shuttles will depart from the Bodhi House at 9 am on Monday, November 9th.