We are living through a time of growing uncertainty, and many of us are feeling the weight of collective overwhelm. It has taken a toll, leaving behind a sense of exhaustion that is both personal and shared. And yet, the human spirit continues to adapt and endure. This retreat asks an important question: how do we meet the challenges of our time with vitality, creativity, and even optimism? How do we rise in the midst of chaos? If we give in to overwhelm, distraction, and numbness, we lose the capacity to respond with the skill this moment demands. But when we cultivate inner strength and courage through clear-eyed practice, we build the steadiness and resilience needed for the work ahead.

The retreat will center on teachings from the Bhagavadgītā, a foundational text of Indian philosophy dating from approximately the fifth century BCE to the second century CE. It gathers together ideas that had been developing for centuries and presents them as a distinctive philosophy and praxis. Structured as a dialogue between a student and a teacher, the Bhagavadgītā explores yoga in multiple forms and begins with the deeply human experience of inner conflict: the confusion and uncertainty that can cloud judgment.

The text recognizes that there were already many approaches to yoga practice. Some emphasized meditation and knowledge, others focused on breath restraint, devotion, or other paths. In the Bhagavadgītā, however, action itself is brought into focus. It presents a way of living that fully engages with life while remaining rooted in yogic ideals. For its time, this was likely a radical and accessible approach, especially for householders rather than priests or ascetics.

At its heart, the Bhagavadgītā speaks to the difficulty of acting when we are faced with uncertainty, fear, contradiction, and tension with our ethical values. What is the right thing to do? Such dilemmas can freeze us and pull us deeper into despair and inaction. Yet they can also become openings for growth, self-transcendence, and transformation. The text points toward the spiritual warrior archetype: one who combines strength with sensitivity and acts in defense of truth, justice, and those who cannot defend themselves through love, compassion, cooperation, and courage.

Participants do not need to read or already know the Bhagavadgītā. The text will be referenced throughout the retreat, with context provided along the way. For those who would like to read it in advance, Eknath Easwaran’s translation is recommended. For Sanskrit scholars, Winthrop Sargeant’s translation, The Bhagavad Gītā, with a foreword by Huston Smith and editor preface by Christopher Key Chapple, is more precise, while Easwaran’s version may feel more accessible to modern readers.

Easwaran, Eknath. The Bhagavad Gita. Tomales, CA: Nilgiri Press, 2007.
Sargeant, Winthrop and Christopher Chapple. The Bhagavad Gītā. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2009.

You may view the schedule here.

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