Exploring the Formless Realms with Shikantaza Retreat

On this 1-week retreat, we will explore the Absolute — the qualities and actions of the source of all reality and manifestation.

This is an opportunity to potentially access the formless jhanas also called the formless realms.  These formless realms are discrete functions or qualities of the Absolute.

Steeping in each formless realm is both transformative to our personality structuring along with deep transcendent awakeness.

The formless jhanas or realms are:

• the base of boundless space
• the base of boundless consciousness (manifest Absolute)
• the base of no-thing-ness (unmanifest Absolute)
• the base of neither perception nor non-perception (complete non-conceptual functioning and perception

To my knowledge this has never been taught before.  This will be a rare opportunity to access and abide in the formless jhanas/ realms.

This retreat is best for intermediate and experienced meditators.

Formless Realms/Formless Jhānas

“In Theravada Buddhism there are four formless realms called the four formless jhānas. The formless realms are nondual. By “nondual,” I mean there is neither perception nor awareness of a particularized me or anything we could identify as not me. Abiding in these realms is a direct, merged awareness with the particular quality of that realm. Each realm, as we move closer to the Absolute realm, is simpler yet further refined in breathtaking delicacy than the prior realm.

The formless realms are an important part of the path from First Awakening to full self-realization. They are important because each is a quality, a dimension, of the Absolute realm. The Absolute realm is the source of all creation and in its center is the potential for the experience of Cessation. Consider Cessation as the quality of the universe before any life, or Beingness, existed. Cessation is experienced as a primordial, dark, soundless silence devoid of all conceptual knowing, filled with thoroughly accepting pure love. The dark recesses of Cessation are the source of light, sound, and movement. As you realize the formless realms and continue immersing in them, the merging of individual consciousness and the Absolute consciousness as expressed by the particular formless realm are revealed as an undivided Oneness.

With each realm we can experience these from a subjective or objective perspective. The benefit of such an experience is opening our consciousness to experientially know awareness can be in one particular location or everywhere. In a subjective experience, we feel there is a location of awareness, a place from which awareness is perceiving. In contrast, in the objective experience there is not one location of awareness. Awareness is everywhere in the vastness of that realm. Perception arises from everywhere in the objective experience of perception and awareness.

These are the four formless realms/jhānas:

• the Base of Boundless Space (the Fifth Jhāna)
• the Base of Boundless Consciousness (the Sixth Jhāna)
• the Base of Boundless No-thing-ness (the Seventh Jhāna)
• the Base of Neither Perception nor Non-perception (the Eighth Jhāna)

I have found that, for myself and a few students, the formless realms can experientially open in consciousness without always requiring the deep focus of absorption in concentration meditation. When the Absolute realm is functioning in our consciousness and awareness, it is possible for any or all of the formless realms to appear and open.

— Stephen Mugen Snyder, Demystifying Awakening

Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi 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. Mugen is a senior student of Roshi Mark Sando Mininberg. Mugen encourages students to turn toward their true nature and embody their true identity. He is the author of five books, including Buddha’s Heart and Demystifying Awakening.

Past Attendees of Other Retreats

I was fortunate enough to get to do a two-week retreat with Stephen in June 2025. I’ve been on a lot of different retreats over the years, but this was special! The guided meditations brought the group deep into practice and the one to one interviews helped to keep us on track. There was also great care in how Stephen and Julie held the retreat and supported us all. I would encourage anyone interested in deep meditation to connect with Stephen and plan some retreat time.

– Keith Horan

Stephen is a rare combination of deep realization, penetrating clarity, loving heart, and skill as a teacher. He draws you into what’s already here, and now. I’ve done many retreats, and being on retreat with Stephen was at a whole other level. Truly life-changing.

– Rick Hanson, PhD, bestselling author of Buddha’s Brain and Neurodharma

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites but we do recommend attending one or more daylongs with Mugen Roshi before signing up. This ensures his teaching style will be a good fit for you.

This retreat is suitable for intermediate and advanced meditators and practitioners. For beginners, we recommend only signing up if you are capable of sitting at least 45 minutes two times per day.

For the best experience, we also recommend signing up for a mentoring program related to the retreat. Students who do this tend to readily engage in the teachings and practices.

Daily Schedule

Two Zoom calls daily for the entire group:

• 10:30am-12:00pm Eastern – First session (talk, Q&A, and guided meditation)
• 12pm-1pm Eastern – Break
• 1:00pm-2:30pm Eastern – Second session (talk, Q&A, and guided meditation)

Sundays are dark. This gives Mugen a rest day and for yogis they are a great day for deeper practice.

One-on-one interviews will be 15 minutes long. Time slots for interviews will be in one of two blocks (either 9:30am-10:30am or 2:30pm-3:30pm). Interviews start day four of the retreat and go to the next to last day (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday).

Outside of the scheduled times, students are advised to create their own schedule.

Recording

• This retreat will be recorded. One-on-one interviews will not be recorded.
• Recordings will be made available during the retreat once automatic processing has completed (usually within a few hours).
• By signing up and participating you are agreeing to release your rights of privacy and agree that any audio or video recording can be used by Awakening Dharma or Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi
• After this retreat is over, Awakening Dharma may sell the recordings as a self-paced retreat. If, so participants will be given free access to the self-paced retreat.

Investment

Both options include 7 days of live teachings and guided meditations, and access to recordings.

• $342 to attend without interviews.
• $492 to attend with interviews (limited slots available – 24 total).

Interviews are highly recommended for anyone new to retreat practice and for anyone planning deep practice under strict retreat conditions (e.g., maintaining noble silence and fully withdrawing from worldly activities).

Interviews are not recommended for anyone who won’t be following retreat conditions (e.g., people who plan to still be engaged in worldly activities such as work, socializing, or consuming media).

Please review our Cancellation Policy and Participation Waiver.