This will be a different kind of retreat.
Less structured, more room for silence and spontaneity. The idea is to make space for some of the more personalized movements of practice that come through when we really listen.
Hollyhock is perfect for this. The land is charged. Maple leaves the size of serving plates, towering old-growth Douglas-firs and Western red cedars. Mossy quiet in the forest. Clean air rolling in off the sea, the tide sculpting smooth every black and grey stone. Wandering through this landscape – extending our attention out to the more-than-human world – will be part of our practice.
As always with Jeff’s retreats, there will be an emphasis on the core skills of meditation, the basic cultivations we learn in stillness that can super-charge all other practices, from movement to ceremony to interpersonal relating. These skills lie at the headwaters of mental and emotional and spiritual health; we’ll come back to them again and again through guided explorations and discussion.
What happens when the mind settles? Mystery and gratitude. Insight and connection. A sense of our own life-as-path – what this means when it is based on the actual details of our lives.
Also jokes! Those happen. And joy! Culminating in an evening dance party, where – disarmed by our own ridiculousness – we forget any self-consciousness and accidentally have a good time.
Two of Jeff’s good friends will assist to weave some of their own teacherly goodness. Scott Davis, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and yoga & movement genius, who’ll help us connect to our bodies. And Kalen Colson, a nature-based therapist, who’ll help us connect to the land.
Registration: click HERE
Why This Program Matters
Meditation is incredible. It teaches us about healing stuck emotions and expanding stuck views. It teaches us mercy and forgiveness, majesty and humility. It teaches us about how we relate to ourselves, to other people, and ultimately to the wide world we’re intimately and inseparably a part of.
All this and more happens when we get quiet and connect to the mystery of the present moment. The goal is for everyone to leave the retreat with a clear understanding of why they meditate, and a clear feeling for their own strange and beautiful practice.
Who is This Program For
- This retreat is appropriate for all experience levels.
- This retreat is not intended as treatment for mental health conditions. If you are unsure as to whether this program is suitable for you, please contact our registration team for more information about the program.
What You’ll Learn
- Practice and experiment with the core skills of meditation, how they interact with each other, and how they deepen our relationship to the mystery and creativity of life.
- Explore how to apply – and find – these skills in other practices and activities, in part so we can honour where and how we are already committed to practice.
- A deeper understanding of the overall terrains of practice through a lifetime; what it means to see the distinctive details of our life as a bonafide spiritual path.
- The place of service and activism and giving back according to our own changing circumstances and gifts and capacities.
Expected Activities
- Guided meditations
- Nature walks
- Mindful movement sessions
- Large group discussion
- Small group sharing (optional)
- Evening dance party (optional)
Daily Schedule
A detailed schedule will be emailed to you about 30 days prior to your program. Click here to view a sample program schedule.
Testimonials
“I told my friends that Jeff’s teaching style was like a healing balm for all of us. That he has cultivated such warm and insightful listening skills, gentle guidance, and so much wisdom. No matter where the person sharing their thoughts with the group was coming from, he met them there, and helped them by offering validation and reflection. My impression was that we all felt cared for and respected. I also appreciate Jeff’s unique sense of humor and openness, because it helped release tension.”
“Time slowed down and space opened up. It stopped feeling really rushed. I could finally hold things inside myself that I had been needing to hold because I was supported – quietly, subtly – by the room. I could also choose to NOT hold things. Acknowledge they were there and turn away. I felt taken care of. I learned. I felt welcomed.”
“Profound and deeply moving. Pause to be present for the sweet softness of the soul.”
“Accessible, challenging, insightful and real. This retreat will remind you or show you that being human is imperfect and beautiful.”
“I nudged, with love, my thoughts out of an obstacle that became a doorway. I opened the door, and found an enormous field of love? I think? I’m just at the edge of it.”
“I was introduced to a world of meditation that invites me to explore my internal world without concern about form or dogma, and find what works and integrate it into my busy life in a practical and powerful way. What a tremendous relief to let go of the “rules” and enter as a child with wonder! Thank you!”
“Jeff’s knowledge and skills in meditation is remarkable. The “sitting” sessions mixed in with his explanations, insights and group sharing were so helpful. I tend to be anxious and perhaps a bit controlling! I’m learning to pan back, “get curious” about what’s going on and why, and breathe! It’s a work in progress, but I left this retreat feeling calm, very relaxed, inspired and so grateful for some tools to help me accept what’s here and just BE.”
“Jeff’s ability to offer deep insight while being humorous struck just the night tone for me. His thoughtful responses to everyone who spoke were generous and insightful. I just wish the retreat was longer.”
“Go to this! Jeff is simple, amazingly human, relatable and fun! Whichever you are – a new meditator or an old friend to meditation – his insights are so valuable. Thank you!”
“I deepened my practice, gained even greater appreciation for how much meditation enhances my life, enabling me to be more present for others and more able to pursue my calling. I am more able today to fully experience and embrace the gift of being human, and that every day is indeed a new beginning.”
“Jeff helped me reset by reminding me of key principles and practices for centering and simplifying, quieting my mind and approaching meditation and life with curiosity, acceptance and joy. The support he and the group provided was invaluable. The language, imagery and tips he used were wonderful. Thank you!”
“It was a fantastic program that was able to reach people of many different levels of meditation experience. Jeff Warren uses humour and his own experiences to de-mystify meditation in a way that makes it accessible to anyone!”