Residential Retreats
Retreats in Nature, Gathered in Community. Big Bear Retreat Center is a restorative space for healing and creativity. We humbly offer a supportive environment to gather in community for movement, stillness and practice, trusting in the power of embodied mindfulness and authentic connection.
Just 2 hours from Los Angeles, a thousand acres of protected land as your home. We offer nourishment, rest and spacious land to hold you. Our buildings are carefully tended, calm and comfortable. Rooms are simple, single or shared. We cook with foods that nourish. Our tranquil land, originally tended by the Yuhaviatam (“People of the Pines”), is nestled in 1,400 acres of ancient Juniper woodland to help you recollect and realign with what matters most.
We are committed to accessibility, omitting none. We offer several scholarship and financial support. Contact us at any time on how we can be support your retreat at BBRC.
Join us for a retreat in Big Bear
Mary & Joseph Retreat Center is located in Rancho Palos Verdes, a 30 minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport. Majestic views include the skyline of Downtown Los Angeles and the entire Los Angeles basin. Nearby are the rocky cliffs of the Pacific, a prime location for whale watching, and several hiking trails open to the public.
With an emphasis on inclusion and accessibility, we provide a refuge for people of all faiths and walks of life.
Read testimonials here.
To offer or join a carpool, click Ride-Share Sign-Up on the retreat's event page.
Big Bear Retreat Center (HYBRID: In-Person) Exploring Emotional Balance
April 11, 2024
5 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Experienced, Introductory
Big Bear Retreat Center (HYBRID: In-Person) Deep Belonging: Connecting with Ourselves, Each Other, and the Natural World
April 15, 2024
7 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Experienced, Introductory
Big Bear Retreat Center Settling, Seeing, and Spacious Awareness
May 1, 2024
8 days 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center Entering into the Silence of Recovery
May 9, 2024
4 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center The Ease of Letting Go
May 21, 2024
5 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center Equanimity + Metta: The Ground of Wisdom Meditation Retreat
June 3, 2024
7 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Mary & Joseph Retreat Center Annual Summer Insight Retreat
July 12, 2024
4 days 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center When Awareness Becomes Natural
August 19, 2024
10 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center Love and Rest
September 25, 2024
6 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center The Rhythm of Connection: Embracing Quietude and Mindful Communication (by Big Bear Retreat Center)
October 9, 2024
5 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Experienced, Introductory
Big Bear Retreat Center The Sure Heart’s Release: Teachings and practice in the style of Mahasi Sayadaw (by Big Bear Retreat Center)
October 14, 2024
6 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center Weaving Ourselves Back into the Fabric of Life: An Exploration of the Four Distortions of Perception (Monastic-led Dana retreat)
October 20, 2024 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center The Limitless Heart: Cultivating Metta in Turbulent Times
November 6, 2024
7 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center The Dharma of Desire: From Longing to Loving Presence
November 13, 2024
5 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT
Experienced, Introductory