In-person retreats coming up in 2023

Audio only version here.

Dear Open Heart Project,

Many years ago, I asked my meditation teacher what I could do to deepen my practice. I mean, I tried to practice most days but at a certain point, I started to wonder: what the hell am I doing? Sitting here doing nothing but thinking about this and that? I think I can follow one breath, maybe, and then I space out. It never seems to change all that much.  Is this what is supposed to be happening?

Without hesitation, he said: “I think you should go on a meditation retreat. At least two weeks.” My jaw dropped. There was no way I could get away for TWO WHOLE WEEKS and also no way I could just sit there for TWO WHOLE WEEKS.

So, I went for one week. It is not an exaggeration to say it was the best thing I had ever done. Though retreats are both wonderful and irritating, invigorating and exhausting, they are also something beyond all of that: fruitional. Your practice stabilizes. Your insights deepen. You slow down and find the benefits that come from actually resting your mind. It’s just not possible to do all this in the course of our daily lives. That is why it is called “retreat.” Though it can also be weirdly anxiety-producing as the date approaches, it is a joy to actually put everyday busy-ness aside. Amazing things happen.

I would love to practice with you in person and explore it all together. There are three such opportunities before 2023 ends. Each retreat is very different in terms of time and vibe, but perhaps one of these is right for you. 

Authentic Presence: Reawakening Spiritual Confidence

With Michael Carroll, Susan Piver, and Loden Nyima

July 1-14, 2023

Drala Mountain Center

Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

This two-week meditation retreat is a chance to experience the depths of our practice. We will spend two weeks in a contemplative environment, focused primarily on six to eight hours of daily meditation practice with supportive talks and interviews. There will also be time for rest and connecting with nature.

There is an option to attend the first week only.

Buddhism and the Enneagram: An Open Heart Project Retreat

October 11-15, 2023

Austin, Texas

In this small, in-person retreat, we will explore what it means to open our hearts to a world of beauty, sorrow, possibility, and constant uncertainty. Through sitting meditation practice and studying the nine heart-opening paths of enneagram, we will discover the indestructible nature of love.

These retreats are limited to 12 people. They tend to fill up rather quickly. If you’re interested, please apply here.

Reflect, Renew, Relax: A Deep Meditation Retreat

Dec 15-17, 2023

Kripalu

Lenox, MA

Kripalu is a yoga retreat center located in the beautiful Berkshire mountains of Massachusetts. The setting is serene, the food is delicious, and the whole place is a support for letting go of everyday concerns. 

On this retreat, we will practice meditation and take time to reflect on our lives and where we want to go in the coming year. The emphasis will be on turning deeply within to find your true priorities.

Details to come. Keep an eye on the Kripalu website.

categorized in: meditation, open heart project