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  • Old Skool Cafe provides job training and employment for at-risk, formerly incarcerated and foster care youth (ages 16-22) by way of a 1920’s jazz restaurant in Bayview, San Francisco. We were honored to collaborate with the OSC nonprofit to provide this camping trip in the Marin Headlands for 7 OSC young adult employees and 4 OSC chaperons. We're grateful to Sports Basement for donating and discounting a variety of gear to make this trip possible and affordable. 

    The group used this time to reconnect both in nature, within and with one another. Carl Scheidenhelm, an Awake in the Wild Teacher Training alumni, led the group in a couple mindfulness & nature based practices. And the group explored the campsite and nearby meandering trails, even one that led to the ocean. We observed 2 bobcats on the trail too!

    We’re aiming to provide this experience to OSC more frequently and to other similar inner city groups.

  • "It was wonderful to witness the youth group bonding in nature during our retreat. For many, it was a day of firsts—they encountered wildlife they’d never seen before and enjoyed the experience of learning how to pitch a tent and practice meditation. Having collaborated with Off-Grid Retreats before, I can confidently say that every experience with them is filled with adventure, relaxation, team bonding, and much-needed mental recharging." - Jeff B (OSC Program Manager)

    "I loved the meditation and spending quality time with my friends." - Charie

    "It was a perfect day to get out of the city and clear my mind. Thank you OffGrid!" - Lay


  • This collaborative retreat with Insight Meditation Center (IMC) was led by Dawn Neal & Marjolein Janssen at Shelterwood Collective. There were 23 people who participated in this 5 day and 4 night retreat.

    There were deepening meditation sessions supported by sensory immersion in nature along with optional movement and / or walking meditations. Participants enjoyed seasonal vegetarian meals, camping and exploring throughout this 900+ acre active forest restoration and community hub.

    Due to IMC’s support, this event was fully dana based with no fees!


  • "Thank you for your dedication to this retreat, it shows how much care you put into it. I enjoyed the combination of guidance and free practice." - Beatriz E

    "I enjoyed spending 4 days outdoors, walking up and down hills, being in the elements, surrounded by others seeking comfort in silence." - Diana H

    "I felt so aware and connected to nature down to the smallest, finest details. I felt surrounded by loving and compassionate people the whole time and that we shared a strong sense of purpose! I felt held, safe, and supported by competent and caring staff and teachers. I felt nourished by delicious meal, deep experiences of generosity."

    "The silence container and renouncing phones and technology had a tremendous impact in my inner peace and well-being. Thank you for this gift! I hope more people get a chance to experience this too in the future!"

    "There was a time when the entire human force at camp finally dropped into silence (including the staff and teachers). At that moment, the experience of holding silence truly felt noble."

    "I could see how much Off-Grid Retreats brought to help participants feel comfortable in a remote and rustic setting."

  • This guided offering was held in the Marin headlands. Off-Grid Retreats Executive Director (Charles) and Founder (David) accompanied a group of 6 SFUSD students along with 4 teachers. The group visited the patrol horses and practiced yoga and meditation in the meadow below the Headlands Center for the Arts.

    In the coming years, OGR aims to facilitate more of these nature excursions with inner-city youth.

  • The Off-Grid Retreats team led this gathering at Shelterwood Collective. There were 12 people who participated in this overnight event, including the Education Team from Larkin Street Academy! A few of the participants provided some guided teachings outside for the group. North led a meditation, Kyyio led seated yoga and Della led a partnered mirror walk.

    Participants also enjoyed seasonal vegetarian meals, OGR’s glamping & camping lodging and hiking throughout this 900+ acre active forest restoration and community hub. This event was dana based and included fully funded scholarships rates.

  • "We firmly believe that nurturing our well-being and fostering strong connections within our organization will empower us to better serve the youth we support." - Jeff B (Larkin Street Academy)

    "Our commitment to employee well-being and effective collaboration has led us to embark on a wonderful partnership with Off-Grid Retreats."

    "During this gathering, I deeply enjoyed connecting with the powerful team from Larkin Youth Services and hearing about the impact this experience provided them, knowing they are going back out to do such important work, holding space and supporting our youth." - Cindy SK

    "It was very nice. I loved being able to do yoga on the deck of the lodge. The environment was special and the provided directions were well done. The teachers and OGR Team were wonderful! Thank you."

    "The site was beautiful, the food was delicious, the tents were amazing, and the time together was lovely."

  • Rochelle Calvert led this retreat at River Ridge Ranch. There were 14 people who participated in this semi silent, 4 day and 3 night event. Rochelle led participants in nature-based practices and somatic healing to support the transformation of challenging or traumatic experiences.

    The group enjoyed OGR’s glamping & camping lodging, reflective journaling, nightly campfire circles, seasonal vegetarian meals, hiking throughout this 700+ acre nature preserve and sustainable land management field research site and relaxing by the river. This event was dana based and included fully funded scholarships rates.

  • "This retreat was awesome (i.e., causing or inducing awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence and admiration) :D"

    "I found the practice of pendulation, especially when practiced in the natural setting, to be the most transformative for me. It gave me hope that I can change my relationship to the inner barriers and patterns within me."

    "I enjoyed so many things about the retreat. One aspect that was wonderful were the nightly campfire gatherings and hearing from retreat participants after being in silence all day. The silence was very important and it was great to connect with others over a fire in the evenings."

    "I have a strong desire to connect with nature in a way that manifests inner healing and mind body connection, especially in regards to healing the trauma my body has gone through in relation to having an autoimmune disease and being on immunosuppresants for more than 10 years."

    "Off-Grid Retreats truly blows my mind. What an INCREDIBLE mission and vision to be bringing to the world. During the Healing with Nature Retreat I attended not a single participant wanted for anything - every detail we could dream of had already been considered, taken care of, and wrapped up with a pretty little bow."

    "Without Off-Grid retreats, 11 humans would not have had the chance to experience the life-changing teachings of Rochelle Calvert or experience the incredible wisdom of the River Ridge Ranch. Serving as the kind bridge between nature and human connection, I would attend any event or retreat that contains the Off-Grid Retreats stamp on it."

    "By the time I left the retreat, I could feel my relationship with myself and the natural world shifting."

    "I felt intense moments of clarity as we explored the link between mindfulness, somatic healing, and the natural world. Before the retreat these concepts felt inaccessible to me - I understood each of the words practically and I practiced each one individually to some degree - but by the time I left I felt the meaning of each one in my bones."

    "I hope to return to this retreat every year to remind myself of what is important in life. If you feel caught in the chaos of anxiety, stress, and confusion, this is absolutely the retreat for you. From beginning to end, the Healing with Nature retreat was a life-shifting experience."

  • Kirsten Rudestam led this retreat at Shelterwood Collective. There were 18 people who participated in this mostly silent, 4 day and 3 night event. Kirsten’s instructions were heavily influenced by the Buddha’s four foundations of mindfulness along with a range of experiential nature-based practices. Through ceremony and practice, the group explored what it is to experience a deeper presence and connection with all of life.

    Participants also enjoyed seasonal vegetarian meals, OGR’s glamping & camping lodging and hiking throughout this 900+ acre active forest restoration and community hub. This event was dana based and included fully funded scholarships rates.

  • "I am a teacher and had a challenging year, both in my work and in my personal life. I'm feeling compelled to take a pause to connect with myself and the world around me. I want to feel a sense of peace I haven't felt in a while, so I can enjoy the present moment and hopefully go into the next school year with this."

    "Attending a retreat in nature offers me an opportunity to find solace through Buddhist practices. It also deepens my self-understanding and my relationship to nature, that evolves into experiencing oneness and truly interconnected and interdependent nature of all beings."

    "The meals were nutritious and very tasty. I really appreciated preparing and serving meals with love and care, and on time."

    "OGR staff was great and were very caring. As the days got hotter, they went above and beyond their responsibilities to provide much needed care for the retreat attendees. Much gratitude for all of them."

    "I'm moving in the right direction, but feel it would help me get solidly on my feet for the challenges ahead. I've held a mediation practice for three decades, but never been to an organized retreat, so I'm very much looking forward to this. I'm looking forward to the beautiful space in the forest and taking the time for this reflection, intention, and focus."

    "Thank you for offering this, it is so welcome. I want to better serve others to connect to and resource themselves and the earth during this time of great ecological change (as Kirsten said, we are "earth sitting on earth"). And I am starting with myself, over and over. I want to be happy and peaceful. I want to know liberation. I want to be free."

    "I enjoyed that it was a silent retreat. It felt less awkward in general when we didn't have to fill the silence with chit chat. I felt more connected just being in the presence of those around me in the silence."

    "I live on a collective, and to a great deal in the outdoors, and at the same time, it is always profoundly impactful to sit with intention with a group like this. The intimacy of a small group and the way Kirsten helped us deal with mosquitoes and heat as very much part of the practice along with the support of the OGR team - ice-creams included! made it a very unique event."

    "I enjoyed meditating in nature and spending more time in nature than I would in my normal life."

  • Anushka Fernandopulle led this event at Heron’s Head Park in San Francisco, CA. There were 33 people who participated in this semi silent, 2 hour event. Anushka led participants in practicing mindfulness through sitting, walking, birding and other ways of being present in nature. This event was dana based and included fully funded scholarships rates.

    • Leader & site: Off-Grid Retreats led this gathering at Shelterwood Collective

    • Amount of participants & retreat length: 14 people at this 24 hours, from noon on a Friday to noon on a Saturday

    • Program: A few of the participants provided some guided teachings outside for the group. Susie led a circle around the fire in the evening and Mark and Felicia led a guided meditation and movement practice by the river the following morning.The Off-Grid Retreats team also held an introductory circle and a brief hike.

    • Lodging & meals: OGR’s glamping and camping tents and amenities. Seasonal and vegetarian with allergy and dietary substitutions

    • Payment: This event was fully sponsored so none of the participants had to make any payment

  • "I am looking forward to leading a retreat within the beautiful natural environment and amongst a community of conscious stewards."

    "Thank you for sharing this very unique conversation: Nature Facilitation."

    • Retreat teacher & site: Kirsten Rudestam taught at the Nest in Felton, CA

    • Amount of participants & retreat length: 11 people at this 4 day and 3 night event

    • Program: Mostly silent retreat involving meditation with instructions, group and individual practice discussions and nature-based ceremony

    • Lodging & meals: OGR’s glamping and camping tents and amenities. Seasonal and vegetarian with allergy and dietary substitutions

    • Payment: Dana based with fully funded scholarships available

  • "I had these very powerful ritual-like experiences with the forest. My animal rage and wounds came out in the open."

    “Ritual and ceremony combined with present moment awareness helped me move through some stuckness."