This event is the online version of a hybrid retreat which will take place both in-person and online. To register for the in-person version of this event, click here.
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In these times, living deeply can feel like a radical choice. When the world moves quickly and uncertainty is close at hand, it is easy to protect ourselves by closing down or pulling away. Yet the Buddhist path invites another possibility: learning to meet life with an undefended heart — steady, open, and responsive.
This daylong retreat offers space to slow down and practice together in a spirit of care and simplicity. Through quiet heart practices, we will explore what it means to stay present with our lives as they are, cultivating the inner conditions that support authenticity, resilience, and compassion.
The day will include periods of mindfulness meditation alongside practices of loving-kindness and compassion. These teachings and practices support a way of being that is less reactive and more responsive, allowing us to engage with difficulty without hardening and to receive joy without grasping. Rather than striving for a particular state, we will emphasize gentle awareness, kindness, and trust in the unfolding of experience.
Practicing together in community is itself a meaningful part of this retreat. In a culture that often encourages isolation, coming together to sit, reflect, and listen can be a powerful and nourishing act. Shared silence and shared presence remind us that we do not have to meet life alone.
The retreat takes place at the Benedict Canyon Retreat House, a quiet and supportive setting that invites settling and reflection. Meditation cushions and chairs are provided, along with a limited number of blankets. Participants are welcome to bring any additional items that support comfort and ease, including a yoga mat or extra blanket.
Living Deeply is offered as an invitation into an ongoing way of practice — one that can be carried into daily life through simple, steady attention to the heart. Our hope is to continue cultivating this work through future daylong and extended retreats.
We warmly welcome you to join us.
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Suggested donation: $85
