"I’m leading the retreat in Bali as part of a mission to make awakening truly accessible. To keep costs at a minimum, the price simply covers our stay at the venue and food. I aim to offer one low-cost Dana-based offering per year. This is it for 2026."
—Eric
The Ocean of Nondual Awareness
7 day meditation retreat on the beach in Bali Indonesia
September 12 -18th, 2026
Max 28 People
You’ve been practicing for years.
You know how to sit. Practicing how to observe, return and stabilize attention. Your practice is consistent. Your awareness is clear. And yet something hasn’t fully shifted. The depth you sense is possible but remains just out of reach. The Layers of Awake Awareness aren’t elsewhere. They’re right here...subtle, quiet, easily overlooked without precise guidance.
And maybe you’ve already touched them.
Maybe you've had glimpses of awakening that didn’t last. Moments of clarity that fade when the session ends. You can access depth in your practice but without the technique, it slips away. The narrative mind returns and eclipses your realization. You find yourself entering and exiting. Touching something unmistakably real but it is unable to remain.
This is the next shift.
At this stage, it’s not about going deeper. It’s about stability. Learning how to recognize and remain with depth without relying on the formal container of technique so it’s present in the middle of ordinary life. So what you’ve touched becomes something you live from.
And even here there can be more.
You may already recognize awake awareness. There is clarity, openness, a sense of having arrived. A sense of empty spaciousness or a rich abundant fullness. Maybe you move between the two. And still something subtle calls for further unfolding. Not more effort is needed but a shift in orientation away from identification.
Seeing what remains unnoticed...underneath the faint structures shaping experience, even within awakening itself. This is where the path becomes extremely subtle. And difficult to navigate alone.
Walking from my garden bungalow to the beach my vision opens to the expanse of the immeasurable ocean and the limitless sky. Before I would have regarded this as an aspect of nature "out there", of visiting a beautiful vacation destination. But now I recognize this open spaciousness as awareness itself and it isn't "out there" but "in here". Everything that is appearing is appearing within me as awake awareness itself.
Donning a snorkel I am amazed at the abundance of life teaming beneath the serene surface. Schools of fish and swimming critters I have never seen before. Richness and fullness appear as if out of nowhere and again I recognize this as not being "out there" but "in here" within awake awareness itself. The empty spaciousness I had been experiencing moments before has been magically and effortlessly transformed into an abundant heartfelt fullness.
The end of an amazing full day in paradise...all questions answered, instructions and practices completed. I head back to the ocean. It's different as darkness descends. It along with everyone and everything else are quietly recededing back into themselves. There is a much deeper profound peace underneath it all. Underneath the fullness filling the spacious emptiness. It's as if the ground of the beingness that was shining brilliantly before, existence itself, has made itself known. Unadorned in subtle light...there are no fingers pointing, no moon even...the undivided identityless source has revealed itself and 'I' have disappeared into an awareness without inside or outside.
The wonderful staff has prepared and are now offering us a colorful and delicious nutrient laden lunch. I recognize the fullness in their movements and smiles, I hope they feel it as deeply too! Lunch is eaten in pure presence with such good friends as my stomach comes to match the fullness I am already experiencing with all the other senses. This deep sense of beingness laced with kindness and joy. I am so grateful to be sharing this with like minded people who have decided to slow down and practice, live and share this with me! Not sure what I did to deserve all this, probably something I did in a past life :-). An exquisite deep reverent gratitude pervades the scene.
There is an accompanying natural joy and ease...an unconstructed and unobstructed clarity to everything that is happening. Nothing is out of place and everything appears perfect as it is, myself included. I'm not perfect in an egoic sense...I simply don't feel separate from this perfection. I am part and parcel of this perfection. Such a wonderful weightlessness or lightness to being alive with the mundane burdens of life having completely fallen away...why the heck was I dragging them around to begin with?
Coming out of the water and walking back towards land I am taken aback by the richness of all the beautiful plants that are growing close to shore. The delightful sounds and movement of birds. Emptiness and fullness in dazzling display reflected in everything...two sides of the same coin...the wisdom and compassion of the bodhi mind.
Let's imagine what it’s like to experience this retreat from the Layers of Awake Awareness…
Are you ready to take your spiritual practice to the next level and transform yourself?!
In this immersive 7-day experience we will dive deep into the first four Layers of Awake Awareness* using the framework of The Mind Illuminated meditation system. Through a blend of individual, dyadic, and group practices…along with talks, direct pointing, guided meditations and discussions we’ll create a clear direct path to awakening and help you break free from what may be holding you back.
Together we’ll develop the ability to move fluidly through the Layers of Awake Awareness. We’ll also explore how to use Awake Awareness itself to help resolve any mental, emotional or energetic blocks.
In addition, we’ll focus on deepening and integrating so that awakening becomes more stable and naturally present in daily life “off the cushion”. If you have ever gotten up from the cushion or finished a technique and then felt like you popped up like a cork out of an awakened state, we will work on staying in the awakened state so it persists outside of the technique…we will turn states into persistent traits.
What this retreat offers.
This retreat is designed for experienced practitioners who are ready for that next phase.
You’ll be guided to:
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Recognize the depth already present in experience
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Stabilize it beyond formal practice
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And discover the next layer of subtlety as the path continues
Not as a concept. But as something lived, continuous, and quietly transformative.
Less coming and going. More remaining and abiding.
And a clearer sense of where the path unfolds next.
What sets this retreat apart?
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Daily Small Group Coaching Sessions. Get personalized attention to supercharge your practice.
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Large Group Q&A with an Expert Facilitator: Bring your burning questions and unresolved challenges to the table.
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Focusing on Awakening and not just meditational skill building.
This retreat is for you if:
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You’re seeking integral, whole-human awakening…not just fleeting glimpses of peace (as important as that is!).
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You’ve been feeling stuck or blocked and would like help breaking through.
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You’re ready to deepen your access to Awake Awareness and stabilize your inner peace.
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You value connecting with likeminded people in a beautiful location.
Additional Exploration:
During the final days of the retreat, we will explore the whole-body jhanas (as described in Appendix D of The Mind Illuminated). No prior knowledge or experience is required. This portion is optional and offered for those who feel ready to explore it. You’ll receive guidance if these meditative states become accessible, but there is no expectation to engage with them in order to fully benefit from the retreat.
*For more background on Awake Awareness and the first four layers, please refer to the two talks on my Spiritual Mentorship page.
Free Bonus:
Receive a free lifetime subscription to a library of my guided meditations for pre-retreat preparation and post retreat integration. They have helped thousands support their spiritual journey!
Register your interest and stay in the loop or ask a question. If you are keen to join us in Bali this September but aren't ready to book your room today, let us know. This retreat is a deep dive into the Layers of Awake Awareness framework limited to just 28 people. By registering your interest now you’ll stay updated on current room availability and be the first to know as the final spaces are filled or early bird pricing ends. To pay in full or put down a deposit to reserve your spot click the 'Sign up' button below.
Some private bungalow samples
Cost for 7 days/6 nights:
Single Room with King sized bed $750
Shared Room with a King and large Single $550
Included in cost:
3 vegetarian meals included on whole days. Dinner is included on the first day and breakfast the last.
Not included in cost:
Travel (airfare) to Bali. You will also need to rent a car or get a driver to the facility. The center recommends a licensed and insured company for ~$55 from the airport. People may share the 2.5-3.5 hour ride to and from the airport.
Visa (~$29) and Bali Tourist Tax (~$9).
Dana (donation) for the teacher's instruction.
I have been to several workshops and retreats in my decade long journey into seeking a higher truth, and this retreat has done more for my practice than all of them put together. With Eric's extensive knowledge in The Mind Illuminated and insights into cultivating more expansive states of awareness, to Holly's creative deep dive into the Layers of Awakening to foster a higher quality of well being, I cannot recommend this hybrid into non-duality more. Do not deny yourself this experience, you will not regret it.
-Ryan J. (from a recent retreat)
The wonderful staff of this beautiful facility have been hosting retreats for over 10 years.
THE LAYERS OF AWAKENING: MAPPING THE MYSTERY
10 Day Retreat in Costa Rica
December 2026 or January 2027
Max 33 People
Details coming soon
Led by Holly Jean Denman and myself. This will be a retreat like no other! 10X your understanding and experience of awakening!! We will explore the layers of Awake Awareness through The Mind Illuminated meditation system and individual, dyadic and group practices. We will also work on energetic locks or blocks (what may be in the way of awakening or deepening) and integration (having the awakened state persist 'off the cushion'). For details on what Awake Awareness is see the two talks on my Spiritual Mentorship page.
An interview of Holly by Angelo DiLullo.