I have always been intrigued by the relationship between life, death and practice that is offered in Buddhism. When I was young, I would meditate at a Soto Zen temple in San Francisco at 5:30 in the morning. On the wooden block used to call one to practice was written: “Great is the matter of Birth and Death. Life passes swiftly and is quickly lost. Awaken! Awaken! Do not waste your life!” Many of us live with the illusion that we won’t die. We know it, but only as a conceptual reality. Or we believe that it will happen later... or to someone else! I almost died a few years ago...
Eugene Cash
Residential Retreat Teacher
Eugene is the founding teacher of San Francisco Insight. He has been a Buddhist teacher since 1990. He is a senior teacher at Spirit Rock. Eugene’s teaching is influenced by many streams of Buddhism–– Theravada, Zen and Tibetan. He is also a Diamond Approach teacher. He’s passionate about practicing 24/7, supporting awareness, investigation, and realization in daily life.
Eugene Cash's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
October 3 - October 20, 2026 | Saturday - Tuesday | 17 nights
17-night Retreat: Concentration (Samādhi) & Fall Insight Retreat
A Special Opportunity for Deep, Integrated Practice: 17-Night Retreat in the Fall
Full - short waitlist. For those seeking an extended retreat experience this fall, we encourage you to consider attending both the Concentration (Samādhi) (Oct 2-12) and the Fall Insight Retreat (Oct 12-20) as one continuous 17-night retreat. These two retreats are intentionally designed to complement one another, offering a rare opportunity to deepen in both heart and wisdom practices.
This combined retreat supports a natural progression in the meditative path: cultivating samādhi as a foundation, followed by insight practices (vipassanā) grounded in that settled presence. Teachers see this integration as essential. Uniting these practices brings enhanced clarity and depth to both. While each retreat may be attended on its own, we strongly recommend that practitioners who are ready for a longer commitment join both as one cohesive training.
Tuere Sala
Eugene Cash
Brian Lesage
devon hase
Vance Pryor
Kristina Baré
Hakim Tafari (Movement Teacher)
Ronya Fakhoury Banks (Teacher in Training)
Adam Stonebraker (Teacher in Training)
Retreat | On-Land
October 12 - October 20, 2026 | Monday - Tuesday | 8 nights
Fall Insight Meditation Retreat
Spaces Still Available! Rooted in the Thai Forest Tradition, this vipassanā retreat invites a deep settling of the mind, an opening of the heart, and a steady cultivation of clarity and insight. Through a blend of traditional meditation instruction and the nourishing presence of lovingkindness, participants will be guided toward greater stillness, spaciousness, and embodied awareness. The retreat will include periods of seated and walking meditation, Dharma talks, optional movement practices, and one-on-one meetings with teachers to support your journey of practice.
Tuere Sala
Eugene Cash
devon hase
Hakim Tafari (Movement Teacher)
Adam Stonebraker (Teacher in Training)
Retreat | On-Land
December 27 - January 4, 2027 | Sunday - Monday | 8 nights
New Year's Insight Meditation Retreat
Spaces Still Available! This is a traditional Insight Meditation (vipassanā) retreat with stillness and movement in silence, and meetings with teachers. Each day there will be meditation instructions, Dharma talks, and movement practice. We will mark the turning of the year with a late evening sitting and simple ceremony on New Year’s Eve. In celebration of the New Year, our focus will be on cultivating loving awareness and embracing each moment as fresh and new. All are welcome.
Eugene Cash
devon hase
DaRa Williams
Yong Oh
Hakim Tafari (Movement Teacher)
nico hase (Teacher in Training)
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Eugene Cash through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.