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UID:49192-1793534400-1793880000@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:Writing A Song That Matters
DESCRIPTION:  \nPLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER\n  \nPlease join songwriter Dar Williams and a team of songwriters and special guest songwriters (TBA)\, to guide and support your songwriting craft in various workshops and song circles. \nDar will offer daily song inspiration\, a daily peek into the songwriting process\, vocal coaching\, songwriting workshops\, your own private song consultation with Dar\, evening song sharing with the whole group\, collaborative songwriting opportunities (the now infamous “So-Fab Collab”) and coffee\, tea and creativity flowing 24/7. \nOnly you know what sort of retreat experience will benefit your songwriting. As a result\, we have designed this retreat so you can structure your days as you see fit\, making space for solo writing and reflecting time and a daily workshop or two\, or hitting all the workshops you can in a day for feedback on a batch of semi-finished songs. We have lots of offerings\, but no advance signups are necessary\, so you can let the muse be your guide daily. And with regards to your musical level\, we will meet you where you are at. \n  \n\nREQUIREMENTS\n  \n\nThe desire to write a song\nSome musical or songwriting background is helpful\, but not required. (Team members and retreaters have collaborated with lyricists before.)\nA kind and open heart – we do our best to communicate with empathetic\, supportive feedback\n\nBoth novice and gigging songwriters sit side by side in our workshops\, united by the desire to keep honing their craft and connecting with others. We’ve had poets connect with musicians struggling for words\, individuals who have one song under their belts and are inspired to keep going\, prolific songwriters who need to get out of their bubble\, and songwriters delving into songwriting again after decades. Wherever you find yourself is perfect and we will meet you wherever you’re at. \n\nSAMPLE DAY\n  \n8 – 9 AM Yoga – all levels (optional)\n8:45 – 9:45 AM Breakfast\n10 – 10:45 AM Dar’s song breakdown & daily themes\n11 AM – 12:30 PM Workshops with (vocals/songwriting/collaboration\n1-2 PM Lunch\n2:30 – 4 PM Workshops (vocals/songwriting/collaboration\n4:30 – 6 PM Workshops (vocals/songwriting/collaboration\n6 – 7 PM Dinner\n8 – 10 PM Evening song circle (Retreaters can share a song with the entire group)\n10 – 10:30 PM Wine and Seltzer\, Savories\, Sweets\n11 PM + After hours song circle \n  \nWe look forward to welcoming back many of our songwriting friends and making new ones in 2026 – we hope you can join us. \nHave lingering questions? Please reach out to darwilliamsretreat@gmail.com \n  \n  \n\nPLEASE REGISTER AT DARWILLIAMSRETREAT.COM (follow this link) \n  \nACCOMMODATIONS \nThere are Single\, and Double rooms available. Please note\, there is no available guest elevator and all rooms are accessible by stairs—except for those reserved for the mobility-impaired on the first floor. There are two communal bathrooms on each residential floor as well as a comfortable lounge with sofas and easy chairs\, where tea and instant coffee are available. The lounges also are equipped with wireless\, high-speed internet connection. There are several local hotels within driving distance from the Institute\, for those who wish to stay off-site\, as commuters. Onsite meals are included with commuter registrations.\n_____ \nCOVID-19\nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are strongly encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We encourage everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/writing-a-song-that-matters-2026/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dar-Williams.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261104T000000
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UID:50901-1793750400-1797379200@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:Changemakers 2026: A Six Week Virtual Training for Non-Profit Agents of Change
DESCRIPTION:RESILIENCE & COMMUNITY FOR SOCIAL IMPACT LEADERS\n\nNovember 4 – December 16\, 2026 \n  \nLive on Zoom\nWednesdays 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET\nIntegration Sessions Fridays 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET\n \n  \nThe work is worthy. And often\, the pace is not sustainable. \nThe people who hold the front lines of social change – caseworkers\, advocates\, organizers\, legal aid attorneys\, youth workers\, crisis responders – are navigating enormous external pressure while being asked to show up fully for the people they serve. The cost is familiar to anyone in this work: chronic stress\, secondary trauma\, and burnout that drives experienced\, deeply committed people out of the field – and leaves communities without their most experienced and committed champions. \nResilience is not a personality trait\, and it is not one more thing to feel behind on. It is a set of learnable skills. For more than two decades\, the Garrison Institute’s Contemplative-Based Resilience (CBR) Project has taught cutting-edge evidence-based skills to humanitarian aid workers\, service providers\, and caregivers around the world\, on a simple premise: be well to serve well.\n \nSession one opens Wednesday\, November 4\, the evening after the midterms. After this tumultuous period\, Changemakers will spend the following six weeks holding their clients\, communities\, and colleagues through exhaustion or uncertainty. This course is where you come to resource yourself to sustain and expand your capacity to serve\, lead\, and build the future those communities need. \n  \n\nTHE STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE\n  \nSix weeks\, structured around our Contemplative Based Resilience Project  the “ABCs of resilience”: Awareness\, Balance\, and Connection. Every 90-minute session includes a brief guided practice\, a teaching from an internationally recognized contemplative teacher\, small-group discussion with your own colleagues and peers\, and a closing integration and application session where leaders from across the social impact world answer the question at the heart of the program: how do you resource yourself? Each week ends with one small\, concrete practice to try in your real life and work –  and each new session begins by asking how it went. \nYou’ll learn with faculty including Sharon Salzberg\, Kaira Jewel Lingo\, Oneika Mays\, Atman Smith\, Ali Smith\, Andres Gonzalez and Reggie Hubbard\, alongside CBR teaching faculty and guest leaders from frontline organizations. \n\n\nWHAT YOU’LL LEAVE WITH \n  \nA working understanding of the science of stress\, secondary trauma\, and burnout; a toolkit of brief\, portable practices tested in your actual workweek – not on a retreat cushion; a personal and team resilience plan; a cohort of colleagues who share the practices and the language; and continued access to session recordings\, a guided practice library\, and the program community after the course ends. \n\n  \n\nWHO IT’S FOR\n  \nThis program is for the people others turn to: the advocates\, organizers\, caregivers\, and community leaders carrying complex challenges while working toward a more just and compassionate world. Changemakers attend together because resilience grows in community. Organizations enroll teams of 10–20 colleagues\, allowing these practices to spread through the communities and teams doing the work every day. \n  \nTESTIMONIALS\n  \n“Our staff are tasked with caring for the most vulnerable individuals and groups in our communities. Working during this time has increased staff feeling of vicarious trauma\, burnout\, COVID-19 fatigue and racial stress and trauma. One of the hallmarks of this time is disruption access to the things and people that help staff remain well and able to serve our clients. The partnership with the Garrison institute to allow staff access to the course [Changemakers] is key to helping our workforce continue their lifesaving work.” – CBR Participant (Safe Horizon) \n“Our staff work directly with low-wage and immigrant workers across New York State who are experiencing trauma every day. From sexual assault\, abuse\, workplace violence\, racial discrimination\, and the constant fear of deportation\, our clients are in the process of overcoming many traumas. The secondary trauma our staff experience does not go unnoticed. Not only are many of our staff from the communities they serve\, they are also experiencing their own personal issues on top of being a source of strength and support for their clients. Being able to provide this critical training to staff will help provide mindful coping techniques\, decrease burnout\, and strengthen our organization’s ability to help other.” – Organization Leader (Worker Justice Center) \n\n\nHOW TO REGISTER\nIndividual registration is now open! Please click the Register button below to sign up. \nThanks to generous funding support\, we are able to offer the program at $59 per participant. \nBecause space is limited\, we ask that participants who register make the committment to attend all Wednesday sessions. \nIf you’d like to express interest as a sponsor or as a participant organization who can send more than 5 staff\, please email lily@garrisoninstitute.org. \n\n\nLIVE COURSE SESSIONS\n\n\n\n\n	November 46 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	Integration SessionNovember 6 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	November 116 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	Integration SessionNovember 1312:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	November 186 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	Integration SessionNovember 2012:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	December 26 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	Integration SessionDecember 412:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	December 96 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	Integration SessionDecember 1112:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n	December 166 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\nSPEAKERS\n  \n\n \nSharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer\, world-renowned teacher\, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago\, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre\, MA\, and the author of twelve books\, including the New York Times bestseller\, Real Happiness\, now in its second edition\, and her seminal work\, Lovingkindness. Her latest release is a children’s book\, Kind Karl\, is from Shambhala Publications. Her podcast\, The Metta Hour\, has amassed seven million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond www.sharonsalzberg.com \n  \n \nKaira Jewel Lingo is a Dharma teacher with a lifelong interest in spirituality and social justice. Her work continues the Engaged Buddhism developed by Thich Nhat Hanh\, and she draws inspiration from her parents’ lives of service and her dad’s work with Martin Luther King\, Jr. After living as an ordained nun for 15 years in Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastic community\, Kaira Jewel now teaches internationally in the Zen lineage and the Vipassana tradition\, as well as in secular mindfulness\, at the intersection of racial\, climate and social justice with a focus on activists\, Black\, Indigenous\, and People of Color\, artists\, educators\, families\, and youth. Based in New York\, she offers spiritual mentoring to groups and is author of We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons in Moving through Change\, Loss and Disruption and co-author of the forthcoming\, Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors\, Joy and Liberation (Feb 2024) from Parallax Press. Kaira Jewel is also the co-facilitator of the Garrison Institute BIPOC Meditation Sangha. Her teachings and writings can be found at www.kairajewel.com. \n  \n  \n \nOneika Mays (CMT-P\, E-RYT\, LMT) is a multi-hyphenate facilitator who leads with joy\, passion\, and wisdom.  As a Black\, queer feminist she brings a poignant lens to building a world that is more compassionate and understanding. With deep roots and knowledge in Buddhist and yogic teachings\, Oneika delivers practical application and authentic connection through her facilitation.\nOneika has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years\, and guiding yoga and meditation for more than a decade. Since then\, she has used her knowledge to support social justice nonprofits and historically excluded communities. She served as the Mindfulness Coach at Rikers Island Correctional Facility for 4 years and is currently a teacher for Yoga International\, an inclusive and accessible online studio with classes designed for every level of practice. She is your teacher\, your auntie\, your friend\, and an intuitive soul here for the work of personal and collective liberation. You can see Oneika on the docuseries Lost Resort on TBS. Oneika’s memoir You Can Sit With Me was published by Harper One in April 2026. Learn more at oneikamays.com. \n  \n  \n \nAli Smith was born and raised in Baltimore\, Maryland. He is a graduate of the Friends School of Baltimore and the University of Maryland\, College Park. Ali started his journey with contemplative practices as a small child\, learning meditation from his father and attending the Divine Life Church of Absolute Oneness\, run by Swami Shankarananda. He deepened his practice and learned the art of teaching as a young adult\, studying many forms of yoga\, meditation\, mindfulness\, and breathwork from his teacher and godfather Will Joyner. Ali has almost 20 years’ experience teaching these practices to a broad demographic spectrum\, internationally. He is a published author\, and is a pioneer in the fields of yoga and mindfulness in education\, as well as trauma informed yoga and mindfulness\, developing best practices that are used around the world. He co-founded the Holistic Life Foundation in 2001 and The Involution Group in 2019. Ali is also a co-host of the Look Again Podcast which you can find at www.theinvolutiongroup.com \n  \n  \n \nAtman Smith is a Co-founder of the Holistic Life Foundation\, where he served as Director of Youth Programming for ten years Director of Fundraising for five years and currently serves as the Director of Development. Since 2001\, he has been teaching yoga and mindfulness to a diverse population including underserved and high-risk youth in Baltimore City Public Schools\, drug treatment centers\, wellness centers\, and colleges. A native of Baltimore\, Atman attended the University of Maryland\, College Park where he was a letter award winner for the University’s men’s basketball team. He graduated with a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His work with the Holistic Life Foundation has been featured on Making a Difference on the NBC Nightly News\, CNN\, and CBS\, as well as O the Oprah Magazine\, The Washington Post\, Upworthy\, Mindful Magazine\, Yoga Journal\, Shambala Sun\, and many other publications. https://www.theinvolutiongroup.com/ \n  \n \nAndres Gonzalez is one of the Co-Founders of the Holistic Life Foundation. For eighteen years\, Andres has taught yoga to diverse populations throughout the world\, including Baltimore City Public School students\, drug treatment centers\, mental crisis facilities\, homeless shelters\, wellness centers\, colleges\, private schools and other various venues throughout the nation and throughout the world. He has partnered with John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health and the Penn State’s Prevention Research Center on a Stress and Relaxation Study and is a published author in the Journal of Children’s Services. His work with the Holistic Life Foundation has been featured on Making a Difference on the NBC Nightly News\, CNN\, and CBS\, as well as O the Oprah Magazine\, The Washington Post\, Upworthy\, Mindful Magazine\, Yoga Journal\, Shambala Sun\, and many other publications. He is a certified Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition\, maintains a B.S. in Marketing from University of Maryland\, College Park and an MBA from the University of Maryland\, University College. https://holisticlifefoundation.org/  \n  \nReggie Hubbard is the founder/Chief Serving Officer of Active Peace LLC.  He has done many things\, but is most proud of being a caring human\, a stroke survivor\, teacher/wisdom steward\, strategist\, organizer\, spiritual advisor\, minister of sound and devoted seeker of truth\, compassion\, health\, well-being and justice for all.  Through Active Peace\, he teaches all walks of life through wisdom\, movement\, meditation and sound\, ways to cultivate well-being as a foundation rather than an afterthought.  https://activepeaceyoga.com/ \n  \n  \nCBR FACULTY\n  \n  \nSarina Saturn (she/they; née Rodrigues) is a CHamoru and Indian neuroscientist\, educator\, scholar-activist\, and community builder whose work bridges health equity\, higher education\, and social justice. An expert in the neurobiology of trauma\, healing\, and prosocial emotions\, they integrate neuroscience with contemplative practice\, culturally grounded approaches\, and community-rooted wisdom to advance equity\, belonging\, resilience\, and collective care. They are committed to supporting Black\, Indigenous\, and People of Color (BIPOC)\, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities\, women\, and others historically excluded from shaping the systems that impact their lives. \n  \n \nIsabel Saez\, LCSW\, is a bilingual Latina\, first generation born in New York City\, unceded Native Lenape lands.  A graduate of New York University in clinical social work\, she has practiced for over 20 years with adults\, couples\, and families on a range of life challenges from abuse\, family\, marital & other relational conflicts\, anxiety\, depression\, grief\, trauma\, and the impacts of systemic injustice. \n  \n  \n \nChia-Ti Chiu has over 23 years of experience teaching movement\, mindfulness\, meditation and resilience building\, leading domestic and international yoga retreats through her business onelovewellness. Her movement modalities include yoga\, qigong\, fascia release\, and somatics\, and her passion is making connections between wellness and social justice through a trauma-conscious\, strengths-based lens. \n  \n \nJennifer Winther\, PhD\, specializes in creating the conditions for you to nourish a practice of mindful\, embodied movement\, stillness\, and contemplation that can create powerful ripples in your life. In her work as teacher and facilitator\, Jennifer focuses on the real\, the accessible\, and the simply profound benefits of regular practice. Proudly mixed race. Japanese American. Breast cancer survivor. Motherless mother. LGBTQIA+ parent ally. Teacher. Writer. Buddhist. \n  \n \nCarolina Lasso is the author of the Amazon bestseller The Path to Flourishing and co-author of The Purpose Reset. Passionate about creating practical tools to help people flourish\, Carolina combines her business background with her dedication to personal development as a teacher\, marketer\, coach\, and consultant. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Maryland and an MBA from New York University. She has worked as a leader at the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute\, Google\, American Express\, and Telemundo. Carolina is a certified emotional intelligence\, leadership\, resilience\, and mindfulness teacher\, business mentor\, and purpose coach. \n  \n  \n  \n \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/changemakers-2026/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Contemplative-Based Resilience,Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Changemakers-2026-Event-Page.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261111T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T163000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20260219T153033Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261022T202217Z
UID:48451-1794420000-1794673800@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:Opening the Wisdom Within: The Art of Analytical Meditation
DESCRIPTION:A Retreat with Khandro Rinpoche\n  \nJoin us for this gathering with:\nRanjung Neljorma Khandro Tseringma Rinpoche\n  \nThrough careful\, directed investigation\, we begin to open the wisdom that has always resided within — the extraordinary Khandro Rinpoche introduces analytical meditation\, the ancient art of turning the inquiring mind toward the deepest question of existence. \n  \nLIVESTREAMING\n  \nThe Khandro Ling organization is offering a livestream of Khandro Rinpoche’s talks during this retreat. There will be streams on Thursday\, Friday\, Saturday. Please visit the event page on Khandroling.org to register. \n  \nTEACHER\n  \n  \nRangjung Neljorma Khandro Namsel Dolma (‘Khandrola Rinpoche’) is a revered Tibetan Buddhist master whose profound presence illuminates the path of exceptional insight and boundless compassion. \n  \n  \nOFFSITE ACCOMMODATION\n  \nUnfortunately\, we are currently sold out of on-site rooms.  \nIf you are interested in registering as a commuter\, please explore these suggested off-site options. \nFor questions\, please contact us at: events@garrisoninstitute.org  or visit this page of our most frequently asked questions. \n\n\n\nThe Experience of Genuine Happiness Daylong Conference\n  \nJoin Khandro Tseringma Rinpoche\, Daniel Goleman\, Richard Davidson\, and leading scientists for a special conversation that brings together contemplative wisdom and modern science on November 14\, the last day of the retreat. \nThe gathering will explore how Buddhist traditions and scientific research can deepen our understanding of genuine happiness – not simply as an idea\, but as something that can be cultivated and experienced in our lives. The conference will begin at 9:30 a.m. and run until 4:30 p.m. ET. \nThis conference is free of charge for all retreat participants. \n  \nACCOMMODATION\nThere are Single\, Double and Dorm rooms available. Please note\, there is no available guest elevator and all rooms are accessible by stairs—except for those reserved for the mobility-impaired on the first floor. There are two communal bathrooms on each residential floor as well as a comfortable lounge with sofas and easy chairs\, where tea and instant coffee are available. The lounges also are equipped with wireless\, high-speed internet connection. There are several local hotels within driving distance from the Institute\, for those who wish to stay off-site\, as commuters. Onsite meals are included with commuter registrations.\n\n \n  \nCOVID-19\nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We encourage everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/opening-the-wisdom-within/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Khandro-Rinpoche-header.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T163000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20260910T191310Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261027T152506Z
UID:51367-1794648600-1794673800@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:The Experience of Genuine Happiness: A Daylong Gathering with Khandro Rinpoche\,  Dr. Richard Davidson. Dr. Daniel Goleman & other Leading Scientists
DESCRIPTION:  \nJoin us for this gathering with:\nRanjung Neljorma Khandro Tseringma Rinpoche\,\nRichard J. Davidson\, PhD\,\n& Daniel Goleman\, PhD\n  \nWhat does science reveal about happiness — and what does it look like to actually live it? \nJoin Khandro Tseringma Rinpoche\, Daniel Goleman\, Richard Davidson\, and leading scientists for a special conversation that brings together contemplative wisdom and modern science. \nThe gathering will explore how Buddhist traditions and scientific research can deepen our understanding of genuine happiness – not simply as an idea\, but as something that can be cultivated and experienced in our lives. \n\n\n\nTIMING \nThis is a day-long event at the Garrison Institute. It will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET and run until 4:30 p.m. ET. Lunch will be provided. \n  \n  \nOPENING THE WISDOM WITHIN RETREAT\nIf you are registered for this retreat with Khandro Rinpoche from November 11-14\, your registration for this conference will be complimentary. Otherwise please register below. \n  \n  \nTEACHERS\n  \n  \nRangjung Neljorma Khandro Namsel Dolma (‘Khandrola Rinpoche’) is a revered Tibetan Buddhist master whose profound presence illuminates the path of exceptional insight and boundless compassion. \n  \n  \n  \n \nDr. Richard Davidson received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Psychology in 1976. Davidson’s research is broadly focused on the neural bases of emotion and emotional style and methods to promote human flourishing including meditation and related contemplative practices. He has published over 600 papers\, numerous chapters and reviews\, and edited over 20 books. Davidson released his newest book\, “Born to Flourish” with Cortland Dahl in March 2026. Davidson and Dahl bring together neuroscience and contemplative science to cultivate well-being and meaning amid the ever-increasing challenges of modern life. The book focuses on small\, evidence-based practices while also grappling with the broader societal conditions shaping attention\, emotion\, and human connection. Davidson is also author with Sharon Begley of “The Emotional Life of Your Brain” published in 2012\, and co-author with Daniel Goleman of “Altered Traits” published in 2017. Davidson was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2006. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2017 and appointed to the Governing Board of UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) in 2018. In 2014\, Davidson founded Humin (formerly Healthy Minds Innovations)\, a global nonprofit on a mission to make wellbeing real by translating science into action. https://www.richardjdavidson.com/\nRichard \n \nDaniel Goleman\, PhD\, is a psychologist\, science journalist\, and internationally renowned author best known for pioneering the concept of emotional intelligence. His groundbreaking book Emotional Intelligence transformed how leadership\, education\, and personal wellbeing are understood worldwide. A former science writer for The New York Times\, Goleman has authored numerous bestselling books exploring emotional intelligence\, mindfulness\, compassion\, ethics\, and ecological responsibility. \n  \nFor questions\, please contact us at: events@garrisoninstitute.org  \n  \n\n\n \n  \nCOVID-19\nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We encourage everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/the-experience-of-genuine-happiness/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Khandro-la_Richie-Davidson_Daniel-Goleman.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261120T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261122T140000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20260609T160835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T185358Z
UID:50328-1795197600-1795356000@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:Healing Our Way Home: A Retreat for Women of Color
DESCRIPTION:Touching Ancestors\, Joy and Liberation\n\n\nA Retreat for Women of Color\n\nwith Dharma Teachers\nDr. Marisela Gomez\, Kaira Jewel Lingo and Valerie Brown \n  \nThis retreat is a sacred space for cis-gender and trans women of color to come together in community\, honoring the fullness of who we are. Rooted in the themes of the books Healing Our Way Home and Love is Liberation\, we will explore the wisdom of our ancestors\, the power of joy\, and the deep possibilities of liberation. \nTogether\, we will create a refuge of belonging—where our stories\, identities\, and journeys are held with care. Through practices of mindfulness\, we will nurture our collective healing and strengthen our capacity to show up with resilience\, love\, and freedom in our lives and communities. \nEach day will include: \n\nDharma teachings on healing\, joy\, ancestors\, and liberation\nGuided meditation (both sitting and gently moving) to ground and restore us\nMindful walking and movement to connect with the body and the earth\nMindful eating to nourish body and spirit\nSinging and chanting to open the heart\nDharma writing and reflection to deepen insight and creativity\nSmall-group sharing to witness and be witnessed in community\n\n  \n  \nWe encourage participants to read Healing Our Way Home and Love is Liberation (available Sept. 29) before the retreat\, as it will help enrich our time together. \nThis retreat welcomes the full diversity of women of color—including trans women\, gender-expansive people\, and anyone who self-identifies as a woman of color\, regardless of gender role\, expression\, or physiology. \n  \n  \n  \nTEACHERS\n  \n \n  \nMarisela Gomez MD PHD is a mindfulness practitioner in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing\, public health scholar activist\, preventive/alternative medicine physician. Of Afro-Latina ancestry\, she lives in Baltimore involved in social justice activism and community building/research and co-facilitates mindfulness gatherings with Baltimore and Beyond Mindfulness Community for BIPOC and Social Activists. She is the author of Race\, Class\, Power and Organizing in East Baltimore\, Healing our Way Home\, and numerous book chapters in popular and scholarly publications. She has blogged at Huff Post and mariselgomez.com on the intersection of wisdom justice and mindfulness. Dr. Gomez is also a co-founder of the non-profit Village of Love and Resistance whose mission is to organize for community land control in historically marginalized communities in Baltimore MD. \n  \n  \n \n  \nKaira Jewel Lingo is a Dharma teacher of Black and biracial heritage with a lifelong interest in spirituality and social justice. Her work continues the Engaged Buddhism developed by Thich Nhat Hanh\, and she draws inspiration from her parents’ lives of service and her dad’s work with Martin Luther King\, Jr. After living as an ordained nun for 15 years in Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastic community\, Kaira Jewel now teaches internationally in the Zen lineage and the Vipassana tradition\, as well as in secular mindfulness\, at the intersection of racial\, climate and social justice with a focus on activists\, Black\, Indigenous\, and People of Color\, artists\, educators\, families\, and youth. Based in New York\, she offers spiritual mentoring to groups and is author of We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons in Moving through Change\, Loss and Disruption and co-author of Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors\, Joy and Liberation from Parallax Press. Her teachings and writings can be found at www.kairajewel.com. \n  \n  \nPhoto Credit: Allen Dobbins \n  \nValerie Brown is an author\, Buddhist-Quaker Dharma teacher\, facilitator\, and executive coach specializing in leadership development and mindfulness practices with a focus on diversity\, social equity\, inclusion\, and environmental justice. A former lawyer and lobbyist\, Valerie transformed her high-pressure\, twenty-year career into serving leaders and nonprofits to create trustworthy\, authentic\, compassionate\, and connected workspaces. She’s passionate about designing immersive experiences that connect people to the natural world with a sense of joy\, gratitude\, and social responsibility. Her books include Hope Leans Forward\, Braving Your Way Toward Simplicity\, Awakening\, and Peace (Broadleaf Books\, 2022) which received the Nautilus Gold Award for Eastern Spirituality\, co-author of Healing Our Way Home:  Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors\, Joy\, and Liberation\,  and Love is Liberation: Five Contemplations for Daily Ethical Living (Parallax Press). www.valeriebrown.us \n  \n  \n  \nSCHOLARSHIPS\n  \nPlease note that scholarship applications are closed for this gathering. We thank you for your interest and overwhelming response. We regret that we are not able to assist as we have more applicants than our funding can underwrite. For more information on our scholarship funds\, please visit this page. \n  \n  \nACCOMMODATIONS \nThere are Single and Double rooms available. Please note\, there is no available guest elevator and all rooms are accessible by stairs—except for those reserved for the mobility-impaired on the first floor.   There are two communal bathrooms on each residential floor as well as a comfortable lounge with sofas and easy chairs\, where tea and instant coffee are available. The lounges also are equipped with wireless\, high-speed internet connection. There are several local hotels within driving distance from the Institute\, for those who wish to stay off-site\, as commuters. Onsite meals are included with commuter registrations.\n\n\n \n  \n  \nCOVID-19\nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are strongly encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We encourage everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/healing-our-way-home-a-retreat-for-women-of-color-2026/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261211T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261214T140000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20260529T203623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T183452Z
UID:50257-1797012000-1797256800@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:Voice as Practice with Meredith Monk & Ellen Fisher
DESCRIPTION:  \nMeredith Monk and Ellen Fisher return to the Garrison Institute for this in-person workshop where voice\, movement\, and image intersect to create an opportunity for us each to discover our own personal richness. \nEach session will begin with a short\, guided meditation\, followed by a detailed vocal and movement warm-up. We will explore how the outbreath expands into sound\, tone\, and resonance\, and work with exercises to deepen our listening and awareness of our environment as well as the voices coming through us. The playful aspect of creation and the joy of discovering our unique vocal qualities will be emphasized as a way of connecting us to the healing power of the voice and body. \nDuring the weekend\, Meredith will also give a talk on the relationship she has crafted between her Buddhist practice and her art\, and Ellen will join her for a Q&A. \nThe workshop is open to all experiences and backgrounds.\n  \n\nTEACHERS\n  \nPhoto credit to F. Scott Schafer \n  \nMeredith Monk is a composer\, singer\, director/choreographer\, filmmaker\, and creator of new opera\, music-theater works\, films and installations. Recognized as one of the most unique and influential artists of our time\, she is a pioneer of what is now called “extended vocal technique” and “interdisciplinary performance”. Celebrated internationally\, her work\, workshops\, and lectures on Art as Practice have been presented at major venues throughout the world. \n\n  \n  \n  \nPhoto credit to Ben Stechschulte \n  \nEllen Fisher is a movement-based performance artist whose work integrates gestural actions with visual elements such as film and shadow play. She began performing with Meredith Monk/The House in the 1970s. Ellen also teaches and lectures regularly on dance both domestically and internationally. \n\n  \n  \n  \n  \nTo learn more about their work\, please visit www.meredithmonk.org \n  \n  \n__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ \n  \nACCOMMODATIONS \nThere are Single\, Double and Commuter rooms available. Please note\, there is no available guest elevator and all rooms are accessible by stairs—except for those reserved for the mobility-impaired on the first floor. There are two communal bathrooms on each residential floor as well as a comfortable lounge with sofas and easy chairs\, where tea and instant coffee are available. The lounges also are equipped with wireless\, high-speed internet connection. There are several local hotels within driving distance from the Institute\, for those who wish to stay off-site\, as commuters. Onsite meals are included with commuter registrations.\n\n\n \nCOVID-19\nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are strongly encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We encourage everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/voice-as-practice-with-meredith-monk-ellen-fisher-december-2026/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261226T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270101T140000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20260916T193346Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T222409Z
UID:51496-1798297200-1798812000@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:Village Zendo Annual Winter Retreat
DESCRIPTION:Finding Refuge in Community\n  \nThe Village Zendo’s year-end retreat is a chance to step out of ordinary life and enjoy deep silence and contemplation at the turning of the year. \nOur schedule is serious (with plenty of zazen meditation) but also spacious\, with time to enjoy the beautiful grounds and nearby trails. Dharma talks are given daily\, and there is opportunity to meet individually with teachers. Delicious vegetarian meals are offered buffet-style.  \nIf you have put off doing a residential retreat\, or felt intimidated to try one\, this is a wonderful opportunity. A special orientation will be offered to those new to Zen or to Village Zendo retreats. \nCome and join the Village Zendo sangha as we greet the new year with clear minds and open hearts. \n  \nThis retreat will be held in silence\n  \nPRICING & REGISTRATION\n  \nRegistration is a 2-part process: \n1. Program Fee – In order to reserve your spot on this retreat\, there is a separate registration fee due to Village Zendo. Please register for the course HERE first. \n2. Then\, register for room & board with us the Garrison Institute\, using the registration form at the bottom of this page. \n  \nThere are two options being offered for this retreat: \nFull Retreat: December 26 to January 1\nHalf Retreat: December 26 to December 29 \n  \n\nTEACHERS\n  \nPhoto Credit: A. Jesse Jiryu Davis \nThe Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. We offer zazen (sitting meditation)\, one-on-one instruction with a teacher\, dharma talks\, chanting services\, retreats\, workshops and study groups. Co-founded in 1986 by Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara and Roshi Barbara Joshin O’Hara\, the Village Zendo is committed to authentically continuing the Zen tradition while keeping it contemporary and relevant to today’s world. We are located in lower Manhattan and additionally offer a hybrid zendo\, with a vibrant online community that participates virtually\, from different locations all over the world. \nOur Abbot Emerita\, Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara (now retired)\, received dharma transmission in the White Plum lineage of Taizan Maezumi Roshi\, which incorporates both the Soto and Rinzai Zen traditions. Village Zendo has been given the Japanese name Dotoku-ji (True Expression Temple). The zendo is known for its vibrant and diverse community and the stability of a sangha that draws from a core of longtime dedicated practitioners. Our programming emphasizes the myriad ways Zen relates to our daily lives by way of writing\, social action\, health and well-being\, and the arts\, as well as traditional Zen studies. \nOur new Abbot\, Roshi Shinryu Thomson\, received Denkai\, or full priest ordination\, from Enkyo O’Hara Roshi in August 2007\, dharma transmission in December 2009\, and Inka in January 2021. He has been affiliated with the Village Zendo since 1998. He also leads the Phajjsi Qollut Jalsu Zen Center in La Paz\, Bolivia\, which he co-founded in 1992. As abbot\, he is supported by Enkyo Roshi’s twelve dharma successors who form the VZ teaching staff. \n  \nPlease email events@garrisoninstitute.org with any questions.\n  \nThere are Single and Double rooms available. Please note\, there is no available guest elevator and all rooms are accessible by stairs—except for those reserved for the mobility-impaired on the first floor.  There are two communal bathrooms on each residential floor as well as a comfortable lounge with sofas and easy chairs\, where tea and instant coffee are available. The lounges also are equipped with wireless\, high-speed internet connection. \n\n\n \n  \nCOVID-19\nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are strongly encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We ask everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/village-zendo-annual-winter-retreat-2026/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person,Silent Retreat
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270113T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270117T130000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20260727T203823Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261028T160048Z
UID:50847-1799863200-1800190800@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:Beginner’s Mind Sesshin: A Winter Silent Retreat of Wholehearted Practice
DESCRIPTION:New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care\nJanuary 13 – January 17\, 2026 \n\n  \nSesshin\, the Japanese term for a Zen meditation retreat\, holds the profound meaning of “touching the heart-mind” and stands as a fundamental pillar of Zen practice. This exceptional occasion offers a precious opportunity for us to delve deeper into our practice alongside a supportive community of fellow practitioners. During our time together\, we will explore the teachings of the Wholehearted Way\, emphasizing the ever-present possibility of intimacy and the sheer delight of experiencing life’s fresh reality. \nThrough the practice of sitting and walking meditation\, engaging dharma talks\, and intimate dokusan sessions with a teacher\, we will immerse ourselves in the transformative power of Noble Silence. Let us come together\, here and now\, embracing this five-day\, four-night journey of discovery and growth. \n  \nRETREAT ACCOMMODATIONS\nRooms are located on the second\, third\, and fourth floors. There are two spacious communal bathrooms on each residential floor. There is no elevator. \n  \n  \nWHAT’S INCLUDED\nAll prices include tuition\, lodging\, and three vegetarian meals a day. Supporter Level and Benefactor Level pricing are available for those who wish to increase their support of NYZC and our work to make the dharma accessible to all. \n  \n  \n  \nTEACHERS\n\nChodo Robert Campbell Sensei\, is a co-founder of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care – a non-profit organization that focuses on the teaching of Zen and Buddhist practice with the goal to make them more accessible to people all around the world. The center delivers contemplative approaches to care through education\, personal caregiving\, and meditation practice. Chodo is a dynamic\, grounded\, and visionary leader and teacher; he has traveled extensively throughout the U.S instructing in various institutions. Sixty-thousand people listen to his podcasts each year. His passion lies in bereavement counseling and advocating for change in the way our healthcare institutions work with the dying. \nHe is also on the faculty of the University of Arizona Medical School’s Center for Integrative Medicine’s Integrative Medicine Fellowship and the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine in San Diego. \n  \nKoshin Paley Ellison Sensei\, MFA\, LMSW\, DMIN\, is an author\, Zen teacher\, Jungian psychotherapist\, and Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After many years as a chaplain and psychotherapist\, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care\, which offers contemplative approaches to care through education\, personal caregiving\, and Zen practice. Today\, New York Zen Center’s methodologies are internationally recognized—and have touched the lives of tens of thousands of individuals. Koshin is a world renowned thought leader in contemplative care. He is the author of Untangled: Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity\, Courage\, and Compassion (Balance/Hachette\, 2022); Wholehearted: Slow Down\, Help Out\, Wake Up (Wisdom Publications\, 2019) and the co-editor of Awake at the Bedside: Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End of Life Care (Wisdom Publications\, 2016). His work has been featured in the New York Times\, PBS\, CBS Sunday Morning\, Tricycle among other publications. \nHe is currently on the faculty of the University of Arizona Medical School’s Center for Integrative Medicine’s Integrative Medicine Fellowship\, on Faculty of the Integrative Medicine Fellowship of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine\, and he is a visiting professor at the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics\, of the University of Texas Health Science Center of Houston Medical School. \n  \n  \n\nClick here to REGISTER
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/beginners-mind-sesshin-a-winter-silent-retreat-2027/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270206T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270206T180000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20260925T173704Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261015T200816Z
UID:51592-1801917000-1801936800@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:LOVE is the Most Powerful Force in the Universe: A Virtual Retreat
DESCRIPTION:Mindfulness teacher Sharon Salzberg joins with Atman Smith\, Ali Smith\, and Andres Gonzalez of the Holistic Life Foundation (HLF) to offer a program exploring the depths\, capacity\, and meaning of love. Love is the most powerful force in the universe. \nLearn to get in touch with and share the infinite love inside of you with meditation\, yoga\, and additional contemplative practices. \nIn a world where division and polarization prevail\, can love be known not as giving in\, but as transformative? How do we love in a way where we feel that we are not being taken advantage of\, and know when tough love is needed? How do we unconditionally love ourselves and find balance in love amidst all our relationships? \nIf conventionally love is seen as weakness\, can we come to understand it as the powerful force it truly is? \nHow do we find balance in love amidst all of our relationships? How do we love in a way where we feel that we are not being taken advantage of? How do we know when to be compassionate and when tough love is needed? How do we love from our higher selves? How do we unconditionally love ourselves? \nWe will explore a myriad of practical tools to promote greater love in life. \n• Connect with the reservoir of love within you \n• Learn greater self-love and self-acceptance \n• Learning to love with appropriate boundaries \n• Cultivating greater love for others through loving kindness meditation practice \n• Yoga and breathwork to ground ourselves and reduce stress\, to better receive love from others \nJoin us for this virtual retreat to develop the skills needed to better love ourselves\, the people in our lives\, and the world. No prior meditation experience is necessary to attend. \n  \nRETREAT SCHEDULE\nThis virtual retreat will be conducted through Zoom on Saturday February 6\, from 12:30 PM – 6:00 PM EST. The virtual retreat link will be emailed to participants within twenty-four hours of your registration. Please email us at events@garrisoninstitute.org with questions. \n  \nTEACHERS\n  \n \nSharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer\, world-renowned teacher\, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago\, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre\, MA\, and the author of twelve books\, including the New York Times bestseller\, Real Happiness\, now in its second edition\, and her seminal work\, Lovingkindness. Her latest release is a children’s book\, Kind Karl\, is from Shambhala Publications. Her podcast\, The Metta Hour\, has amassed seven million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond www.sharonsalzberg.com \n  \n  \n \nAli Smith was born and raised in Baltimore\, Maryland. He is a graduate of the Friends School of Baltimore and the University of Maryland\, College Park. Ali started his journey with contemplative practices as a small child\, learning meditation from his father and attending the Divine Life Church of Absolute Oneness\, run by Swami Shankarananda. He deepened his practice and learned the art of teaching as a young adult\, studying many forms of yoga\, meditation\, mindfulness\, and breathwork from his teacher and godfather Will Joyner. Ali has almost 20 years’ experience teaching these practices to a broad demographic spectrum\, internationally. He is a published author\, and is a pioneer in the fields of yoga and mindfulness in education\, as well as trauma informed yoga and mindfulness\, developing best practices that are used around the world. He co-founded the Holistic Life Foundation in 2001 and The Involution Group in 2019. Ali is also a co-host of the Look Again Podcast which you can find at www.theinvolutiongroup.com \n  \n \nAtman Smith is a Co-founder of the Holistic Life Foundation\, where he served as Director of Youth Programming for ten years Director of Fundraising for five years and currently serves as the Director of Development. Since 2001\, he has been teaching yoga and mindfulness to a diverse population including underserved and high-risk youth in Baltimore City Public Schools\, drug treatment centers\, wellness centers\, and colleges. A native of Baltimore\, Atman attended the University of Maryland\, College Park where he was a letter award winner for the University’s men’s basketball team. He graduated with a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His work with the Holistic Life Foundation has been featured on Making a Difference on the NBC Nightly News\, CNN\, and CBS\, as well as O the Oprah Magazine\, The Washington Post\, Upworthy\, Mindful Magazine\, Yoga Journal\, Shambala Sun\, and many other publications. https://www.theinvolutiongroup.com/ \n. \n  \n \nAndres Gonzalez is one of the Co-Founders of the Holistic Life Foundation. For eighteen years\, Andres has taught yoga to diverse populations throughout the world\, including Baltimore City Public School students\, drug treatment centers\, mental crisis facilities\, homeless shelters\, wellness centers\, colleges\, private schools and other various venues throughout the nation and throughout the world. He has partnered with John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health and the Penn State’s Prevention Research Center on a Stress and Relaxation Study and is a published author in the Journal of Children’s Services. His work with the Holistic Life Foundation has been featured on Making a Difference on the NBC Nightly News\, CNN\, and CBS\, as well as O the Oprah Magazine\, The Washington Post\, Upworthy\, Mindful Magazine\, Yoga Journal\, Shambala Sun\, and many other publications. He is a certified Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition\, maintains a B.S. in Marketing from University of Maryland\, College Park and an MBA from the University of Maryland\, University College. https://holisticlifefoundation.org/ \n 
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/love-is-the-most-powerful-force-in-the-universe-2027/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Virtual Retreat
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270219T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270226T120000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20260901T131355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T161206Z
UID:51278-1803060000-1803643200@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:Westchester Meditation Center Annual Retreat 2027
DESCRIPTION:2027 Westchester Meditation Center Annual Retreat\nFriday\, February 19 through Friday\, February 26\, 2027\nAt the Garrison Institute\, with Judy Lief\n\nWinter is a natural time to deepen our practice \nPlease join us for our annual retreat \nPractitioners of all levels are warmly welcomed\nThis retreat includes a separate track for vajrayana practitioners*\n  \nMany people are drawn to meditation as a means to develop more serenity and clarity. But a deeper transformation of our experience is possible. A well-established meditation practice grounds us deeply in an openness that is also clear\, flexible and resilient. We are then better able to rise to life’s challenges with the kindness of an open heart. \nA week-long immersive retreat is a powerful way to deepen our relationship to meditation and see its benefits. With a settled mind\, we can tune into our innate wellbeing and our open heart. Mindfulness-awareness meditation\, fully understood\, can directly support overcoming our fixed\, inflexible patterns\, and allow the emergence of a more stable attitude of acceptance and kindness. We hope you can join us in exploring and fine-tuning these qualities that our world needs more than ever. \nSurrounded by natural beauty and far from the clamor of our busy lives\, Garrison Institute offers the ideal environment for deep contemplative practice. We welcome both new and experienced practitioners to attend this retreat. \nThe retreat will be jointly led by Judy Lief\, a senior teacher in the tradition of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and master editor of his works\, and senior teachers of the Westchester Meditation Center\, Derek and Jane Kolleeny and Gene Bobker. \nThis mostly silent retreat will be primarily focused on sitting meditation\, but the daily schedule will also include walking meditation\, dharma talks\, discussion groups\, two individual meetings with a meditation instructor\, yoga\, and free time. \nThe separate vajrayana track* will include talks on the Ganges Mahamudra by Tilopa! Again\, there will be separate shrine rooms for all types of vajrayana practitioners. \n\n\nSILENCE\nWhile most of the week is in silence\, exceptions include the first and last days\, scheduled group discussions and meditation instruction meetings\, and Q&A sessions after teacher talks. \n  \nSCHOLARSHIPS\n  \nWestchester Meditation Center is committed to making our programs affordable to all. Scholarships are available for this program so if you would like to be considered for financial support please let us know by completing this application. \n\n\nABOUT US\n  \nFor more information about WMC visit the website\, westchestermeditationcenter.org and for more information about Judy Lief\, visit her website at https://judylief.com/ \n  \n\nTEACHERS\n  \nJudy Lief\, Senior Teacher in the tradition of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche\nJudy Lief is a Buddhist teacher who trained under the Tibetan meditation master\, Ven. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. She has been a teacher and practitioner for over 35 years\, and she continues to teach throughout the world. Judy is known for offering insights and practices stemming from the Buddhist tradition as a support for ordinary people facing the difficulties and challenges of modern life. Judy leads retreats and workshops as well as presenting online teachings. In her teaching\, Judy prefers questions to answers\, humor to earnestness\, delight to solemnity. Judy teaches with clarity and empathy\, with deep respect for the wisdom of the Buddhist teachings and the power of Buddhist practice. She especially enjoys sharing insights drawn from her Buddhist training with people simply looking for a way to develop more mindfulness and kindness in their lives. Judy’s teaching is marked by gentleness\, humility\, and an occasional poke of insight. \n  \n  \nJane Kolleeny\, Westchester Meditation Center Senior Teacher\nJane Kolleeny has been studying and practicing Buddhism since the early seventies when her teacher Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche arrived in Boulder\, Colorado. A native Coloradan\, she moved to New York in 1990 and taught classes at the New York Shambhala Center for many years\, organizing and teaching at the Tuesday dharma gatherings for nine years. She serves as volunteer retreats and business development director at Garrison Institute. \n  \n  \n  \nGene Bobker\, Westchester Meditation Center Senior Teacher\nGene Bobker met Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche as a student at University of Colorado the summer of 1971. She attended the 1974 seminary and became a meditation instructor in 1976. In the late seventies she became a teacher at the New York Shambhala Center and also served as director of the center from 1977 to 1982. In 1982 she staffed the Bedford Springs Seminary\, and later served as practice department coordinator in New York. She has been teaching at Westchester Meditation Center for ten years. Genie has served as an educator in the Westchester public school system. She has led mindfulness/awareness training for educators in school and camps\, and has taught meditation to students in classroom settings. Genie is a mother and grandmother. \n  \n  \nDerek Kolleeny\, Westchester Meditation Center Senior Teacher\nDerek began the practice and study of Buddhism with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1976. In 1982 He earned a B.A. from Harvard College in the Comparative Study of World Religions\, focused on Buddhism\, including study of Sanskrit and Tibetan languages. From 1999-2004 he served as head of practice and study of Shambhala Center of NY. In 2004 he created Rime Shedra NYC to provide practitioners access to the core classical texts of the Buddhist tradition and in 2009 he co-founded WMC (initially called WBC). He teaches a wide range of weekly courses and programs on Buddhist meditation and philosophy with insight\, joy and humor. \n  \n  \nACCOMMODATIONS \nThere are Single\, Double and Dorm (3 people) rooms available. Please note\, there is no available guest elevator and all rooms are accessible by stairs—except for those reserved for the mobility-impaired on the first floor. Dorm rooms are located exclusively on the fourth floor. There are two communal bathrooms on each residential floor as well as a comfortable lounge with sofas and easy chairs\, where tea and instant coffee are available. The lounges also are equipped with wireless\, high-speed internet connection. There are several local hotels within driving distance from the Institute\, for those who wish to stay off-site\, as commuters. Onsite meals are included with commuter registrations.\n\n\n \n  \n  \nCOVID-19\nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are strongly encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We ask everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/westchester-meditation-center-annual-retreat-2027/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person,Partially Silent Retreat
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270317T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270321T140000
DTSTAMP:20261101T212050
CREATED:20261022T162243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261027T213217Z
UID:51861-1805306400-1805637600@www.garrisoninstitute.org
SUMMARY:A 5-Day Silent Retreat with Cynthia Bourgeault
DESCRIPTION:The Evolution of Thomas Keating’s Teachings on the Evolution of Consciousness\n  \nIn this eagerly awaited Centering Prayer teaching retreat\, Centering Prayer master teacher Cynthia Bourgeault continues her groundbreaking exploration of the late teachings of Fr. Thomas Keating\, this year focusing on “the evolution of Thomas Keating’s teaching on the evolution of consciousness.” \n  \nOver a period of nearly forty years Thomas’ understanding of human consciousness steadily grew: from his signature teaching in the 1980s\, heavily influenced by the philosopher Ken Wilber\, through his paradigm-shattering encounter with the contemporary Christian mystic Bernadette Roberts\, to his own increasingly integrated and unique vision of Christian Non-Duality as a kind of “flowing oneness.” As Thomas fully embraced his own nondual awakening\, he began to write and see from a perspective rarely attained in the Christian mystical tradition\, significantly “growing” the Christian spiritual roadmap while planting the seeds to bring our own practice of Centering Prayer to the next level. \n  \nThrough teaching\, dialogue\, guided meditations —but mostly through the practice of Centering Prayer itself —Cynthia will explore how Thomas charts this new course; and more important\, what his maturing insights have to offer our own continuing spiritual evolution today. \n  \nThis is quintessentially a teaching retreat\, inviting the full engagement of both mind and heart. We will be exploring the insights of some of the spiritual giants of our time—Ken Wilber\, Bernadette Roberts\, Jean Gebser— as well as some of the most sublime and challenging writings of “late Thomas\,” including selections from his  Reflections of the Unknowable\, That We May Be One\, and The Secret Embrace. We will embrace these teachings however\, from within the milieu of Centering Prayer: not as an academic exercise but as the articulation of something most of us have already tasted and verified in our hearts. \n  \nThe retreat will have a Centering Prayer focus\, but committed practitioners of any form of sitting meditation are welcome and will find themselves at home. Aside from the specific times of teaching and dialogue\, the retreat and all meals will be conducted in silence. \n  \n  \n \n  \nTEACHER\n  \n  \nThe Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault is an Episcopal priest and writer. She has been a long-time advocate of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer and has worked closely with fellow teachers and colleagues including Thomas Keating\, Bruno Barnhart\, and Richard Rohr. Bourgeault has actively participated in numerous inter-spiritual dialogues and events with luminaries and leaders such as A.H. Almaas\, Kabir Helminski\, Swami Atmarupananda\, and Rami Shapiro. Bourgeault is a member of the GPIW (Global Peace Initiative for Women) Contemplative Council and recipient of the 2014 Contemplative Voices award from Shalem Institute. She is a founding Director of both The Contemplative Society and the Aspen Wisdom School. She is also the author of many books\, including The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three\, The Meaning of Mary Magdalene\, The Wisdom Jesus\, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening\, Mystical Hope\, Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Christian Mystic\, and others. For more information on Cynthia Bourgeault’s work\, please visit her website. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nACCOMMODATIONS \nThere are Single\, Double and Dorm rooms available. Please note\, there is no available guest elevator and all rooms are accessible by stairs—except for those reserved for the mobility-impaired on the first floor. There are two communal bathrooms on each residential floor as well as a comfortable lounge with sofas and easy chairs\, where tea and instant coffee are available. The lounges also are equipped with wireless\, high-speed internet connection. There are several local hotels within driving distance from the Institute\, for those who wish to stay off-site\, as commuters. Onsite meals are included with commuter registrations.\n\n\n \n  \nCOVID-19 \nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are strongly encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We encourage everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/5-day-retreat-with-reverend-cynthia-bourgeault-2027/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person
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