Deepening Your Practice: An Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Meditators

David Chernikoff

May 1 - 5, 2024

Date and Time Details: May 1st - May 5th, 2024; Check-in begins at 3pm, Check-out by 2pm

Location: Southern Dharma Retreat Center

Address: 1661 W Rd, Hot Springs, NC 28743, USA

Contact: registrar@southerndharma.org

SLIDING SCALE: $229.18 - $787.95

Please keep in mind that program fees do not include compensation for the teacher(s). You will be invited to offer donations to both the teacher(s) and the Center at the end of the retreat.

# NIGHTS: 4

Experience Level / Format: Experience Required / In person

  • Bed in Lodge (shared accommodations) – $545.00
  • Furnished Canvas Tent – $545.00
  • Single Heated Cabin (Kuti) – $545.00
  • Single Unheated Cabin (Kuti) – $545.00
  • Tent Platform – $445.00

This retreat is for experienced meditators who want to deepen their practice and to listen to what the Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah called “the one who knows.”

Ultimately, spiritual maturation involves learning to trust our own inner guidance and resting in the felt realization that we already have what we seek and we already are what we wish to become. In a caring, supportive environment, we’ll practice sitting and walking meditation in silence. There will be dharma talks on the retreat theme as well as guided meditations and some interactive exercises that highlight the transformative power of committed spiritual practice.

This retreat is designed for people who have practiced meditation for at least five years and have attended a minimum of three previous residential retreats. If you are unsure whether this retreat is appropriate for you, please contact David Chernikoff, davidchernikoff@icloud.com or 303-499-7592, to discuss your situation.


We no longer require COVID-19 vaccinations to attend our programs, but do still require testing. We require all registered participants to present negative results from a Covid test performed in the 3 days prior to the start of your retreat AND that you consent to being tested upon your arrival at Southern Dharma. Any rapid antigen test is acceptable for testing, including over-the-counter at-home tests.

Thank you for your understanding as we work to ensure the safety of our staff, teachers, retreatants, and larger community!

NEW IN 2024: First-time retreatants at Southern Dharma must arrive by 5pm ET on the first day of retreat. Check-in begins at 3pm. Returning yogis can check-in between 3 and 6pm.

Departures will take place by 2:00pm on the last day of retreat. Please make sure that you can attend the full program before registering.

All registrations are subject to our new 2024 cancellation policy. All retreatants must review and agree to this policy upon registration.

For our 2024 retreats, three fee tiers are offered. Please choose the option that best fits your ability to give in this time. Any amount paid above the Base rate is a tax deductible contribution to Southern Dharma Retreat Center. Your confirmation email is your receipt for tax purposes.

We are deeply grateful for your support.

Note that registration fees do not include dana for the teacher(s). In the Buddhist tradition the teachings are offered freely and teachers are not paid for their offerings. They rely on dana contributions from students. Similarly, Southern Dharma keeps registration fees low to ensure the Dharma is accessible to all. Fees cover only a fraction of Southern Dharma’s operating expenses. We appreciate your practice of generosity to continue the dissemination of the Dharma.

Housing and all meals are included in the program fee. We are currently offering six housing options:

  1. Bed in Lodge, shared double room (2nd floor)
  2. Bed in Lodge, dorm with privacy partitions (3rd floor)
  3. Unheated kuti (single cabin, outdoor bathroom)
  4. Heated kuti (single cabin, outdoor bathroom)
  5. Canvas Tent (furnished, outdoor bathroom)
  6. Basic Tent Platform (camping with your own gear)

Please use the appropriate field in the registration process to let us know your preferences in regards to housing, if any, and also specify if you insist on or prefer being housed with others of the same gender. All housing options are priced the same except for the Basic Tent Platform.

Southern Dharma is offers 50% scholarship awards for BIPOC and Young Adults, in addition to those with financial need. Indicate your interest in a Southern Dharma in-house scholarship during the registration process.

This program is also eligible for Hemera Contemplative Fellowships. Please note that you must apply for the Fellowship prior to registering for any program. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

About the Teacher

David Chernikoff

David Chernikoff (he/him), M.Div, LCSW. (www.davidchernikoff.com) is a meditation teacher, spiritual counselor, and life coach who taught psychology and meditation at Naropa University for many years. In the early 1980s, he worked at Ram Dass’s Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico and then became the director of Mesilla Valley Hospice in Las Cruces, […]

Learn more about David Chernikoff

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