Solo Retreats at the Dharma Centre of Canada

The Dharma Centre of Canada has a rich tradition of supporting individuals in long retreats. We open all year round for solo retreat opportunities, ranging from a weekend to a week, a month, or even a year-long retreat.

Each application is reviewed by our Core Teachers. Our review process is intended to ensure there is a good match between the DCC and the prospective retreatant. Our goal is to ensure that every retreatant has a positive and transformative experience, feels well supported throughout their retreat, and is prepared for the rigors that come with solo retreat work.

 
 

SOLO RETREAT OPPORTUNITY

 A Season of Stillness: Rest, Renew, and Awaken in the Quiet of Winter  

January – March 2026 at the Dharma Centre of Canada

The Dharma Centre of Canada (DCC) invites experienced meditators to deepen their practice through solo retreat in our serene and supportive setting. Nestled in the Kawartha Highlands, the DCC has a long tradition of holding space for extended periods of inner work. Whether you are seeking quietude, spiritual renewal, or focused intensive practice, a solo retreat provides the opportunity to fully immerse yourself.

Atmosphere & Support

  • Peaceful, natural surroundings conducive to stillness and contemplation.

  • Retreats may be fully self-guided or include periodic guidance from a Core Teacher.

  • Access to our Temple (outside of scheduled group retreats).

  • Tea House kitchen available for warming and enjoying meals.

Application Process

Before applying, please carefully read the Practice Guidelines below to ensure you meet the DCC Solo Retreat requirements.

Retreat periods may range from two nights to one year or more. Each application is carefully reviewed by one or more of our Core Teachers. Our process is designed to support you in having a positive, transformative, and sustainable retreat experience.

Application Steps

  1. Submit Application – Reviewed by the Administrator and Core Teachers.

  2. Interview with a Core Teacher – To assess readiness and mutual fit.

  3. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – A jointly signed agreement outlining expectations and responsibilities for both the retreatant and the Centre.

Why Retreat at the DCC?

  • 60 years of retreat lineage and experience.

  • Dedicated support from Core Teachers.

  • A safe and structured environment for rigorous practice.

  • A living community that values spiritual growth, sustainability, and compassion.

Apply Now

Take the next step toward your inner transformation.

Apply for a Solo Retreat at the DCC

For inquiries, contact us at retreats@dharmacentre.org.

🔔 Important Information About Solo Retreats — Please Read Before Applying

Solo retreats at the Dharma Centre of Canada are a profound and transformative practice. However, they are not intended for beginners or those without prior meditative experience.

Minimum Prerequisites for a Solo Retreat

  • Previous participation in at least one group silent retreat (preferably at the Dharma Centre or in a similar setting).

  • A well-established daily meditation practice with a consistent minimum of 1 hour of daily sitting practice.

  • A demonstrated ability to navigate solitude, silence, and the internal process of retreat without regular support.

 
 
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Practice Guidelines for Solo Retreatants

Retreatants are required to commit to the following throughout their stay:

  • To follow and abide in the five precepts (those who wish to undertake eight precepts, which includes refraining from eating after noon, may do so):

    I undertake to observe the rule:

    1. to abstain from taking life

    2. to abstain from taking what is not given

    3. to abstain from sensuous misconduct

    (to refrain from sexual misconduct which includes sexual activity among married and unmarried participants and also to refrain from all sexual activity while in retreat at the DCC)

    4. to abstain from false speech

    5. to abstain from intoxicants as tending to cloud the mind

Video: The Five Lay Precepts.

Dharma Centre of Canada’s former Spiritual Director Karma Chime Wongmo speaks about the Five Lay Precepts.

 

  • To commit fully to retreat time, not engaging in any off-site activities.

  • To undertake a defined meditation practice, structure and ongoing regular guidance that will be detailed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed by the retreatant upon arrival. The retreatant will be expected to work with their own personal teacher to develop the retreat practice and structure. In the absence of a personal teacher, the retreatant is expected to work with the DCC CoreTeachers to establish these guidelines.   

  • To refrain from the use of recreational drugs and alcohol use.

  • To sustain a continuous practice to the best of one’s ability and capacity.

  • To refrain from verbal and written communications, including with other retreatants, unless indicated otherwise by the Core Teacher(s) in the MOU or when an emergency situation arises. In exceptional circumstances, the Core Teachers will mediate external communications.

  • To participate in regular meetings with the DCC Core Teacher as agreed upon in the MOU.

  • To complete a daily work-as-practice-period ( 1 hour of generosity yoga).

  • For retreats longer than three months, to participate in a reflective practice with the Core Teachers to review meditation progress, the need for any adjustments of support from the DCC and other issues identified by the retreatant and the Core Teachers.  

Communication:

  • Retreatants are advised to take care of all personal and business obligations prior to the start of their retreat, so that communication with the outside world can be kept to an absolute minimum. Given the long-term nature of some DCC stays, however, exceptional circumstances may arise when communication is necessary. If so, please remember that wise restraint is an integral part of practice.

  • Any personal business that requires time away from ones practice or from the DCC Retreat itself should be discussed with the Core Teacher first.

Terms of stay:

  • Retreatants are asked to commit fully to the length of their retreat.

  • All DCC retreatants must have stable physical, mental and emotional health and be able to physically care for themselves. Those who are traveling from out of Canada must have health insurance or be able to cover her/his/their own expenses in case of illness or medical emergencies. Any special needs must be discussed and agreed to in advance with the Administrator.

  • Given the extensive length of some stays, and the possibility of becoming sick, we recommend that retreatants arrive prepared to treat a variety of non-urgent common illnesses. We do not have the staffing resources to take individuals to any regularly scheduled medical appointments. When really necessary, however, we will arrange outside transportation, at the retreatant’s expense.

  • Our office number should be given to a family member or close friend to use in case of emergency. If there are fragile or dependent family members that the retreatant needs to stay in contact with, please notify us in advance.

  • We do not recommend Solo Retreat work for those who have recently experienced personal trauma, ongoing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and/or are undergoing chronic or acute episodes of mental health disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety, etc…). Instead, we recommend shorter, structured and supported group retreats which are likely to be of more benefit in these situations. Our core teachers are available to help support this decision-making process.  The DCC is a small organization with a small staff. There are no medical personnel on-site and we are not able to provide medical care.

  • In the event of a personal emergency or when encountering difficulties in their practice, retreatants will be expected to take guidance and instruction from one of our Core Teachers.

  • Once an application for a personal retreat at the Dharma Centre is approved, retreatants must provide on arrival the name and contact details of an emergency contact person in order to attend the retreat and sign a general release form.

  • Participation in the Dharma Centre retreat program is at the discretion of the Dharma Centre Board, Core Teachers and Administration at all times. If, in the opinion of the Dharma Centre, a retreatant is unable to continue to participate productively in the retreat, the individual may be asked to leave.

 
 

Testimonials

(We invite you to read reflections from those who have practiced solo retreat at the Dharma Centre. Their experiences share the depth, challenge, and transformative power of this unique path.)

✨ “In the quiet of the retreat, you can feel it... The support of the land. And of all those who spent time there before you, cultivating wholesomeness. And of those present who continue to offer their service. The offer of refuge. The invitation to explore mystery. 

Unfettered by the business of everyday life, the mind begins to unbind from the conditioning that obscures the splendour of life.
A solo retreat at the DCC, how wonderful!” - Marie

✨ I would like to share the wonderful experience I had this past year during a mostly solo 2 week winter retreat.
I “sandwiched” my solo retreat around Jack Connelly’s silent retreat, which is my preference; some solo and some group.
Winter at the Dharma Centre is beyond beautiful. During the daylight hours, the snow sparkles with infinite diamonds of light. At night, either the stars reveal themselves in splendour, or, if cloudy, it is darker than dark; emptiness, space…
Beautiful. In any case, the grounds, Nature, the silence, the pure air - all lend themselves to a wakening in the most peaceful and glorious of settings.
And, the food is tasty and healthy, mmmmm.
I love my time at the Dharma Centre.
Thank you for being there for me.

 Love and peace,
Michael

✨"I did a four week solo retreat at DCC in the summer of 2025 and was extremely impressed with the support that I received, in all forms. Communication with the centre was straightforward before and during the retreat.  All my inquiries and requests were met in a timely and professional fashion by the very friendly staff. They made sure that I was given the space and quiet for my practice. They obtained items that I needed from time to time when they went to town. The facilities are clean and the surroundings are spectacular. I knew that I could get guidance for my practice by the resident and affiliated teachers as needed. I would gladly go back and recommend it to others." - Pierre Zakarauskas

✨"My 2 week solo retreat at DCC where the hardest and the best days of my life." - Tara

✨“The Dharma Centre of Canada is soaked in the collective intention of decades of meditators, and I feel that energy whenever I’m on retreat. Winter, with its quiet stillness, is especially direct and transformative, supporting the inner process. I love the solo retreat experience here, and hope this supportive environment continues to nurture meditators for many more decades.” -Nick

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