Exploring the Heart of Freedom

A BCBS/IMS Intensive Study and Practice Program

With Jeanne Corrigal, Roxanne Dault, William Edelglass, Yong Oh, and Nicola Redfern

Exploring the
Heart of Freedom

Program Dates: January 2026 - June 2027
Application Opens: February 1, 2025

Exploring the Heart of Freedom is a sixteen-month program for experienced practitioners to embody our understanding of the core teachings of the Buddha, deepen our meditation practice, and immerse in spiritual friendship and community.

After many years of studying Buddhism and meditating, EHF has made me feel like I've really entered the stream of practice toward awakening. The seamless integration of study, hearing amazing talks, creating sangha, and deep practice are a rare gift.

EHF has been the most heartfelt, generous, comprehensive, and beautiful program I have ever experienced. I cannot emphasize enough the value of this experience and how it has changed my practice and life.

Because of EHF, my understanding, practice, and commitment to Buddhism and my spiritual path has profoundly deepened. The integration of online sangha and relational practices have been invaluable and exactly what has been lacking in my experiences with Buddhism thus far.

I have been practicing Buddhism for many years, and EHF has brought it all together for me. I can truly say it has been life-changing. I feel and act with more equanimity and have a much better understanding of the teachings of the Buddha.

EHF has changed all of me -- as a friend, colleague, neighbor, family member, and partner.The teachers are incredibly skilled guides. More than ever, I am convinced that our collective liberation will come through transformative programs like EHF.

For the first time in many years of practice, I have been deeply intimate with the practices of others who I would not normally have known about. This has been revelatory, and has helped me dissolve barriers I did not know I had.

EHF has given me exactly what I was looking for -- a broad, cohesive picture of Buddhism, a deepening of my practice, and spiritual friendships I'll have for the rest of my life. I wasn't getting the whole path until the program, and now I understand the how spiritual friendship is vital to the path.

Exploring the Heart of Freedom (EHF) offers the unique opportunity to be supported by one primary teacher for sixteen months and to cultivate community in consistent, small groups within the larger cohort.

The program consists of five residential retreats in Barre, MA, which will include meditation practice, dharma study, and relational practices such as Insight Dialogue, small group inquiry, and contemplative sharing.

Monthly home reflections, online learning modules, and biweekly sangha sharing sustain the program between retreats.

The program is jointly offered by the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS) and Insight Meditation Society (IMS).

Program Overview

Program Dates

January 2026 - June 2027

Application Timeframe

Application Opens February 1, 2025

Duration

16 Months

Time Commitment

7-10 hours per week

Prerequisites

Participated in at least 15 days of residential Buddhist silent meditation retreats (online retreats do not fulfill this prerequisite).

In-Person Retreats

Attend five residential retreats in Barre, MA, hosted at BCBS and IMS. Scroll down for the retreat dates.

Zoom Gatherings

Participate in two Zoom group meetings per month (one teacher-led and one peer-led).

Self-Paced Practice

Engage in monthly learning modules that include meditations, writings, reflections, and dharma talks, along with daily meditation and practice.

Program Description

The curriculum is structured to gradually deepen an embodied understanding and practice of the foundational teachings in the Pāli canon in a way that is responsive to the diverse and often challenging conditions of contemporary life.

This program is not an introduction to meditation. For this reason, the prerequisite for this program is already having participated in at least 15 days of residential Buddhist silent meditation retreats (online retreats do not fulfill this prerequisite). In addition, you will need to commit to maintaining both meditative and daily life practice, along with one to two hours per week engaging with the learning modules and program materials.

The program will explore the following teachings and practices as the foundation for a Buddhist path.

Meditation Practices

Meditation practices to develop insight:

Satipatthāna meditation, especially as taught in The Four Establishments of Mindfulness, the key discourse for insight meditation practice.
Meditation practices to develop calm and tranquility:

Samatha meditation and mindfulness of breathing.
Meditation practices to cultivate the heart-mind: 

The four brahmavihāra meditations of kindness (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), appreciative joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekkhā).
Relational meditation practices: 

Grounded in mindful speaking and listening, we will explore a range of interpersonal meditation methods to strengthen our collective wisdom and compassion, including Insight Dialogue and Dharma Contemplation.

Foundational Teachings

The First Noble Truth:

An exploration of dukkha in its many forms and the ways it can serve as a wake-up call in our own lives.
The Second Noble Truth:

Investigating the cause of dukkha, including the three core afflictive energies of greed, aversion, and delusion.
The Third Noble Truth (Awakenings):

Expressions of Nibbāna within the Pāli Canon and later Buddhist teachings, and their relevance for our own practice here and now.
The Fourth Noble Truth:

The Eightfold Path to awakening, of ethics and moral restraint (sīla), meditation (samādhi, bhāvanā), and transformative wisdom (paññā).
Foundational Buddhist insights:

Impermanence (anicca), unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), not-self (anattā), emptiness, dependent origination, karma.
The Three Refuges:

Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha including the role of dāna, faith, spiritual friendship, and community as supports for the path

Buddhist Practice in a Contemporary Context

Sutta Study:

Engaging classical texts in ways that illuminate their relevance for contemporary lay practitioners.
Socially-Engaged Buddhism:

Ecodharma and practice that addresses social justice and other contemporary challenges.
The Bodhisattva Path:

Cultivating bodhicitta and practicing for the benefit of all beings
Reflecting on the broader conditions of our own practice:

Understanding contemporary practice in its cultural and historical contexts.
Appreciating the multiplicity of Buddhist lives:

Exploring the many ways we can live a Dharma-centered life.

Retreat Schedule

January 30 - February 5, 2026

In-Person Retreat at IMS

Retreat I: Embarking on the Path — Foundations and Frameworks

Taught by Jeanne Corrigal, Roxanne Dault, William Edelglass, Yong Oh, Nicola Redfern

Multiple Dates

In-Person Retreat at BCBS

Retreat II: Exploring the Terrain — Developing a Skillful Relationship with Dukkha

Participants will be divided into cohorts for Retreats II, III, and V. The cohorts will remain the same throughout the full program and cannot be changed. Availability for small groups will be selected on the application and assigned during the application review process.

Group 1: Nicola Redfern’s Cohort with William Edelglass and TBA | April 28 to May 3, 2026

Group 2: Yong Oh’s Cohort with William Edelglass and Jeanne Corrigal | May 5-10, 2026

Group 3: Jeanne Corrigal’s Cohort with Roxanne Dault and William Edelglass | May 12-17, 2026

Multiple Dates

In-Person Retreat at BCBS

Retreat III: Nourishment for the Journey — Cultivating Resources on the Path to Freedom

Participants will attend with the same cohort from Retreat II.

Group 1: Yong Oh’s Cohort with William Edelglass and Roxanne Dault | September 25 – 30, 2026

Group 2: Nicola Redfern’s Cohort with William Edelglass and Yong Oh | October 2-7, 2026

Group 3: Jeanne Corrigal’s Cohort with William Edelglass and Nicola Redfern | May 12-17, 2026

January 30 - February 5, 2027

In-Person Retreat at IMS

Retreat IV: Touching Freedom: Resting in Release

Taught by Jeanne Corrigal, Roxanne Dault, William Edelglass, Yong Oh, Nicola Redfern

Multiple Dates

In-Person Retreat at BCBS

Retreat V: Bringing it Home — The Heart of Freedom in our Daily Lives

Participants will attend with the same cohort from Retreat II and III.

Group 1: Yong Oh’s Cohort with William Edelglass and Jeanne Corrigal | May 14-19, 2027

Group 2: Jeanne Corrigal’s Cohort with William Edelglass and Nicola Redfern | May 21-26, 2027

Group 3: Nicola Redfern’s Cohort with William Edelglass and Roxanne Dault | May 28 – June 2, 2027

Application Information

Program Pricing:

Includes lodging and meals at BCBS and IMS during the in-person retreats.

During IMS retreats, all participants will be housed in single rooms. At BCBS, a small number of participants will be housed in double rooms. Being flexible with your housing preferences increases the likelihood that we will have a space to offer you.

Unfortunately, this program cannot offer a commuter option.

Click the Pricing Notes tab to learn about Tier Pricing and Financial Assistance.

Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3	Benefactor
$XXXX	$XXXX	$XXXX	$XXXX

Program Fees: Program fees include both residential and online components of the program. The first half is due upon registration, and the second half is due three weeks before the first retreat.

Accessibility: BCBS keeps prices as affordable as possible and offers Tier Pricing and Financial Assistance options to keep programs accessible:

Tier Pricing: You may choose a tier and pay according to your means. Tier 1 covers the actual cost of the program. Tiers 2 and 3 are subsidized rates made possible through the generosity of donors. The Benefactor rate enables you to offer additional, tax-deductible support to BCBS and fellow program participants. Please select the highest tier that fits your budget to help keep BCBS programs accessible.

Financial Assistance: If needed, you may request additional financial assistance on the registration page.

Teacher Dāna/Generosity: Program fees do not include payments to teachers. Please consider supporting Jeanne Corrigal, Roxanne Dault, William Edelglass, Yong Oh, and Nicola Redfern with dāna (generosity) during your program.

Cancellation Policy: We understand that personal circumstances may require you to cancel your registration. In these cases, please contact us right away. If you cancel more than eight weeks before the program starts, you are eligible for a full refund minus a $100 administrative fee. If you cancel between three and eight weeks before the program starts, you are eligible for a 50% refund of the deposit. Registration fees are nonrefundable less than three weeks before the program starts.

Questions:

For questions about registration, pricing, scholarships, and payment, please email registration@dharma.org.
For questions about the program application and BCBS housing, please email contact@buddhistinquiry.org.

Applications Open: February 1, 2025

Application Deadline: May 1, 2025

Initial Accepted Applicants Notified: June 1, 2025

Payment Due: The first half of the course fee is due within two weeks of acceptance. The second half is due three weeks before the first retreat.

Program Starts: January 30, 2026