When Dr. Dan Siegel was in Portland for our recent panel on Mindfulness, Trauma, and Interpersonal Healing in Education he asked me how I navigate being a contemplative that simultaneously does so much work “in the world.”
As we chatted, I heard myself underlining my love of retreats. Being on them, as well as leading them. As a someone who has facilitated retreats for the last 20 years, I can attest that it’s in the immersion of retreat that I see the greatest transformation occur. With individuals, with groups.
Retreat allows us to set other aspects of our lives aside and focus exclusively on Truth. On knowing who we really are. In grounding into direct experience of our true nature. And, to do this in the context of a collective isn’t an accident.
In this age of meditation apps and more and more opportunities to practice on your own from home, I’m passionate about also providing experiences that revolve around community and collective liberation.
Registration is now live for the next four retreats that I am offering. Below, you'll find a little more information about each one. I hope it supports you in determining whether you’d like to support your practice by getting one of these retreats on your calendar now—and if so, which one.
But first, here some images and words from those who joined our recent New Year Retreat:
“This was my first retreat with Caverly, and first introduction to her work, and I have to say it was truly transformative. I received more than I expected. I’ve been on many retreats and practiced with many different teachers, but there is something unique within the collective that allows for great healing and transformation to take place. I’m deeply grateful for this experience.”
“This was one of the most beautiful experiences I have been a part of and I will cherish the memory and lessons learned. Caverly brings such warmth and wisdom and has a way of making every participant feel valued and welcome. This retreat was so much more than I expected! I feel incredibly grateful to have been a part of it. Also I had no idea we would laugh so much!”
“This has become a precious ritual for me. The space to come and be exactly as I am, to feel so held and supported, to remember who I authentically am, it is the greatest gift. There is something I get from retreat, a depth of experience, that is invaluable.”
“Here, I am able to find my own voice again. I am given the language to express what I know to be inherently true- that we are not separate, that we are naturally love. Caverly skillfully guides us to our own knowing of truth by embodying compassionate presence and guiding as a friend and mentor.”
“Opportunities like this are very rare.”
Upcoming Retreats with Caverly
This retreat is based on the recent day long retreat I did at the Portland Insight Meditation Community. If you haven't seen the Sunday morning talk that followed that retreat, you can watch it here.
This retreat has a fun twist: we’ll be making our own simple journals to use during it! The backdrop of this retreat will be silent. It takes place in a monastic setting…and a lovely one at that!
This retreat's curriculum is a condensed version of the contemplative technologies taught in the Peace in Schools' semester-long curriculum for teens. It’s perfect for those who would like a deeper personal experience around specific tools like:
Seeing, naming, releasing negative self-talk
Recognizing the conditioned mind and learning to let go our habitual thinking
Learning more about the relationship between personal and collective conditioning
Cultivating a relationship with the compassionate mentor within
Understanding projection and the mind of duality
Getting in touch with, and living with the recognition of, who we authentically are
This retreat does NOT have a backdrop of silence, which makes it a great fit for those who wish to attend the lovely 1440 center with friends or family. From eating gourmet food to hiking in the redwoods, this retreat is for those who are looking to combine vacation with transformative workshop sessions.
This retreat is co-led with the incredible Martin Aylward. Caverly has been friends and colleagues with Martin for years and is delighted to have the opportunity to co-facilitate with him.
Dharma practice invites us into a spacious and gracious relationship with life; challenging us to love what is, whether we like it or not. This retreat will be orientated around loving awareness and non-clinging wisdom. We will explore the various demands, defenses and distractions that easily grip our inner life, and learn to open to the genuine inner liberation that allows us to live fully and die freely.
Martin and Caverly will lead teachings and practices that explore the depth of meditation while also focusing on the integration into our wider personal, social and interconnected life.
This retreat is special in that it is a collaboration of four teachers who are all part of the Presence Collective community. Suniti Dernovsek is a movement educator, meditation teacher, somatic intuitive, artist and craniosacral therapist. David Perrin is a meditation teacher and mentor in the Shambhala tradition. Latifa Till is a lifetime student of the human heart, and leads Sufi and meditation retreats internationally.
It takes place at the magical Land of Medicine Buddha—a beautiful and environmentally conscious meditation and retreat center, located on 108 acres of coastal foothills in the Santa Cruz mountains.
This retreat has a backdrop of silence and is designed for those who are ready to have a deep immersion in practice.
We are really looking forward to practicing with you soon! For any follow up questions about our upcoming retreats, please contact our Presence Collective Coordinator Alyssa.
In peace,
— Caverly