Awakening Dharma is offering Buddhist meditation retreats in Michigan. These are small, family-style retreats with about 10 people only. They feature home-style cooking and a supportive environment. These have been hosted in locations around the state of Michigan such as Beaverton, Port Sanilac, and Newaygo.
Learn more by reading the In-Person Retreats FAQ.

Key Facts

- Small intimate, home-like retreats with 8-15 participants
- Oriented towards intermediate and advanced students
- Led by experienced retreat teacher authorized in both Zen & Theravada practices
- Frequent interviews with the teacher gives ample opportunity for guidance
- Vegetarian food including homemade desserts
- Warm-hearted and supportive environment

Retreats are led by Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi who began practicing daily meditation in 1976. Since then, he has studied Buddhism extensively—investigating and engaging in Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, and Western non-dual traditions. He was authorized to teach in the Theravada Buddhist tradition in 2007 and the Zen Buddhist schools of Soto and Rinzai in 2022. Stephen is a senior student of Roshi Mark Sando Mininberg and a transmitted teacher in the White Plum Asangha—the body of teachers in the Maezumi-roshi lineage.
Student Feedback
Demystifying Awakening
Practicing the Jhānas
Liberating the Self
Buddha’s Heart
Upcoming Meditation Retreats
Come Home: Awakening the Heart of Longing October 2026
Residential and Online Retreat
When: October 1, 2026 – October 21, 2026
Where: Battle Creek, Michigan and Online, via Zoom
Update: Option for online attendance of this retreat has been added. More below. We will turn to the qualities and…
Coming Home: Awakening in this Lifetime
Three-week Residential Retreat
When: September 10, 2027 – October 1, 2027
Where: Shoals, Indiana
We will turn to the qualities and functions of the source of all reality and manifestation – the Absolute. During…
Practicing the Jhānas Retreat
Two-week Retreat: Residential and Online
When: April 1, 2027 – April 14, 2027
Where: Shoals, Indiana and Online
Practicing the Jhanas: Traditional Concentration Meditation as Presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw The Practicing the Jhānas retreat will be a…
See more upcoming Programs & Meditation Retreats.
Airports students use are typically either Saginaw Airport (MBS) or Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) or the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Beaverton is about a 2-hour drive from Detroit, Michigan or Ann Arbor, Michigan.
