Personal and social change are deeply connected. Contemplative practices nurture focus, empathy, mental and physical resilience, and strong social connections – all qualities that empower people to lead positive change in their workplaces and communities.
Many of the retreats we offer are designed to strengthen the connection between personal and social transformation. May 7–9, Wisdom 2.0 founder Soren Gordhamer leads “Disconnect to Connect,” a technology-free retreat exploring the cultivation of mindfulness, wisdom and compassion and how we live, work and connect in the digital age. Gordhamer notes the purpose is to enhance our “well-being, effective[ness] in our work, and useful[ness] to the world.”
May 6 – 8, Janice Marturano, a leader and progenitor of the mindfulness at work trend who has recently been featured in TIME Magazine and other major media, will teach a retreat for workers in the non-profit sector called “Leading Differently.” Supported by a grant from the Eileen Fisher Foundation, it explores practical uses of meditation to deal with work stress and pressures, enhance performance, and ultimately, help move issues.
June 27 – 29, Norman Fischer and Rachel Cowan lead “Training in Compassion – Cultivating a Tender Heart,” a retreat designed for first-time meditators that explores Tibetan compassion practices, connecting them to other traditions from Zen to Judaism, and emphasizing their “tangible benefits for personal and professional life, ranging from stress reduction to improved self-awareness, emotional connection and acceptance.”
August 1 – 3, Mirabai Bush and Gopi Kallayil lead a retreat on Google’s “Search Inside Yourself (SIY)” program. Bush and Kallayil developed the curriculum Google now uses for attention and mindfulness trainings that build the emotional intelligence skills for peak performance and effective leadership. SIY “helps professionals at all levels adapt, management teams evolve and leaders optimize their impact and influence.”