In the Vipassana tradition that I practice in, long silent retreat practice of a month or more allows yogis to soften the mind and body so that we can notice the subtle beginnings of craving or the hidden attachments we have to ego.

It’s not cheap to go on a month-long retreat at many practice centers in the US, especially if you include travel to get there and lost wages while not working. It’s tough for folks to afford it, especially if they are young and without a trust fund or people of color who have experienced the financial impacts of racism.

To ease this disparity, our friends at Spirit Rock Meditation Center are offering an unprecedented number of scholarships for people of color and young people to attend the month-long and 2-month retreats in early 2015.

From Spirit Rock:

In 2015, due to the overwhelming generosity of our sangha members and Spirit Rock’s commitment to ensure these teachings of wisdom and compassion are available to more diverse communities, we will extend an unprecedented amount of scholarship funding to young adults and individuals from Communities of Color for participation in the 1-month and 2-month retreats. We offer this opportunity in addition to the scholarship funds to yogis with financial hardship. Offering access to teachings of wisdom and compassion to these historically under-represented members of the sangha has long been a priority. In our work to uproot the causes of greed, hatred and delusion and support the liberation of all beings, we know it is critical to provide opportunities for long-term practice to new generations of dharma leaders. As we move into this next phase of Spirit Rock’s growth with the build out of our lower campus, we are also resolved in our commitment to increasing access to the Dharma.

Scholarship applications are due September 15. More information and applications instructions are available here.