AwaKin Retreat

We stand at a rare moment in history—a time when multiple systems are simultaneously revealing their limitations. The political landscape reflects deep polarization, our ecological systems signal distress, and our social fabric shows signs of fraying.

Our collective orientation has long been fixated on external solutions—technological fixes, policy reforms, structural adjustments—while often relegating the inner transformation that must accompany outer change. As Einstein famously noted, we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking that created them. The most profound innovations of our time may well emerge not from laboratories or legislatures, but from the transformed consciousness that sees with new eyes.

As old structures falter, we have the opportunity to ask: What new possibilities might emerge if we approach these challenges not from fear or ideological rigidity, but from the intelligence of the heart?

We invite you to join us for a retreat to explore what it truly means to lead with heart during these tipping point times—to stand in the clearing with profound presence and possibility.

THE "Bodhisattva" PATH

AwaKin stands for awakening, but together. Without leaving anyone behind. This gathering is inspired by the figure of a bodhisattva -- one who dedicates their life to alleviating suffering and cultivating awakening for all beings. This timeless archetype appears across wisdom traditions in a variety of expressions from the ancient to the modern: Guan Yin in Buddhist traditions, St. Francis of Assisi serving the vulnerable, and contemporary icons like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa.

Such a path represents a commitment to three essential dimensions:

• Awakening the Mind — Cultivating wisdom, presence, and clarity that embraces our inherent interconnection.
• Opening the Heart — Nurturing boundless compassion that responds to suffering with both tenderness and fierce love.
• Engaging the Hands — Translating insights into skillful action that serve life in all its forms.

THE RETREAT

The heart's intelligence isn't merely personal—it's profoundly collective. When we gather in a field of shared intention, something greater than the sum of our individual awareness becomes possible.

To that end, our retreat will unfold around three axes:

• ME: throughout our time together, we'll engage in personal practices from silent meditation, walks among the serene redwoods, chanting led by our monastic hosts and bowing. How do I skilfully discern between my inner voice and ego voice?
• WE: we'll sit in circles, learn from each other's thought leadership, stories and experiences, and hold deep questions with a heart of not knowing. What can we do together than we can't do alone?
• US: as heart coherence among individuals synchronizes, it creates a field effect and amplifies our collective capacity for wisdom and compassion. We won't know about what emerges here until we get there, but if the past is any precedent, we are ready to ride the waves of grace! What grows here?

Aligning with the Bodhisattva inspiration, we will reflect deeply on how we might translate ancient principles into modern applications of reducing the myriad forms of suffering that now plague today's societies. Rather than approaching our global challenges as problems to be fixed, though, we'll explore them as invitations to evolve — personally and collectively. This reframe shifts us from a posture of anxiety and urgency to one of creative possibility and deep listening.

Together, we'll create a field of shared inquiry where the conventional boundaries between inner and outer, traditional and innovative, personal and systemic, begin to dissolve.

WWW -- Who, Where, When?

WHO: The AwaKin Retreat brings together an extraordinary constellation of wisdom keepers, change-makers and innovators from diverse realms of human endeavor. This year's invites include monastics, renowned spiritual teachers, founder of a major social network, a Qi-gong master, a prominent Chinese entrepreneur and many leaders from the nonprofit sector, AI startups, and more! Check out the list of past participants -- and an early guestlist for this retreat.

WHERE: Nestled in the ancient embrace of the Santa Cruz mountains, Redwood Vihara Monastery offers 500 acres of pristine forest sanctuary for our gathering. Walking among towering redwoods that have witnessed centuries of human history feels like an immediate invitation to slow down and attune to the larger arcs of emergence.

WHEN: the retreat starts on Sept 4th at 4PM and ends on Sep 7th at 4PM. Everyone is required to be present for the full duration of the retreat as a commitment to the whole.

To include the broader local community, we intend to have a festive community night to celebrate the power of love! :) For those who can stay afterwards, all participants are invited to stay an extra day for an informal but spectacular day-long immersion at "City of Ten Thousand Buddhas" (yes, an actual city!).

JOIN US

If you feel called to explore what it means to meet our world's complexities with both wisdom and tenderness, to serve from a place of wholeness rather than fragmentation, and to participate in translating timeless principles into tomorrow's skillful expressions, we would love to have you join this gathering!