Upcoming retreats
Offered without price tags, held by volunteers, in the spirit of gift.
This past year
Eight retreats since October 2025, each held by a crew of volunteers.
Over a hundred retreats, across six countries
Instead of organizing around a purpose, these gatherings organize around a process: coming together from the emptiness of our essence, so that something can emerge in the space between us.
Browse the archiveWatch more clipsWays to gather
Retreats are the deep end of a wider spectrum. Some gatherings hold a thousand people for an hour; others, forty people for five days. The spirit is the same.
Awakin Circle
An hour of silence, a short reading, a circle of sharing and a home-cooked meal. Weekly, in hundreds of homes.
Find one near youKindness Drive
Small teams offer anonymous acts of kindness to strangers, then circle up to share what happened.
Bring one to your cityKarma Kitchen
Volunteers run a restaurant for a day. Every bill reads zero; guests pay forward for whoever comes next.
karmakitchen.orgOne-day retreat
Silence, circles and stories built around a question that matters to educators, technologists, a city.
Host oneMulti-day retreat
Where hands, head and heart come together, and strangers leave as kin. Listed above as they open.
See what's comingEvery week, somewhere in India
A few of this week's gatherings. Anyone is welcome; most begin with silence, so arrive a little early.
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Wed 21Oct · 7:00 pmAwakin Circle in AhmedabadAhmedabadRSVP
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Wed 21Oct · 7:00 pmAwakin Ahmedabad [Satellite]Ahmedabad [Satellite]RSVP
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Thu 22Oct · 7:00 pmAwakin Tapovan Circle, AhmedabadTapovan Circle, AhmedabadRSVP
…and dozens of living rooms
Awakin Circles meet weekly in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Vadodara and many more cities, and on every continent.
Find the circle nearest youOther doors
Participate first, then volunteer, then host. Not gatekeeping, just how the transmission deepens.
Volunteer
Twenty volunteers create the field. Cook, drive at 2 am, write name tags while chanting metta.
Volunteer at a retreatOffer a space
A farmhouse, a monastery, a community hall. Any place held with care can become sacred ground.
Offer a spaceNominate someone
These retreats have never been advertised. If someone comes to mind, trust that instinct.
Nominate a personCommon questions
Is this a meditation retreat?
No, though meditation may be part of it. A meditation retreat tunes the instrument of the self. These retreats tune the instrument of the collective: what it feels like to fall into a deep, coherent state with other human beings.
Do I need to be spiritual or religious?
No. People of every tradition attend, and people of none. The retreats draw on universal principles: generosity, deep listening, the intelligence of the heart.
Who pays for this?
Nobody, in the usual sense. There is no fee, no fundraising, no sponsors. Volunteers offer their time, spaces are gifted, meals are cooked with donated ingredients. The oldest economy on earth: generosity.
How do I apply?
Each open retreat has a short form asking who you are and what draws you. We read every application with care. If a retreat is full, you're placed on a waitlist.
What happens at a typical retreat?
Optional morning practices. Breakfast prepared with love. Morning circles with deep questions and stories. An unhurried lunch and rest. Afternoon immersions: outdoor practices, small acts of kindness. A silent dinner under the stars, a heart circle with candles lining the path. The real curriculum is what happens between the lines.
Can I host one?
Yes. We suggest participating first, then volunteering at one, then hosting. Any format can be fused with this spirit: a qigong retreat, a cooking retreat, a youth gathering. Write to us about hosting.
Why have I never heard of this?
By design. These retreats have never been advertised in fifteen years. People find their way here through word of mouth, through serendipity, through a quiet pull they can't quite name. That you're reading this means something reached you.
More at The retreat experience · Still wondering? Write to us