Sunday, August 30, 2026

10:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

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Practice does not end when the retreat does. This closing session explores how the teachings encountered throughout the series can be carried into the fullness of daily life in relationships, work, difficulty, and joy. A space for reflection, integration, and renewed intention.

Choose your enrollment fee

Meet Your Teaching Team

Fernmarie Rodriguez

Driven by a passion for understanding the universe, Fernmarie earned degrees in Physics, Mechanical Engineering, and Human-Centered Design. After a 15-year career at Microsoft, Boeing, and NASA, she shifted her focus to the “inner universe” and embarked on a global pilgrimage where she learned meditation and heart-opening practices. Today, she is passionate about supporting others on the path of spiritual awakening.

Mario Castillo

Mario Castillo has been a Buddhist practitioner in the Theravada tradition for nearly two decades. He is a graduate of the East Bay Meditation Center’s yearlong Commit to Dharma Program and the inaugural two-year Spiritual Teacher and Leadership Training. He also completed Braided Wisdom’s yearlong Original Medicine Program, and is currently participating in the Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock’s four-year Teacher Training Program. Mario practiced as a monastic in the Thai Forest Tradition with Venerable Ajahn Sukhito in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, before returning to the Bay Area to complete his Ph.D. in sociology. Mario co-founded the Deep Refuge Group Alphabet Brothers of Color, serves on Braided Wisdom’s Board of Directors, and is passionate about creating ceremonial spaces for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities to remember, honor, and celebrate their ancestors.

More Information

  • Equity Pricing Model

    As one part of our ongoing effort to expand access to the teachings of the Buddha, all IMS Online programs feature equity-based registration fees, including the opportunity to self-select a low-cost scholarship rate. No-fee enrollment is available for those who request a fee-waiver at [email protected], no questions asked. Our system supports the cultivation of a dynamic and inclusive community and is made possible by our generous donors and those who choose to support other students by contributing at the “Benefactor” level.

  • Registration Deadline

    Registration for this program closes on August 30, 2026.

  • Program Recordings

    This program will be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing after the live sessions. On-demand videos will be available to registered participants only for 90 days.

  • Refunds

    IMS Online offers full refunds through the last day of a live program. Refunds for this program can be processed until August 30, 2026. Refunds can only be applied to the card that was used for the purchase. Please reach out to [email protected] with any refund requests. 

  • Additional Questions

    If you have additional questions please contact us at [email protected].