Exploring The Way
A 5-day residential retreat with Henry Shukman
Mount Madonna Center, California
May 19–24, 2026
In Person
Join Henry for five days at Mount Madonna, where guided meditation, dharma teachings, and extended Q&A create space for practice to deepen naturally. You’ll sit alongside others committed to the same exploration, discovering what emerges when we give ourselves the rare gift of sustained time.
Surrounded by redwoods and mountain views, Mount Madonna provides a natural container for practice. Whether this is your first residential retreat or your twentieth, Exploring The Way meets you exactly where you are. The schedule offers structure without rigidity, with time for both communal sitting and solo wandering.
Note from Henry
There’s something that happens on a residential retreat that can’t quite happen anywhere else. When we commit to days of practice together – sitting, eating, moving through space more mindfully – the usual chatter of the mind begins to settle, and we start to open up to a wider clarity.
I’m delighted to offer this retreat at Mount Madonna Center, a place I’ve come to love for its beauty and capacity to hold deep practice. Whether this is your first residential retreat or you’re a seasoned practitioner, I look forward to exploring this path with you.
What to expect at a residential retreat
The retreat includes daily meditation, dharma teachings from Henry, and extended Q&A sessions. You’ll practice within a committed community of meditators, with Teaching Assistants available for added support throughout.
Our schedule offers structure and flexibility — communal sitting, optional movement sessions and breakout groups, with ample solo time to wander the land, rest, and restore.
Retreat Schedule
Tuesday, May 19th |
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Tuesday, May 19th3:00pm - 6:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thArrival and check-in |
Tuesday, May 19th5:15pm - 6:15pm |
Tuesday, May 19thDinner |
Tuesday, May 19th6:15pm - 7:10pm |
Tuesday, May 19thFree time |
Tuesday, May 19th7:15pm - 7:30pm |
Tuesday, May 19thOpen silent sit |
Tuesday, May 19th7:30pm - 8:30pm |
Tuesday, May 19thWelcome with Henry: orientation and guided meditation |
Tuesday, May 19th8:30pm - 8:50pm |
Tuesday, May 19thOptional Q&A for first time retreatants with Luke & Shana |
Tuesday, May 19thWednesday, May 20th - Friday, May 22nd |
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Tuesday, May 19th7:30am - 8:30am |
Tuesday, May 19thMorning movement & silent meditation |
Tuesday, May 19th8:30am - 9:30am |
Tuesday, May 19thBreakfast |
Tuesday, May 19th10:00am - 12:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thSession with Henry (guided meditations, talk, Q&A and silence) |
Tuesday, May 19th12:00pm - 12:30pm |
Tuesday, May 19thBreakout Q&A Session with Shana and Luke |
Tuesday, May 19th12:30pm - 1:30pm |
Tuesday, May 19thLunch |
Tuesday, May 19th1:30pm - 3:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thOpen self-guided practice time (outdoor walking, self-guided movement, open sitting, integration) |
Tuesday, May 19th3:00pm - 5:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thSession with Henry |
Tuesday, May 19th5:15pm - 6:15pm |
Tuesday, May 19thDinner |
Tuesday, May 19th6:30pm - 8:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thOpen self-guided practice time (sunset walk, self-guided movement, open sitting, integration) |
Tuesday, May 19th8:00pm - 8:45pm |
Tuesday, May 19thEvening meditation |
Tuesday, May 19thSaturday, May 23rd |
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Tuesday, May 19th7:30am - 8:30am |
Tuesday, May 19thMorning movement & silent meditation |
Tuesday, May 19th8:30am - 9:45am |
Tuesday, May 19thSession with Henry |
Tuesday, May 19th10:00am - 11:00am |
Tuesday, May 19thBrunch |
Tuesday, May 19th11:30am - 12:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thOutdoor walking |
Tuesday, May 19th12:00pm - 1:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thSession with Henry |
Tuesday, May 19th1:00pm - 2:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thSnack |
Tuesday, May 19th2:30pm - 3:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thOpen silent sit |
Tuesday, May 19th3:00pm - 5:00pm |
Tuesday, May 19thSession with Henry |
Tuesday, May 19th5:15pm - 6:15pm |
Tuesday, May 19thDinner |
Tuesday, May 19th7:30pm - 7:55pm |
Tuesday, May 19thBreakout Q&A Session with Shana and Luke |
Tuesday, May 19th8:00pm - 8:45pm |
Tuesday, May 19thEvening meditation |
Tuesday, May 19thSunday, May 24th |
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Tuesday, May 19th7:30am - 8:30am |
Tuesday, May 19thMorning movement & silent meditation |
Tuesday, May 19th8:30am - 9:30am |
Tuesday, May 19thBreakfast |
Tuesday, May 19th9:30am - 10:15am |
Tuesday, May 19thCheckout from rooms |
Tuesday, May 19th10:15am - 12:15pm |
Tuesday, May 19thSession with Henry |
Tuesday, May 19th12:30pm - 1:30pm |
Tuesday, May 19thLunch |
Tuesday, May 19th*Schedule subject to changes |
Here’s what students have said about Henry’s teaching
About Mount Madonna
Center
Mount Madonna sits on 380 acres of redwoods and grasslands overlooking Monterey Bay. Ancient trees, mountain quiet, and distance from daily life create a beautiful container for sustained practice.
Accommodations
Mount Madonna Center has a wide range of comfortable accommodations. You’ll be able to select your preference and see pricing when you register for the retreat.
Nourishing Vegetarian Meals
All meals are vegetarian, prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients (organic and local whenever possible). The kitchen can accommodate most dietary needs, including gluten-free and dairy-free requests.
Getting to Mount Madonna Center
Mount Madonna Center is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, approximately two hours south of San Francisco. The closest airports are San José (SJC), San Francisco (SFO), and Oakland (OAK).
For detailed directions and information about shuttle services, visit Mount Madonna Center’s Transportation page.
About your teacher
Henry Shukman
Henry is an authorized Zen Master in the Sanbo Zen lineage, the co-founder of The Way meditation app, and the Spiritual Director Emeritus of Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In addition to teaching meditation, Henry is an award-winning author and poet. His struggles and traumatic experiences as a youth, combined with a spontaneous awakening experience at 19, and decades of practice training, paved the way for Henry to develop a well-rounded approach to healing and awakening through meditation.
Event Details
Retreat cost: $1965 to $3365 depending on accommodations
Dates: May 19–24, 2026
Where: Mount Madonna Center in Santa Cruz County, California
Subscribers of The Way enjoy a discount of $250 for this retreat. Find the discount code in the Events section of your app.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this retreat, please contact Jeremy, our Retreats Manager at info@thewayapp.com.
We’re happy to assist and look forward to answering your questions.
Scholarships
We warmly welcome you to contact us if a scholarship would allow you to attend this retreat.
Please contact our Jeremy at info@thewayapp.com for details.
Cancellation policy
Cancellations made at least thirty (30) days before May 19, 2026 are fully refundable. Cancellations made less than thirty (30) days but more than seven (7) days prior to May 19, 2026 incur a cancellation fee equal to fifty percent (50%) of the total reservation amount. No refunds will be given for cancellations made less than seven (7) days in advance of the start date of your reservation.
