Come Home: Awakening the Heart of Longing October 2026

Residential and Online Retreat

We will turn to the qualities and functions of the source of all reality and manifestation – the Absolute.

During this retreat, we will steep in the practices of awakening through teaching and guided meditations, opening to the Absolute awakening to itself in kensho.

We will journey deep into the manifest Absolute with its qualities and functions of pure, unconditioned love, pure non-conceptual awareness, and pure presence (beingness).  Additionally, we will enter into the rich vast blackness of vast absence along with deep peacefulness and profound primordial stillness of Cessation.

This is a rare opportunity to take a sustained deep dive into the Absolute, the unconditioned, undying qualities in your consciousness.

“Kenshō” is a Japanese Zen Buddhist term meaning a glimpse into one’s true nature. For the majority of individuals who experience their deeper nature, a number of the first experiences will be momentary, flashes of knowing. These flashes of knowing are deeply impactful to an individual consciousness. To see that we are in reality the active, awake, aware Presence of the Absolute and the Absence quality of Cessation is life-altering. Once ultimate reality witnesses itself, it can never go back to not knowing the truth of ultimate reality.

Essentially, kenshō is an experience where the self-identity becomes transparent. In kenshō we are in direct contact with unity or an undivided aspect of true nature, and we see true nature as our most real, most authentic identity.

― Stephen Mugen Snyder, Demystifying Awakening

This retreat is suitable for intermediate and advanced meditators and practitioners.

Reviews

“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

“I just finished a residential retreat with Mugen that was life changing. The location was quiet with easy access to nature, comfortable accommodations and a small, family environment. Mugen attracts experienced and dedicated students, which helps create a deep, trusting atmosphere. Mugen’s dharma talks and guided meditation are tailored to the group and I found them optimal for helping me go deeper and open more completely.  One-on-one interviews were frequent and regular, so I felt completely supported with kind and wise guidance right when I needed it. Mugen’s teaching has a rare clarity and directness. I experienced a profound event that changed me. I’ve done dozens of retreats and this one was miraculous. Thank you, Mugen Roshi!”

— Mark Shindo Johnson,  Attended the 3 week ‘Come Home: Awakening the Heart of Longing’ retreat October 2025

“I’ve been on several retreats with Stephen over the years and every one of them has been life changing. I experienced the depth of wisdom, skill of teaching and expression of compassion and kindness throughout each retreat. The guidance and support of Stephen and Awakening Dharma has been a priceless gift.”

— Derek koji McClure, Attended the 3-Week Awakening retreat in October 2024 and 2025

The Awakening Retreat’s with Mugen Roshi are very profound. This was my second time participating. All participants are very serious practitioners, many of them had awakening’s. Mugen and his wife Julie also cook for everyone. Mugen’s guided meditations into the Absolute enabled all participants to experience life-changing experiences again this year, such as Absence of Self, Love Unity Consciousness, Kensho, or Cessation. After three years of working with Mugen Roshi, I can confirm that this type of practice and guided meditations first opens one’s own access to the unlimited and unconditional qualities of the Absolute, such as peace, stillness, love, and compassion, and then these qualities gradually become one’s own foundation from which one operates. Furthermore, Mugen is also one of the teachers who emphasizes personal development work after the first Kensho as necessary for further awakening’s and liberation.  His extensive experience with students enables him to guide them individually, step by step, through this challenging work. He is a meditation master and fully capable and authorized to instruct students in Zen Koan practice, the Theravada Jhanas, Cessation and gradual deepening through Shikantaza. This comprehensive expertise makes him a unique teacher.

— Matthias Chōtan Wyss, Attended the 3-Week Awakening retreat in October 2024 and 2025

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.

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.

Experience Prerequisites

• Attended at least two online daylongs with Mugen Roshi in the past year.
• Attended at least two silent, residential, Buddhist meditation retreats for a minimum of six days.

For in-person attendance, the prerequisites are required. Please include specifics of your retreat experience to verify that you meet these requirements in your application. Mugen may consider exceptions to these requirements under some circumstances. To request an exception, please email us at [E-Address: events | awakeningdharma].

For online attendance, the prerequisites are recommendations only.

In-Person Attendance

All-inclusive cost for 21 days (room, meals, teaching fees and staff dana):

• Private room booked for one person $3,950 each – FULL
• Shared room for one person: $3,500 each. – FULL
• Daybed in shared room (narrower than a normal bed) for one person: $3,250 each. – FULL
• Dorm bed for one person: $3,100 each. – FULL

Online Attendance

Online attendance includes:

• Access to live guided meditations and dharma talks via Zoom.
• Access to recordings (available after automatic processing completes, within a few hours).
• Opportunity to ask questions during group Q&A on Zoom.

Approximate schedule for online participation (Times for some talks and guided meditations may shift slightly earlier or later with advanced notice):

• First day:
  • 7:00pm ET: Retreat Begins with opening talk
• Monday-Saturday:
  • 9:45am ET Sitting & Guided meditation
  • 1:45pm ET Dharma talk & Guided meditation
• Sundays:
  • Sundays are dark. This gives Mugen a rest day and for yogis they are a great day for deeper practice.
• Last day:
  • The last day of the retreat is mainly a travel day for in-person participants so there won’t be an online component.

Investment for online attendance:

• $1010 to attend without interviews
• $1200 to attend with interviews (limited slots available)

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 for online attendees will be one per week.

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).

Scholarships are available to support your participation. Please apply at least 7 days in advance.

Please review our Cancellation Policy and Participation Waiver.