Retreat Program Overview

We’re joyful to co-present Meeting this Political Moment with a Rich Spiritual Life - A Calm Abiding (Shamatha) Meditation Retreat in Nature with Saraswati Pottekkatt. This retreat will be held outdoors as much as possible (weather permitting) at Shelterwood Collective (Cazadero, CA).

This retreat is an offering for folks who want to meet the current political & ecological moment grounded in our connection to the earth, support from our well ancestors & transcestors, and love for the spirit world. With a Tibetan Buddhism emphasis, we will engage in ritual with the earth and nature, dialogue with the seen and unseen world, and ask the spirit worlds for the medicines we need. On this sacred land, we will take refuge in our own true liberated nature, connecting to the magic that lives within us. Depending on what the earth asks of us, Saraswati may also offer some very gentle movement practices.

There are more details about Saraswati’s education & training along with the site (Shelterwood Collective) further down.

No previous meditation experience is required to participate in this retreat. Practitioners from any and all genders, orientations, backgrounds and professions are welcome.

The retreat will be held mostly in Noble Silence. Participants will have a chance to speak with each other and the teacher during the specific sessions. And participants will also sign up for a work meditation AKA yogi job - these vary from food prep, to table clean up and so forth. This is our opportunity to both integrate our practice and to serve the community – our Sangha.

There are a variety of sliding scale lodging options - more on that below. And starting with dinner on the 1st, we’ll be serving 3 vegetarian meals / day along with access to snacks, tea and coffee throughout each day.

During this spring retreat, the weather and temperatures can vary. Thus, we’ll provide participants with a packing list for your comfort and safety.

Retreat Site & Lodging

This retreat will reside at Shelterwood Collective, a Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ-led community forest and retreat center. Comprised of 900+ acres, Shelterwood Collective is nestled above the Russian River in Sonoma County, CA, on Unceded Kashaya and Southern Pomo territory.

There is a loop trail that starts / ends at camp. This trail is 3 miles on gravel and takes about 1.5 hours. There is another hike up to a natural clearing that looks out on neighboring ridgetops and a couple that meader along the creek. All of the hikes all require decent mobility. For more accessible paths, individuals are able to walk around camp and/or along the winding path for cars.

Glamping tents along with individuals who choose to bring their own tent will reside in the meadow, a quick walk (less than 30 seconds) from the Redwood Lodge. This lodge has a fireplace in the common area along with individual heaters in each bedroom. This is where the kitchen is as well. Depending on the weather, the dining area may be inside by the fireplace or just outside on the adjacent deck. The lodge also has hot showers and 2 ADA accessible bathrooms with flushing toilets. There are a few bedrooms in this lodge and in other smaller cabins that surround the meadow.

There is a spacious meditation hall near the meadow and Redwood Lodge (again less than 30 seconds from between each site). Depending on the weather and time of day, practice may be held here. There are large sliding glass doors that connect the space to the outdoors.

Our sliding scale lodging options are listed below along with a slideshow of images. For precise pricing and other lodging details, please see our registration page HERE (link available in July 2025).

• Private fully furnished tiny cabins with bed

• Single bedrooms in fully furnished shared cabins

• Shared double bedrooms in fully furnished shared cabins

• Large glamping 13 ft bell tents (with a wooden bed frame, supportive foam mattress and duvet)

• Shared LG glamping bell tents (for 2 individuals who already know each other and request this)

• Medium glamping 10 x 10 ft tents (with a cot, pad and sleeping bag)

• BYOTents or Vans

Retreat Cost & Policies

This retreat is offered on the basis of dana, the Pali word for generosity. This tradition of ‘Dana,’ or mutual giving, has supported Buddhist cultures for 2500 years. In Asia, the monks and nuns offer the teaching and the lay people support the monastery and fill the monks’ begging bowls each morning as they walk through the village on alms rounds. It is a beautiful exchange in which the hearts of both giver and receiver are opened in joy and gratitude.

Our retreat tickets just cover the basic costs of putting on the retreat: food, cook, site fee, administration costs, and other incidental expenses. It does not include compensation for Saraswati (time spent planning & teaching) or for Off-Grid Retreats (time spent organizing). On the final retreat day, you will be invited to share dana (AKA to donate) to the Retreat Teacher and to Off-Grid Retreats.

We offer the retreat fees on a sliding scale (based on the lodging you choose) to allow each participant to pay for what is most appropriate for themselves. We also provide a scholarship option for those who are unable to pay our lowest sliding scale fee. To see our pricing and/or to register, please click HERE (link available in May 2025).

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel your reservation more than 30 days before the retreat start date, you must cover the processing fee of ~5%. Then, the remaining amount paid will be refunded to you. If you cancel less than 30 days before the retreat start date or leave the retreat early no refund will be provided.

COVID Policy: Off-Grid Retreats takes COVID precautions seriously and will adhere to any state mandated requirements. Currently, Off-Grid Retreats does not require any COVID test(s) or vaccination(s) to attend this nature retreat. But we reserve the right to change requirements, if the state's mandated requirements change. We also kindly ask people to stay home if they feel sick the day before and/or the day of this retreat. Please note, we are not able to refund you for a last minute cancellation due to COVID or any other illness.

Retreat Teacher

Saraswati Pottekkatt is a certified shamatha & mindfulness meditation teacher and an Ayurveda (Indian medicine) & Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan medicine) counselor. They are certified in Nonviolent Communication (NVC), and have a certificate in Climate Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Saraswati lives on unceded Ohlone land (East Bay California), and practices earth meditation as a path to personal and collective liberation.

Saraswati received a Woman Leader in Buddhism grant from the Frederick Lenz foundation, is Commons Fellow @ the Western States Centre exploring the role of faith leaders in responding to this global political moment, and a Sacred Writes fellow at Northeastern University training in how to communicate classical religion in a contemporary way.

If you're interested in joining a group zoom with Saraswati to experience their teaching and/or to ask retreat related questions, please email our Program Manager Asha (asha@offgridretreats.org).