5.0
Verified
Beautiful setting
The rooms are beautiful and spacious. Comfortable beds. Deer frolicking. Surrounded by trees. The food was amazingly good.
The Power of Concentration - Level 2 Meditation Retreat
Top Rated
The Power of Concentration - Level 2 Meditation Retreat
4.96186 reviews
April 2 - 5, 2026
About this Retreat
Your Guides
George Wiegand is our well-known and loved volunteer at Ratna Ling. He has been a student of our Founder Tarthang Tulku and a full-time volunteer in Nyingma organizations for 40 years, as a chef, baker, kitchen manager, temple builder, book binder, and pressman.
He earned his Masters of Education in Counseling in 1974. After teaching high school while in the Peace Corps, he served as a Counselor at a Catholic high school before moving to California in search of a meditation teacher. He intensively trained in Tibetan Yoga (Kum Nye) from 1982-1986 at the Nyingma Institute in Berkeley, and then moved to the Odiyan country center.
George describes his daily practice as meditation in action, working on projects in the Nyingma community, cooking, baking, building temples, printing, binding books, and teaching Tibetan meditation. His active meditation has been a solitary practice, internally studying the working of his own mind as he performs dharma activities. Some of his greatest lessons have come from caring for a dying parent and teaching communication to teenagers at a mindfulness-based youth treatment center.
His hobbies include bread baking, basketball, and choir singing.
Details of this retreat
For those interested in deepening their Meditation practice, Ratna Ling has designed three levels of retreats for folks at different stages of the path. Join George Wiegand for a fun, enlightening journey into your mind...
This Level 2 Retreat is designed for those who have an easy time focusing on the breath. You are confident about the benefits of meditation. You practice with enthusiasm because you know it will bring you peace. Youʻre willing to give up thoughts, emotions and distractions at least for the period of your meditation because you see the benefits of doing so. Focusing your attention has become a reasonable thing to do. You might be able to sit for 12-24 minutes in silence with relative ease.
We invite you for a 4-day Retreat with George Wiegand to sustain your concentration. In this phase of practice, we will keep bringing the mind back to the object of concentration, whether itʻs the breath, a sound, a smell, or a sight. We practice placing our awareness on a single thing.
We will learn about the 9 stages of shamatha (calm abiding meditation), as depicted in this painting of a monk, elephant and monkey on the path.
Using guided meditation, visualization, and sensory awareness, we will begin to notice that we are not our thoughts. You are not a victim of your emotional patterns. You have choice and agency.
You will learn how to neither grasp at thoughts/feelings/emotions/labels/identities--nor push them away. You will learn how to touch the present moment and feel alert and awake. You will learn to be comfortable with noticing and observing, instead of gripping or spiraling into stories and feelings.
This weekend includes:
Silent Practice
Guided Meditation/Visualization
Readings and Discussion
Play and Exploration
Schedule (Subject to change):
THURSDAY
3pm Check in
4:30pm Meditation in Nature
5:30pm Dinner
7pm Opening Circle, Review the Nine Stages of Calm Abiding Meditation
FRIDAY
7am Morning Meditation
8am Breakfast
9-10:30am The Stages of Meditation
11-12:15pm Practice
12:15pm Lunch + Quiet Time
3-4pm Meditation in nature
4:30-5:30 Practice
5:30pm Dinner
7-8:30pm Practice
SATURDAY
7am Morning Meditation
8am Breakfast
9-10:30am Dharma Talk
11-12:15pm Practice
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Temple Tour (optional)
3-4pm Meditation in nature
4:30-5:30 Practice
5:30pm Dinner
7-8:30pm Practice
SUNDAY
8-845am Practice
9-10am Closing Circle
10am Brunch
This Level 2 Retreat is designed for those who have an easy time focusing on the breath. You are confident about the benefits of meditation. You practice with enthusiasm because you know it will bring you peace. Youʻre willing to give up thoughts, emotions and distractions at least for the period of your meditation because you see the benefits of doing so. Focusing your attention has become a reasonable thing to do. You might be able to sit for 12-24 minutes in silence with relative ease.
We invite you for a 4-day Retreat with George Wiegand to sustain your concentration. In this phase of practice, we will keep bringing the mind back to the object of concentration, whether itʻs the breath, a sound, a smell, or a sight. We practice placing our awareness on a single thing.
We will learn about the 9 stages of shamatha (calm abiding meditation), as depicted in this painting of a monk, elephant and monkey on the path.
Using guided meditation, visualization, and sensory awareness, we will begin to notice that we are not our thoughts. You are not a victim of your emotional patterns. You have choice and agency.
You will learn how to neither grasp at thoughts/feelings/emotions/labels/identities--nor push them away. You will learn how to touch the present moment and feel alert and awake. You will learn to be comfortable with noticing and observing, instead of gripping or spiraling into stories and feelings.
This weekend includes:
Silent Practice
Guided Meditation/Visualization
Readings and Discussion
Play and Exploration
Schedule (Subject to change):
THURSDAY
3pm Check in
4:30pm Meditation in Nature
5:30pm Dinner
7pm Opening Circle, Review the Nine Stages of Calm Abiding Meditation
FRIDAY
7am Morning Meditation
8am Breakfast
9-10:30am The Stages of Meditation
11-12:15pm Practice
12:15pm Lunch + Quiet Time
3-4pm Meditation in nature
4:30-5:30 Practice
5:30pm Dinner
7-8:30pm Practice
SATURDAY
7am Morning Meditation
8am Breakfast
9-10:30am Dharma Talk
11-12:15pm Practice
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Temple Tour (optional)
3-4pm Meditation in nature
4:30-5:30 Practice
5:30pm Dinner
7-8:30pm Practice
SUNDAY
8-845am Practice
9-10am Closing Circle
10am Brunch
Getting Here
Directions
San Francisco International and Oakland International airports are approximately three hours south of Ratna Ling by car. Alaska Airlines flies to and from Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa which is approximately 1.5 hours from Ratna Ling by car. Unfortunately, there are no shuttles that bring you directly to Ratna Ling, so it is best to rent a car or email us to support in coordinating a carpool with fellow retreatants.
Accommodation
14 guest cottages on 120 acres of property. Each spacious, quiet cottage has 2 private rooms, with high ceilings and a deck with a view. Cottages include jet tubs (or ADA shower), towels, deluxe linens, refrigerator, tea kettle, coffee/tea, kitchen sink/counter, diningware, dining table, and living room with a stove fireplace. Free wifi available and a landline telephone. Guests can choose to have an exclusive cottage for ONE person; a private room for ONE person in a SHARED cottage; or a cottage for TWO people. Any additional guest after TWO is $100 per person per night. Meals and classes included.
For 1 Guest in Private Room
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Three miles from the beautiful Sonoma coast. Organic, vegetarian meals. 120 acres of redwoods, canyons, reservoirs, and wildlife. Sacred architecture timber cottages and communal spaces. Featured stupas, gardens, and temple empowered by Tibetan Buddhist Lama Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
All of our meals are organic and vegetarian, made with love and care.
We provide homemade yogurt and granola for breakfast. Lunches and dinners always include salads or salad bar. Each meal is self-served on a buffet table.
Customer Reviews
Verified
5.0
Verified
Rest in the Redwoods
Beautiful location, programs, accommodations and people. Step away from your routine and find the space and encouragement to be yourself. Thank you!
5.0
Verified
Beautiful setting for relaxing experience
Ratna Ling offers a gorgeous scenery among the redwoods and valleys to enjoy time to reset. Food is always flavourful and staff is very kind. My only concern was that I thought we were too many participants in the yoga room to feel comfortable. Would definitely recommend this place!
5.0
Verified
Highly Recommend
The grounds and lodging are lovely. The food is clean, healthy and very tasty. I attended a new year meditation retreat with Linda and Maria leading. It was thoughtful and informative. We learned some contemplative as well as physical meditation techniques. Right amount of sitting time, learning time, and free time. The Tour of the Temple was very interesting and special. The Center has a really peaceful and welcoming vibe. I didn't know what to expect and was really pleased and grateful. Really a great way to start the new year. I highly recommend Ratna Ling to anyone who hasn't been. I will definitely return!
5.0
Verified
Absolutely outstanding
I had an incredible experience. Outstanding instructors and staff, super food, lovely accommodations, wonderful people participating. I’ll 100% be back. Treat yourself to something very special!
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