Meditation retreats, films and talks with Andrew Keaveney

You can join Andrew Keaveney on a residential meditation retreat in Boone, North Carolina. His next programs are the Breathwork & Meditation Retreat, Nov 5 to 8, and the Happiness Retreat, Nov 11 to 13, both held at the Art of Living Retreat Center in the Blue Ridge mountains. Andrew has taught breathwork and meditation for over 17 years and helped launch the center.

A meditation retreat is a set number of days spent practicing meditation away from ordinary routine, with a teacher guiding each session. In the residential format Andrew Keaveney teaches, participants stay on site at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone for the whole program, so the practice is not squeezed between errands and screens. His current retreats run three to four days and pair breathwork with meditation: breath first, to settle the body, then sitting practice that the breath makes easier. That pairing is the thread through much of his work, from the podcast conversation “How Breathwork Opens the Door to Meditation” to his films on burnout and recovery. Andrew learned the practices over four years of study in yoga, meditation and Sanskrit at an ashram in India before he started teaching.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of traditional meditation retreats by Khoury and colleagues found them moderately effective: a Hedge's g of 0.45 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.54) across 19 pre-post studies, and 0.49 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.61) across 14 studies comparing retreats with controls. The same review reports that mindfulness levels predicted 50% of the improvements in outcomes.

At home, Mindful Leader's 2026 Meditation Practice Report found 61.6% of practitioners meditate daily and that 10 to 20 minutes is the most common session length, chosen by 36.2%.

Andrew's own figures: over 17 years teaching, 4 years of ashram study in India, 2 residential retreats on the current schedule, 21 films, 8 video conversations and 3 audio podcast appearances. See every statistic with its source.

• Khoury et al., Effectiveness of traditional meditation retreats: A systematic review and meta-analysis (PubMed)
• Mindful Leader, 2026 Meditation Practice Report (May 12, 2026)

A residential retreat is the deepest way to learn with Andrew, and the free resources are the easiest way to begin. The table compares every format on the same five points.

1. 1.

   Try a guided session

   Listen to the 10 minute guided mindfulness meditation by the lake to hear how Andrew teaches.

2. 2.

   Hear the ideas behind it

   Play one podcast conversation, such as “How Breathwork Opens the Door to Meditation.”

3. 3.

   Pick a retreat date

   Compare the Nov 5 to 8 and Nov 11 to 13 programs against your calendar.

4. 4.

   Register through the teaching page

   Use the upcoming retreats link to reach the program listings and registration.

Andrew's guided meditations are published as videos, and they work just as well as guided meditation audio: press play, close your eyes and follow his voice. There are two to choose from, a 10 minute session and a 15 minute session, both inside the 10 to 20 minute range most meditators use.

Listen to Andrew's guided meditation audio and video

Andrew makes short films about meditation, breath and the people who practice them, for Art of Living and for his own channel. A few to start with:

• Does Meditation Really Work? Netflix vs Brainwaves(opens on YouTube)
• A Not So Silent Retreat…(opens on YouTube)
• Your Mind When You Try to Meditate: Honest Confessions(opens on YouTube)
• Breathwork Transformed My Addiction: Stories from Ohio(opens on YouTube)

Browse all 21 meditation films

Andrew has joined hosts such as The Inspired Yogi, Dr. Z and Susan LoPresti Guzman to talk about breath, meditation and finding calm. Hear all podcast conversations and talks.

• Oct 25, 2026How to find yourself in nature: 3 simple stepsHow to find stillness, and maybe even yourself, through mindful attention in nature, wherever you are.
• Oct 21, 20263 things I wish I knew before starting meditationTips and tricks along the inward journey.
• Oct 9, 2026How I stopped blaming my fatherOn blame, karma, and what it means to finally take the wheel.

Read more about Andrew's writing

Alongside retreats, Andrew offers the Intuitive Life Scan: a 15-minute one-on-one session, online or in person, by donation, for people facing a big decision or a worry that will not let go. Learn about Intuitive Life Scan sessions.

What is a meditation retreat?

A meditation retreat is a stretch of days set aside to practice meditation away from daily routine, usually with a teacher guiding the sessions. Andrew Keaveney teaches residential meditation retreats, meaning participants stay on site at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, for the length of the program.

Do meditation retreats actually work?

Published research suggests they help. A systematic review and meta-analysis by Khoury and colleagues found traditional meditation retreats moderately effective, with a Hedge’s g of 0.45 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.54) across 19 pre-post studies and 0.49 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.61) across 14 studies comparing retreats with controls. The paper is listed on PubMed.

When are the next retreats with Andrew?

The upcoming programs currently listed are the Breathwork & Meditation Retreat, Nov 5 to 8, and the Happiness Retreat, Nov 11 to 13. Both are residential retreats at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina. Dates change over time, so confirm the current schedule on the teaching section of andrewkeaveney.com.

How much does a meditation retreat with Andrew cost?

Retreat prices are not listed in this library. Residential retreats are registered through the Art of Living Retreat Center, and the price for a specific program is shown on its listing there. To see current programs and find the registration page, start from the teaching section of andrewkeaveney.com.

Is a meditation retreat good for beginners?

A guided retreat can suit beginners because a teacher leads every session. Andrew has written an article called “3 things I wish I knew before starting meditation” and made films such as “Your Mind When You Try to Meditate: Honest Confessions” and “Biggest Meditation Myths Busted!” that are good preparation before a first retreat.

Are there meditation retreats in the USA with Andrew?

Yes. Andrew’s current retreats take place in the USA, at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina. He has taught breathwork and meditation in both the U.S. and India over more than 17 years, and he regularly teaches residential programs at the Boone center.

Where can I find guided meditation audio from Andrew?

Andrew’s guided meditations are published as videos on YouTube, and you can simply listen with your eyes closed. Two are listed: “10 Minute Guided Mindfulness Meditation by the Lake” and “15 Minute Meditation to Help You Find Inner Peace.” The guided meditation audio page in this library links to both.

Read all questions about meditation retreats, breathwork and guided audio