Bhāvanā: A Year of Committed Practice with Adam Stonebraker
Mountain Stream Meditation
Now accepting applications through December 20, 2026
Bhāvanā is a Pali word meaning cultivation, the careful, sustained tending of mind and heart that the Buddha described as the essence of practice. Over the course of a year, a small cohort of committed practitioners works with three pillars of the path: samādhi as the ground of a settled, unified mind; the four applications of mindfulness as the field of clear seeing; and the brahmaviharās (mettā, karuṇā, muditā, and upekkhā) as both the motivation that sustains practice and its natural ripening. These teachings are rooted in early Buddhism and the Thai Forest tradition, brought to life through the Ānāpānasati Sutta and the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta as the primary practice texts, with Shantideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra joining the arc in the fall as the heart teaching of compassion.
Bhāvanā is first and foremost a practice program. The teachings serve direct, experiential investigation rather than intellectual understanding alone. Participants are expected to bring the practices into daily life, work with them honestly, and bring what they find into the cohort's shared inquiry.
The program runs through twelve monthly gatherings, three four-week workshops going deep into each pillar, and three daylongs anchoring the opening, mid-year integration, and closing of the year. Individual meetings with the guiding teacher are available at entry, mid-year, and closing, with additional meetings as needed throughout. Participants engage a daily practice commitment supported by a personal practice log, a practice partner, and monthly readings. Mountain Stream's spring and summer retreats offer opportunities for deeper immersion for those able to attend.
Participants move through the full arc together as a cohort, a genuine kalyāṇa-mitta community, spiritual friends holding each other accountable to the path.
Participation is open to anyone with a sincere meditation practice and genuine interest in committed study. An application is required. Applicants not already known to the Mountain Stream community will be invited for a conversation with the guiding teacher before a final decision is made.
Program Components
12 monthly gatherings (in-person or online, 2 hours each) (1/2, 2/6, 3/13 online, 4/10, 5/8, 6/5 online, 7/3, 8/8, 9/4 online, 10/2, 11/13, 12/4 final gathering)
3 four-week workshops (February 7-28, June 16 - July7, September 19 - October 24)
3 daylongs (January 30, July 24, November 27)
Individual meetings with the guiding teacher at entry, mid-year, and closing, with additional meetings available as needed
Mountain Stream retreats available in April and August for those able to attend
Daily practice, practice log, and practice partner
APPLICATION PROCESS:
1. Click this link to apply
2. Once your application is approved, become a monthly giver for the length of the program. If you are already donating monthly, consider increasing the amount in a way that feels sustainable and aligned for you. There is no minimum/maximum monthly amount.
3. Register for daylongs and courses separately, as they come up throughout the year.
4. Offer Adam Dana when inspired to do so.
No one is turned away for lack of funds, reach out to Lauren if you have financial concerns.