Residential Retreats
Silent retreat offers an intensive experience of meditation and mindfulness—a chance to step away from the everyday and touch into deep stillness.
Immerse yourself in a multi-day retreat and deepen your practice in a quiet, supportive setting. No specific background is required—the teachings are grounded in Buddhist and non-dual view, but open to all.
Exceptional retreat conditions include private ensuite rooms and nourishing meals at Jericho House, nestled in forested conservation lands near the shores of Lake Erie in South Niagara, Ontario.
Receive retreat updates and invitations directly:
Join us this October!
In Sight of the Other Shore | October 3-8, 2025
with Heather Fenton and Julie (Jaya) Boyse
Join us this October for a 6-day silent insight meditation retreat.
Step out of the noise of daily life and settle into stillness. In the quiet rhythm of retreat, we’ll steady the heart and mind, and begin to see more clearly into the nature of things—the deep understanding that all things arise in dependence, are without fixed identity, and need not be clung to.
Future Retreats
Registration for our residential retreats opens one at a time, in sequence. You can register now for the retreat currently open, or pre-register for an upcoming retreat.
Pre-registration reserves your place, and when registration opens you’ll be notified to confirm with a deposit.
| Dates | Retreat Name | Status |
| Oct 3-8, 2025 | 6 days | In Sight of the Other Shore | Register Now |
| Jan 23-25, 2026 | 3 days | A Place to Land | Pre-register |
| May 17-24, 2026 | 8 days | Spring Retreat | Pre-register |
| June 11-14, 2026 | 4 days | Summer Retreat | Pre-reigster |
| Oct 29-Nov 1, 2026 | 4 days | Fall Retreat | Pre-register |
| Jan 28-31, 2027 | 4 days | Winter Retreat | Pre-register |
Questions? Email Heather at hello@gentlydownthestream.org
Teacher & Guide
Heather Finlayson Fenton combines 25 years of Buddhist meditation training with a lifelong interest in mental and physical health. She takes joy in community practice and teaches from the heart with warmth, compassion and humour.
Heather offers regular meditation sessions, workshops and retreats in the Niagara region and online. She and her husband, Michael Fenton, established Stream Yoga + Meditation in 2018 in Port Colborne, Ontario.
Heather’s main interests are introducing and supporting simple meditation and mindfulness practices and encouraging others — whatever their background or beliefs — to build and sustain a daily (or daily-ish) practice of stillness and inner reflection.
Heather is the author of 100 Days of Care: Cultivating Curiosity & Kindness, an ‘at-home’ meditation retreat workbook designed to integrate meditation in daily life.
In addition to offering regular weekly sessions, workshop and retreats, Heather is available for one-on-one meditation mentoring and support. Please reach out at hello@gentlydownthestream.org.
Previous Stream Retreats
Our past retreats at Jericho House have offered a quiet refuge for practice, surrounded by trees, fields, and the stillness of Lake Erie nearby. Over these weekends, participants stepped away from daily routines, shared nourishing meals, and found space to rest deeply in silence together.
Here are a few glimpses from recent gatherings — the warmth of community, the beauty of the setting, and the spirit of practice that carries us through.
What Participants Say
The depth of silent retreat practice is reflected in the words of previous participants:
Questions? Email Heather at hello@gentlydownthestream.org
Day and Half-Day Retreats in the Hut
Full and half-day retreats are also a great way to support our daily practice. Join us here on Weaver Road (or Zoom):
Resting in Compassion | Sep 20
with Heather Fenton and Arlene Dezenosky
Compassion steadies and protects the heart. When we truly rest in compassion, we discover a refuge — a soft yet resilient presence that neither turns away from suffering nor is overwhelmed by it. In this resting, we cultivate the courage to meet life with openness, patience, and care.
Let us save your spot!
Skip creating an account—just fill out this form and we’ll take care of the rest. We’ll confirm with you, and you can settle payment before the class or event.