Walking the Path of Dharma
A Madison Vipassana Meditation Retreat with
Noliwe Alexander
In person at Holy Wisdom Monastery, Middleton, WI
July 16–19, 2026
We are delighted to welcome Noliwe Alexander back to Wisconsin to lead a retreat at Holy Wisdom Monastery July 16–19, 2026. The retreat will be primarily nonresidential, with a residential option for a limited number of practitioners. Holy Wisdom offers a beautiful, peaceful setting for this wonderful opportunity for practice.
ABOUT THE RETREAT
Noliwe writes:
The path of Dharma has always been walked, not only studied. It is lived in the body, cultivated in the heart, and deepened in community with others who are walking a similar path toward awakening. This retreat is an invitation to do exactly that, to give yourself fully to the ancient wisdom and living practice of the Buddha’s teaching.
Over two and a half days, we will move together through the rhythms of silence and sound, stillness and motion, teaching and resting in open-hearted awareness. Each day will flow between two streams of practice. The evening Dharma talks will illuminate the teachings, while the afternoon talks will draw those teachings into the body and heart through the Brahma Viharas. Throughout our days, we will weave in alternating periods of silent sitting and walking meditation, giving the mind room to settle and the heart more expansiveness.
Whether you are just establishing a sitting practice or have been walking this path for years, you belong here. The Dharma meets us wherever we are. Come with an open mind, a willing heart, and a readiness to rest in the practice.
If you’d like an introduction to Noliwe’s teaching, you can find many of her talks on Dharma Seed.
COST
Registration fees cover room (for residential retreatants), simple vegetarian meals (see below), and fixed retreat costs (teacher transportation, accommodation, and meals; facility rental; and miscellaneous expenses). We set the midpoint at or below the per-person cost of hosting each retreat.
You may pay an amount within the range below that best fits your circumstances. We ask those who are able to pay at the higher end of the range to do so, helping make the retreat accessible to others. If even the lowest end of the range poses a hardship, please offer what you can.
Registration fee range
Nonresidential $147 $295 $442
Residential — shared room $220. $440. $660
Residential — single room $270. $540 $810
In keeping with Theravāda tradition, there is no charge for the teachings, and no portion of your registration fee will go to Noliwe Alexander. However, toward the end of the retreat, there will be an opportunity to offer dāna (a voluntary donation) in gratitude for her teachings.
RESERVED SPACES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR
In keeping with our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we reserve the last spaces before the retreat fills for young people (age 25 and under) and people of color who haven’t yet registered. These spaces will be held until three weeks before the retreat (June 25). After that, any remaining reserved spaces will be offered to those on the waiting list.
If you identify with one or both of these groups, please check the appropriate box(es) on the registration form. To inquire about space availability, contact the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org.
MEALS
On each full day of the retreat, there will be a vegetarian lunch and dinner in the dining hall. A continental breakfast will be available for residential retreatants. The retreat will end after lunch on Sunday, July 19.
Please be aware that while the cooks at our retreat venues do their best to provide a variety of nutritious, healthy vegetarian foods at mealtimes, they are unable to accommodate special dietary needs. If you require a special diet during the retreat, please arrange to bring any additional foods you will need. A refrigerator and microwave are available upon request, but no other cooking facilities are available.
If you have questions about dietary needs or other concerns, contact the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org.
SCHEDULE
Thursday, July 16 9:15 AM–8:30 PM
Check-in: 8:15–9:00 AM
Optional orientation for those new to practice or the facility: 8:30–9:00 AM
Friday–Saturday, July 17–189:00 AM–8:30 PM
Sunday, July 199:00 AM–1:00 PM
Please note: The teacher may make slight changes to this schedule.
TO REGISTER
Please complete online registration by Thursday, July 9. We recommend registering early, as our retreats fill quickly. If the retreat is full, you may ask to be placed on the waiting list. If we are unable to offer you a spot, your payment will be refunded in full.
A gentle reminder:Your place in the registration queue will not be secured until we receive your payment as well as your completed registration form.
CANCELLATIONS
· Cancellations by June 18 will receive a refund minus a $50 processing fee.
· Cancellations after June 18 will be refunded only if we are able to fill your spot.
ONLINE PAYMENT
Once your registration form is complete, you will be prompted to pay online. If you prefer not to pay electronically, contact the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org to make other arrangements.
If you’re unable to pay when you register, you may return to this page later and use this payment link.
Once your registration and payment are received, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Additional retreat details will be sent closer to the retreat.
For registration questions, please contact the registrar atregistrar@madisonmeditation.org.
Noliwe Alexander has been a student of Vipassana meditation for over 25 years. Throughout this time of deep devotion to the Dharma, Noliwe has become a dedicated practitioner, meditation teacher of various retreats and sitting groups, daylongs, and class series programs. She dedicates her BuddhaDharma practice and teachings to the BiPOC, LGBTQIA+, at-risk, and Elder communities. She is a graduate of Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leaders program, East Bay Meditation Center's Commit 2 Dharma program in 2010, and Spirit Rock’s Teacher Training from 2017 to 2020. Noliwe is the founder of Peace At Any Pace, Inc., a nonprofit organization that offers a Journey to Healing from Intergenerational & Ancestral Trauma retreats and Elder & Youth programs, which are exclusively for people from the African Diaspora. Noliwe is a wisdom keeper and humbled by the presence of her ancestor’s spirit that lives within and walks beside her.