Open Heart Project Retreat

Let’s practice meditation together and recover a sense of balance, cultivate fearlessness, sharpen our minds, soften our hearts, and rejoice in community.

(Space is limited.)

This 5-day community retreat is a gathering for the Open Heart Project (and anyone who wants to live a heart-centered life), the first-ever in North America. We will practice meditation together, share our experience, explore ways of bringing practice into every aspect of our lives, get to know each other in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable, and have fun!

The whole OHP posse will be in attendance: Susan, Jenna Hollenstein, Michele Gare, and Lisa Fehl. It will be so wonderful to practice together in person. We can’t wait to meet you.

Retreat schedule

September 14
Arrival day. Check-in from 2:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m, dinner at 6:00 pm, followed by orientation

September 15-18
7:00 a.m. Early morning meditation practice and gentle wake-up walk in the mountain air

8:00 a.m. Breakfast (vegetarian options available at all meals)

9:00 a.m. Meditation practice, discussion groups, contemplative practices, a talk from Susan

12:30 p.m. Lunch and break (hike, rest, read, write, hang out with new friends)

2:30 p.m. Meditation practice

4:00 p.m. Tea break

4:30 p.m. Participant-led group explorations on a variety of topics: learn from each other and share group wisdom

6:00 p.m. Dinner

7:30 p.m. Evening event (evening one: a talk and discussion; evening two: movie night!!; evening three: roundtable discussion; evening four: banquet and dance party)

Program ends formally on the evening of the 18th.

September 19
Departure day.

It all takes place at beautiful Shambhala Mountain Center in the Colorado Rockies, about two hours north of Denver. For those arriving by plane, there is a shuttle from the Denver airport to Fort Collins and Shambhala Mountain Center will pick you up from there.

SMC is a spiritually powerful and healing place. All you have to do is show up. <3

Buddha practice space

Shrine Room

Beautiful sunrise

The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya Which Liberates Upon Seeing

View from the Stupa

Learning together

One of two housing lodges (room types: single, double, dormitory)

Rock Buddha

Closing celebratory banquet