Exploring the Subtle Body: Essence, Energy, Manifestation (Residential)
May 14 - 17, 2026
About this Retreat
Paul Weiss began his lifelong zen practice with Hakuun Yasutani Roshi in NY in 1966; and his tai chi practice with Cheng Man-Ching in 1967. Paul was drawn to Maine in 1969 to, as he says, "wrestle koans and milk cows" with Walter Nowick, one of the first American zen masters, who was now farming and teaching on the coast of Maine. Paul's subsequent broad studies in several traditions—Buddhist and non-Buddhist—have taken him from the Thar Desert of India to the mountains of China, where, during the 1990s, he was certified to teach by three schools of qigong.
Paul founded and directed The Whole Health Center in Bar Harbor, Maine, which, from 1981 to 2023, was the vehicle for his healing, counseling, and teaching work. His counseling work has included communication training for couples, expressive emotional recovery work, and what he calls 'conscious neural re-circuiting." He has elaborated the Buddhist compassion practice of tonglen as a comprehensive 'technology' of integration and healing.
Throughout this time he has offered extended and formal zen meditation retreats, as well as tonglen and other healing and meditation workshops, and his Foundations of Spiritual Psychology training for clinicians. His True Heart/True Mind retreat, offered since 1983, is an intensive and transformative residential program that integrates contemplation and communication practice in a way that augments the awakening power of both. In the late nineties, much of his focus turned to Dzogchen study and practice; and he has been inspired by his long friendship with Anam Thubten Rinpoche since first inviting him to teach at his center in 2000.
Weiss is the author of Moonlight Leaning Against an Old Rail Fence: Approaching the Dharma as Poetry (North Atlantic 2015), a collection of his poems and their dharma commentaries. And in The Dharma of Direct Experience: Non-dual Principles of Living (Inner Traditions 2022) he addresses the nature and context of his own deepest experiences, as well as their indications for a life of integrity, reciprocity, compassion, and openness to reality. He continues to work with individuals, couples, and groups, and teaches a spirituality of ‘human maturity and conscious loving presence,’ which he calls The Blessing Way.
The woods and mountains are still his ultimate refuge, as are his ten grandchildren.
Details of this retreat
Registration is open!
Join visiting teacher Paul Weiss to explore how our body, energy, and awareness are expressions of our rainbow-like nature: vivid, ever-present, and never graspable. Through subtle body meditation, interoceptive awareness, and gentle qigong, this retreat offers a direct way to relax projection and rediscover the freedom already present within our experience.
Drawing from Taoist and Buddhist traditions, we will practice subtle body meditations and gentle standing and moving qigong to become more at home in the manifest, energetic, and essential nature of body and mind. By learning to feel into the body rather than project onto our experience, we can cultivate a more intimate, spacious, and joyful relationship with awareness, emotions, and perception itself.
Please join us to:
Explore subtle body meditations from Taoist and Buddhist traditions
Practice gentle qigong to awaken energetic sensitivity
Learn the difference between emotions and emotional states, and how to work with their energetic nature
Develop interoceptive awareness as a gateway to deep listening
Tilopa tells us: “The completely open nature of all dimensions and events is a rainbow always occurring yet never grasped.” All our experience is the energetic arising of the ineffable nature of being. As creatures of appearance, energy, and emptiness, we can be freely at home in all three. Yet our projective way of seeing and reifying creates binding stories in which such freedom is lost.
On this retreat, we will practice subtle body meditations drawn from Taoist and Buddhist traditions that help us feel more at home with the manifest, energetic, and essential nature of body/mind. We will also explore meditations that teach us to relax our habit of projecting onto experience, expanding awareness—to see into the nature of seeing, to hear into the nature of hearing, to feel into the nature of feeling.
Seeing, listening, feeling into the body is the most fruitful entry point for exploring the manifest, energetic, and empty and awake nature of awareness itself. By tuning into the body - interoception - we immediately transform projection into deep listening and integration. This is especially true of our emotional experiences, which so often shape the stories we hold about our lives.
Together, we will examine the difference between “emotions” and “emotional states,” learning to explore and embrace their somatic and energetic qualities as pathways to awareness and freedom. We will also devote significant time to gentle standing and moving qigong practice, awakening sensitivity to the energetic and essence nature of the body while cultivating transparent awareness.
This retreat is not a deep dive into esoteric yoga. Rather, we will wade out gently into the water and step onto the broad beach where appearance, energy, emptiness, and joy are one. We may discover that the most esoteric teaching is the natural expression of what we already are.
All are welcome, regardless of experience or physical ability.
Typical Retreat Schedule
(All times are Eastern time zone)
First Day — Orientation at 6:45 pm. Opening session begins around 7:00 pm.
Last Day —The closing session ends around 11:00 am.
These times are just for reference. An expanded schedule will be provided in pre-retreat information emailed during the week prior to the event.
Important Health Information
COVID-19 testing is no longer required. Masks are optional and encouraged if you are at higher risk. We encourage you to stay at home if you are symptomatic to protect others.
Scholarships
Natural Dharma Fellowship strives to offer retreats in a manner that is inclusive and accessible. If the full retreat cost would create an undue financial burden, we encourage you to apply for a scholarship. Please visit this page on our website to learn more about financial aid options.
Please do not apply for financial assistance until after you have registered for the retreat. If the required deposit would be an obstacle, please contact register@naturaldharma.org.
Cancellation Policy
We understand that personal circumstances may require you to cancel your registration. In these cases, please contact us right away at register@naturaldharma.org. Cancellations affect our ability to offer rooms to others and create additional work for our staff, therefore we charge the following fees to help mitigate these costs.
For cancellations (based on program start date):
> 45 days: 100% refund minus a $75 admin. fee.
31-45 days: 50% refund of the required deposit; or 75% refund if registration paid in full.
21-30 days: 50% refund of total registration cost
< 21 days: nonrefundable
If you must cancel due to an emergency or extenuating circumstances, please contact us at register@naturaldharma.org.
Natural Dharma Fellowship Full Calendar
Accommodation
We offer a variety of accommodations, from dormitories for women and men, to double shared rooms some with private bath, some with shared bath, private rooms with private or shared baths, and a lovely Benefactor Suite at some retreats. We also offer the possibility of camping in warmer months, and all retreats also have a non-residential option, if you are commuting from home or staying at a local B&B or motel.
Suite/Benefactor
The Vajra Suite is a spacious, air-conditioned private bedroom with private deck and bath, furnished with a king bed. This accommodation also includes a separate meditation room with spectacular views of the mountains and a private kitchenette. By choosing this Benefactor room option and paying at a higher rate, you are supporting Wonderwell Mountain Refuge in our efforts to maintain and improve our historic building and the grounds and to make retreat practice more accessible for all. Thank you.
Private Room w/Queen Bed & Ensuite Bath
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This private room selection provides a queen size bed and en-suite bath. There are two rooms located on the second floor and one on the third floor. These rooms can also be used by couples staying at Wonderwell. In that case, please select "2 guests," and an adjustment is automatically made in the room price for the second person. The second guest will then receive an email with a link to complete the personal registration questions and will not be considered registered until those questions are answered and received.
The queen beds come with 2 pillows, a blanket, and a bedspread. In concern for energy and water conservation we ask guests to bring their own queen bed linens and bath towels. Wonderwell does rent sheets and towels when it's necessary for those flying in for retreat - $10 for bed linens and $5 for a bath towel. Please select those add-ons during the registration process if you need it.
The rooms can be drafty at times; each room may vary in temperature depending on the season. Fans and heaters are in the closet. You may bring anything else that you need for your comfort.We ask that guests bring their own queen bed linens and bath towels.
Fireplaces in bedrooms are not to be used and no candles please.
Private Room w/Queen Bed & Hall Bath
![Accommodation]()
This private room selection, one located on the third floor and one in the basement, provides a queen-size bed and a hall bath. They can also be used by a couple staying at Wonderwell. In that case, please select "2 guests," and an adjustment is automatically made in the room price for the second person.. The second guest will then receive an email to complete the personal registration questions and will not be considered registered until those questions are answered and received.
The queen bed come with two pillows, a blanket, and a bedspread. Out of concern for energy and water conservation, we ask guests to bring their own queen-bed linens and bath towels. Wonderwell does rent sheets and towels when it's necessary for those flying in for retreat - $10 for bed linens and $5 for a bath towel. Please select those add-ons during the registration process if you need them.
The rooms can be drafty at times; each room may vary in temperature depending on the season. Fans and heaters are in the closet. You may bring anything else that you need for your comfort.
Fireplaces in bedrooms are not to be used and no candles please.
Private Room w/Twin Bed & Ensuite Bath
The bathroom in this private room on the third floor is shared only with the adjacent double room.
Private Room w/Twin Bed & Hall Bath
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Private rooms with a hall bath are located in the basement (walkout) of the building, with inside stairs for dining and Meditation Hall access and on the second floor. There are three private rooms with one shared bathroom (one toilet, sink and shower). There is also a sitting area and a kitchen in the basement. This is also the staff kitchen area and we ask that you keep it clean. Please only use the microwave and coffee maker and no other appliances. You may store food in the refrigerator, but be sure to remove it when you depart. If there are people camping in the backyard, you will also share the basement bathroom with them. They do not share any other basement amenities.
Each private room bed comes with a pillow, a blanket, and a bedspread. In concern for energy and water conservation we ask guests to bring their own twin bed linens and bath towels. Wonderwell does rent sheets and towels when it's necessary for those flying in for retreat- $10 for bed linens and $5 for a bath towel. Please select those add-ons during the registration process if you need it.
The rooms can be drafty at times; each room may vary in temperature depending on the season. Fans and heaters are in the closet. You may bring anything else that you need for your comfort.
If you have a favorite room, you may request it in the comment section of the registration form. No guarantees!
Shared Room w/Ensuite Bath
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If you register for a shared double room, you must accept sharing the space with someone you don’t know. If you prefer a specific roommate, please mention their name in the comment section of the registration form.
Each shared room in this price range contains two twin beds (couples may want to reserve a private room with a queen bed) and an ensuite bathroom. The bathroom is only used by the two people assigned to the room. All but one of Wonderwell's shared rooms with ensuite baths are located on the second and third floors. Each twin bed comes with a pillow, a blanket, and a bedspread. The room on the first floor is handicap accessible; please contact the registrar for availability.
Out of concern for energy and water conservation we ask guests to bring their own bed linens and bath towels. Wonderwell does rent bed linen and towels when it's necessary for those flying in for retreat- $10 for bed linens and $5 for a bath towel. Please select those add-ons during the registration process if you need it.
The rooms can be drafty at times; each room may vary in temperature depending on the season. Fans and heaters are in the closet. You may bring anything else that you need for your comfort.
If you prefer a certain roommate, please list their name in the comment section of the registration form. Please know, that by selecting this room option, you will have a roommate. You understand that others have various sleeping habits and can snore. If this is of concern, we recommend choosing a private room.
If you have a favorite room, you may request it in the comment section of the registration form. No guarantees!
Shared Room w/Hall Bath
![Accommodation]()
If you register for a shared double room, you must accept sharing the space with someone you don’t know. If you prefer a specific roommate, please mention their name in the comment section of the registration form.
Each shared room in this price range has two twin beds with a hallway bathroom shared with another room. Wonderwell's Shared Rooms w/Hall Baths are located on the second and third floor.
Each bed comes with a pillow, a blanket, and a bedspread. In concern for energy and water conservation we ask guests to bring their own bed linens and bath towels. Wonderwell does rent bed linen and towels when it's necessary for those flying in for retreat- $10 for bed linens and $5 for a bath towel. Please select those add-ons during the registration process if you need it.
The rooms can be drafty at times; each room may vary in temperature depending on the season. Fans and heaters are in the closet. You may bring anything else that you need for your comfort.
Please know, that by selecting this room option, you will have a roommate. You understand that others have various sleeping habits and can snore. If this is of concern, we recommend choosing a private room.
If you have a favorite room, you may request it in the comment section of the registration form. No guarantees!
Men's Dorm
The men's dorm has 3 twin beds and a bathroom serving only this dorm. Each dorm bed comes with a pillow, a blanket, and a bedspread. In concern for energy and water conservation we ask guests to bring their own twin bed linens and bath towels. Wonderwell does rent sheets and towels when it's necessary for those flying in for retreat - $10 for bed linens and $5 for a bath towel. Please select those add-ons during the registration process if you need it.
Please note: when you sign up for dorm accommodations, you acknowledge the fact that you are sleeping in a room with many other people, who may snore or have other sleeping habits. Please come prepared for this. We have free foam ear plugs available, as well as fitted "snore-proof" silicon ear plugs for which we charge $2.
The rooms can be drafty at times; each room may vary in temperature depending on the season. Fans and heaters are in the closet. You may bring anything else that you need for your comfort.
Women's Dorm
The women's dorm is on the second floor, has 6 twin beds and shares a hallway bathroom with a double sink, two privacy stalls and one shower. The Women's Dorm bathroom accommodates both men and women.
Each dorm bed comes with a pillow, a blanket, and a bedspread. In concern for energy and water conservation we ask guests to bring their own twin bed linens and bath towels. Wonderwell does rent sheets and towels when it's necessary for those flying in for retreat - $10 for bed linens and $5 for a bath towel. Please select those add-ons during the registration process if you need it.
Please note: when you sign up for dorm accommodations, you acknowledge the fact that you are sleeping in a room with many other people, who may snore or have other sleeping habits. Please come prepared for this.
The rooms can be drafty at times; each room may vary in temperature depending on the season. Fans and heaters are in the closet. You may bring anything else that you need for your comfort.
Camping/Tent or Vehicle
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Please click on "More Details" below to read about the possibilities for tent or vehicle camping. Indicate in the Comments box if you intend to camp in a tent or a vehicle.
TENTING
If two people are sharing a campsite, they must register separately, entering the tent mate's name in the roommate box on the registration form.
When selecting to sleep in a tent outdoors, it is required that you are familiar and comfortable with camping in all possible weather conditions, out in the country of New Hampshire. Please bring all necessary equipment, including (but not limited to) tent, stakes, rain fly, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, flashlight, bug spray, etc. Check these items to make certain all pieces are in working order before arrival. There isn't staff available to help you set up your equipment, please be self sufficient in this regard.
The tenting area is located directly behind the building in the yard. We can not have any tents on the side of the house, or anywhere visible from the road.
Shower/bathroom accommodations are available in the basement by entering the back door marked "Camping Bathroom Access." Please do not linger in basement area, other then using the bathroom. The basement is part of the retreat center and Noble Silence applies to this area, as well as all areas of the grounds, when the program requires it.
If for some reason (rain, bugs, etc.) you would like to upgrade your accommodations and move into the building during the retreat, for even one night:
Upgrades to Dorm or Shared Room accommodations are possible only when checking with the Retreat Manager first.
The cost for an Upgrade is the difference between the camper rate, and the rate of the new accommodation.
VEHICLE CAMPING
If you do plan to shower in your vehicle during the retreat, you may register as a commuter/self-contained vehicle camper. Please do check with us first.
A limited number of spots for vehicle camping are available at all Wonderwell retreats, provided the following points are adhered to:
There is NO DUMPING offered at Wonderwell. If a camping vehicle is self-contained, it must have holding tanks for both gray and black water. All dumping of waste water must be done at an appropriate facility off-site.
Campers must NOT exceed 25 feet in length.
NO LEVELING DEVICES (jacks) are permitted. You must park in the lower lot.
Absolutely NO GENERATORS may be used at any time.
All vehicles/campers must have 4 rigid sides (no pop-up campers). Folding campers are prohibited. Also prohibited are car rooftop tents or sleeping in cars, trucks or mini vans.
NO OUTDOOR COOKING is permitted at any time.
With the exception of a true emergency, the camper must remain parked between the hours of 8:00 pm and 7:00 am.
If you will NOT be showering in your vehicle during the retreat, you will be assigned to one of our two shared full baths at Wonderwell to shower during the retreat.
If you DO plan to shower in your vehicle during the retreat, you may register as a commuter. Please do check with us first."
Thanks for your cooperation!
If two people are sharing a camper van, they must register separately.
Camping/Self-Contained Vehicle
![Accommodation]()
The self-contained vehicle camping option applies to campers that BOTH meet our vehicle requirements (see below) AND contain full bathroom facilities. You will NOT be using a shower at Wonderwell, but instead will use the one in your vehicle parked at Wonderwell.
There is NO DUMPING offered at Wonderwell. If a camping vehicle is self-contained, it must have holding tanks for both gray and black water. All dumping of waste water must be done at an appropriate facility off-site.
Campers must NOT exceed 25 feet in length.
NO LEVELING DEVICES (jacks) are permitted. You must park in the lower lot.
Absolutely NO GENERATORS may be used at any time.
All vehicles/campers must have 4 rigid sides (no pop-up campers). Folding campers are prohibited. Also prohibited are car rooftop tents or sleeping in cars, trucks or mini vans.
NO OUTDOOR COOKING is permitted at any time.
With the exception of a true emergency, the camper must remain parked between the hours of 8:00 pm and 7:00 am.
Thanks for your cooperation!
If two people are sharing a camper van, they must register separately.
As Commuter
![Accommodation]()
Please ONLY register as a commuter if you plan to attend ALL of the retreat IN PERSON at Wonderwell. Exceptions for weather, etc. will, of course, be considered on a case by case basis.
The price for commuters includes all meals and the teaching curriculum. There are many places for you to relax within the building, during breaks. There is a living room on the first floor, 2 dining rooms on the first floor, a large outdoor covered porch extending from the large dining room, a couch on the second floor and a day bed in the hallway of the third floor.
The self-contained vehicle camping option applies to campers that BOTH meet our vehicle requirements (see below) AND contain full bathroom facilities. If you will NOT be using a shower at Wonderwell, but instead will use the one in your vehicle parked at Wonderwell, you are considered a commuter for the purposes of registration.
COMMUTING
Though Wonderwell cannot guarantee availability or certify the quality or assist in making a local lodging choice, here are some nearby lodging options:
Stay with local sangha members and friends
Grantham: Home of sangha member (with Barbara P)
Wilmot: Home of sangha member (with Phil M)
New London, NH
(15 to 20 minute drive)
Fairway Motel
The New London Inn
Maple Hill Farm
Lamplighter Motor Inn
Inn at Pleasant Lake
Sunapee, NH
(15 to 20 minute drive)
Burkehaven Lodge
Dexter's Inn
Twin Doors
Sunapee Harbor Cottages
Enfield, NH
(20 minute drive; 30 minutes in winter)
The Enfield Shaker Museum - The Enfield Shaker Museum offers a 10% overnight room discount for guests who are attending programs at Wonderwell. Just use the code “wonderwell” when checking out.
Stanford Bed and Breakfast
Shaker Hill Bed and Breakfast
Shaker Farm Bed and Breakfast
One campground in Lebanon (30 minute drive)
Mascoma Lake Campground
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Located on twenty-five acres of rolling hills in Springfield, New Hampshire, Wonderwell was originally built as a summer home in 1911. Tranquil and serene, surrounded by woods, meadows, gardens, and century-old stone walls, Wonderwell’s stately main building offers a comfortable and spacious setting in which the transformative potential of meditation—for work, community and daily life—can be explored and realized. Recently, due to its many unique features, the building has been recognized as a New Hampshire state historic site.
The house is situated on a west-facing hillside with sweeping views of sky and mountains. On one end of the building is the Great Room, now the meditation hall, which can accommodate groups of up to 100 people. The hall has an oak balcony encircling the room above and two fieldstone fireplaces. Other features of this historic building include a large covered porch for outdoor practice, a kitchen with industrial appliances, dining facilities, 13 bathrooms, and 15 bedrooms of varying capacities sleeping up to 36 people. We have been working tirelessly, with a successful major capital campaign and continuing renovations, to bring Wonderwell into the 21st century, and complete the work necessary to keep this lovely historic building code-compliant, safe, and sustainable.
The house is partially shielded from a country road by majestic, old oak trees, and is framed by well-established perennials, with multiple garden spaces. Behind the house is an acre of open field that gives way to sloping forested land with excellent trail system potential and sites for several retreat cabins. The back of the house faces west toward jaw-dropping, sky-gazing views of Mount Croyden, behind which the sun sets in the evening.
For the many volunteers and benefactors who support Wonderwell, as well as for the people who work there, caring for Wonderwell has become a practice of sacred stewardship. For all of these people, Wonderwell is not just a building; it is a community.
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