Imagine a day just for you.  Picture driving up a bucolic winding road that leads to a tranquil retreat space in nature, a sanctuary surrounded by trees and inspiring views, close enough to home for a short drive, but far enough away to feel far enough away.   Smell the pine, eucalyptus, fresh wild grass.  Hear the calls of hawks, owls and singing birds, wind in the trees or even waves on a nearby beach….and what is that?….oh, you remember that….that is silence.  Spacious, peaceful, quiet.  Sometimes we need a retreat, we crave it body and soul, and sometimes we actually take one.  That “yes” to self is the first step towards coming back home to who we really are.  And breath by breath, in the company of other like-minded souls, we move slowly back to center.

Upcoming Events

March

Bliss Circle Friday March 9th 9:30 to 12 noon in the Hillsborough Hills – Awakening Shakti – details and RSVP here.

Wild Woman Circle Thursday March 22nd 7 – 9:30 PM in the Redwood City Hills – details and RSVP here.

Full Day of Bliss Saturday March 24th 9:30 to 5:00 at Green Gulch Zen Center/Farm in Marin at Muir Beach – A Day Long Bliss Retreat (Men & Women are invited) called Body, Breath and Being (see below for details and to RSVP)

April

Bliss Circle Friday April 13th 9:30 to 12 noon in the Hillsborough Hills – details and RSVP here.

Wild Woman Circle Thursday April 19th 7 – 9:30 PM in the Redwood City Hills – details and RSVP here.

May

Bliss Circle Friday May 11th 9:30 to 12 noon in the Hillsborough Hills - details and RSVP here.

Wild Woman Circle Thursday May 17th 7 – 9:30 PM in the Redwood City Hills – details and RSVP here.

June

Bliss Circle Friday June 1st 9:30 to 12 noon in the Hillsborough Hills – details and RSVP here.

Wild Woman Circle Thursday June 21st  7 – 9:30 PM in the Redwood City Hills – details and RSVP here.

 

Body, Breath and Being: A Day Long Retreat
Saturday March 24th, 2012
Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, Muir Beach, Marin
9:30 to 5:00
Open to: Women and Men, All levels of yoga practitioners, anyone wanting a day of retreat!
Cost:  $125 / $105 MFT & LCSW Interns (includes vegetarian lunch)
Additionally Discounted Rate for 2 Assistants.
**6 CEUs for MFTs/LCSWs**

“Here in this body are the sacred rivers:  here are the sun and the moon, as well as the pilgrimage places.  I have not encountered another temple as blissful as my own body.” – Saraha

In this lush sacred valley just a short walk to the ocean,  we will dive deeply into the bliss of being.  The surroundings are the inspiration for the journey inward.  The peaceful gardens, organic farm and horses in the pasture.  The beach and sound of waves and seagulls, and on foggy days, the fog horn.  The hawks, water birds and owls that call out their messages.  The round yurt set in a meadow where we will gather as a community, a circle within a circle.  The trails, benches and bridges where we can each find a piece of quiet beauty for our more solitary inner work of the day.  This experiential day long immersion into the body/mind relationship will include:

• gentle exploratory yoga
• interwoven with a variety of somatic (body/mind) processes
• experiences in nature
• guided imagery
• breathwork
• inspirational and instructional poetry
• and meditation

Accompanied by healing sound bowls and the sounds nature surrounding us, we will safely, slowly remove the layers of tension that close us off from this vibrant life around us and within us, allowing us to reconnect with ourselves at a deeper more grounded place of awareness and peace.

About the yoga: All levels and abilities are welcome. The yoga will be specifically composed for each person to tune into their own body rhythms and form.

About the setting:  Green Gulch Farm Zen Center is a Soto Zen Buddhist community and thriving organic farm and garden located just north of San Francisco, nestled in a valley bordered by Mount Tamalpais, the Golden Gate National Recreation area, and the Pacific Ocean.  Overnight accommodations are available for those seeking to extend their retreat.  For more see Green Gulch.

For interns and therapists: The process of becoming an empowered and effective therapist is through growing our intuitive abilities.  The body is a powerful portal for accessing this wisdom.  Additionally, the healing elements of nature provide a life affirming practice ground and mirror for metamorphosis and rebirth. You will gain from this day invaluable Somatic and Ecotherapy experiences and tools to use for yourself in your own personal journey, and to use with assisting your clients in their transformational work.

Come find your Bliss!

Attendees $125.00 USD Interns $105.00 USD Assistants $85.00 USD

Please see cancellation policy at bottom of this page. Thank you!

Past Events

 

Embodied Awareness: A Day Long Retreat
Saturday December 10th, 2011
Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills

 

Photos by Colleen Arnold, MFT, PhD

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 of us met in that sweet practice space in the Los Altos hills called the Dana Center at Hidden Villa.  Hardwood floors, big fireplace, windows that look out, and skylights that look up, our get-away-from-it-all-and remember-what-is-real home for the day sits in a meadow surrounded by an organic working farm teaming with life:  sheep, chickens, quail, hawks, deer, crows, other small birds of all kinds, bees…  With views of the hills surrounding us, and quiet spaciousness all around, we remembered our essence of wisdom, peace, creativity.  A ritual we now use to conclude our retreats is to create what I call a Sutra Necklace, sutra being the Sanskrit word for “thread”, where we share images of the day that stay with us as we return back to our everyday lives.  Here is what we created together:

I was focused on the ground, but looking up through the trees, I realized there’s life up there too.

I felt the crunch of the leaves under my feet.

In the entanglement of the bare trees, exposed roots and sleeping plants, I saw potential.

Flowers in my mind translated to flowers in my drawing translated to a flower on the card.

Feeling the sun as I walked on the path reminds me of life and how we rely on the sun.

Withdrawing really isn’t withdrawing.

I realized how fall is serene and vibrant at the same time and can be translated in to the fall of life.

I noticed shadow and light, cool and warm, and bright red berries.

A spider wove her web and waited for her treasure to come.

Silent sheep spoke to me.

Hummingbirds whizzing by play tag with each other

The creek was empty of water. I felt sad until I made it a path.

Free range is not free enough.

Happiness for me lies between dreaming and wakefulness.

Chickens reminded me to be grateful for the sacrifices made for me.

Soup warmed my belly and my heart.

You can hear so much more when you’re not talking.

I thought I was being stalked by a mountain lion…No wait, a deer…No wait, a family of quail.

Secretly hoping to be stalked by a mountain lion.

Soft soil comforted by feet. There’s a treasure in breaking down.

Red feather, blue feather, heather feather…

 

Body, Breath and Being: A Day Long Retreat
Saturday September 10th, 2011
Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center, Muir Beach

These gorgeous photos and inspired words below are artfully taken/written by Julie Dalrymple.  Thank you, Julie!

The purity of silence.
fluttering wings
rustling leaves
humming bees
I observe.
wind animates the steadfast trees
fog comforts the hilltops
I breathe.
one flawless rose – emboldened by its blossom -
clings to an aged trellis
wisdom supporting growth,
guiding the exploration of curiosity and youth
I bow in admiration.
~ Julie Dalrymple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We met in a round old yurt in a meadow, surrounded by redwoods and eucalyptus trees, just a short walk to the abundant flower gardens, farm, horse pasture and beach.  I can still hear the sounds of crackling fire, the barn owls, and the crow imitating a halk, and gentle mist that fell softly on the canvas roof of our practice room.  The amazing taste of the french onion soup and salad off the land.  The peaceful laziness I felt as I watched bees float in and out flowers housing sweet nectar.  For more photos see : http://www.flickr.com/photos/toilynnwyle/

 

Embodied Awareness: A Day Long Retreat
Saturday February 26th, 2011
Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills

These peaceful winter photos are from Maureen Borstein and words of wisdom about the day from Ruth.  Thank you, Maureen and Ruth.

The day actually was very similar to what I hoped it would be. One of my favorite things was lying on my back, looking through that magnificent skylight, and watching clouds literally zoom across the sky. The clouds for me represented the “thousand and one things” that pull us off center and steal our peace. They also symbolized the freedom of spirit to soar and float on the wind.  The retreat reminded me that Silence gives me shelter from the storms of the world. If I embrace it frequently, it opens its arms and enfolds me with protection and love. 

- Ruth, Sacramento, CA

We met for a long luscious day in the spacious open beamed square room with hardwood floors, peaceful quiet except the sound of birds and the views of a dusting of snow on the surrounding hills.  I can still picture the blue sky with soft white clouds and the full creek sparkling in the sun during our  meditation walk in nature.  Thank you, all, for making it a very special day! Here are pics from that sweet day!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/toilynnwyle/

Cancellation Policy

*Cancellation policy for 1/2 Day Plunges and Workshops – No refunds for cancellations 3 days prior to event. A transfer of full amount gladly applied to future event.
**Cancellation policy for Day Long Immersions – No refunds for cancellations 7 days prior to event. A transfer of full amount gladly applied to future event.
***Cancellation policy for 3 Day Rest & Renew Retreats – No refunds of deposit for cancellations 14 days prior to event.
***Cancellation policy for Week Long+ Retreats – No refunds of deposit for cancellations 30 days prior to event.