About us
Connect more deeply to yourself, to the environment and to your community!
We are Off-Grid Retreats - a California nonprofit dedicated to providing camping and other close-to-nature (and comfortable!) mindfulness retreats and experiences. Think of us as a nomadic retreat center. We've partnered with several land stewards around the Bay Area; sites are typically a 3 hour drive from San Francisco. We are proud of our scholarship fund along with our sliding scale prices related to our lodging: Large Glamping Bell Tent, Medium Glamping Tent or BYOTent / Van.
We offer retreats on beautifully rustic and intentional pieces of land depending on whatever season is best suited for camping in the area. We also collaborate with loads of local and certified teachers (i.e. meditation, mindfulness, yoga, etc) to lead our events.
No mindfulness or meditation experience is required to participate in our retreats - Just come with a willingness to learn and to respect and connect to the natural world and communities around you.
Our event and retreat programs vary based on the teacher(s) we're collaborating with. So far we've offered these two types of retreats for 4 days and 3 nights: mindfulness nature-based retreats and traditional silent retreats (but in nature). We always offer a free informational Zoom so those who are interested can learn more about the upcoming retreat's specific program and teacher along with meeting other people who are interested in attending. We are beginning to offer shorter in person events as well in various neighborhood parks in San Francisco. Some of these on the horizon incorporate mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful birding, guided meditation and so on.
For more information and/or to ask any questions, feel free to contact us here and/or visit our website offgridretreats.org.
Upcoming events
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Shifting Our Sense of Being & Standing Firm with Earth
Shelterwood Collective, 23500 King Ridge Rd, Cazadero, CA, USLed by Ayya Santacitta, this retreat explores recognizing and remembering ourselves as part of a living, intelligent Earth. Uncover a sense of reverence for the Web of Life that opens us to the sacred, self-regenerative capacity of the biosphere we belong to. Co-create a safe container that explores different ways of engaging with our being, supporting us to realize a deeper sense of community. Practices offered include Dharma reflections, guided meditations, chanting, sharing and exploratory circles. Practitioners of all levels are welcome; no prior meditation experience is needed. This retreat is also dana (AKA donation) based so our fees are only set to cover the cost of vegetarian meals and lodging (indoor, glamping, camping and BYOTent).
Santacitta Bhikkhuni Theri was born in Austria and did her graduate studies in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on dance, theatre and ritual. In 1988 she met Ajahn Buddhadasa in southern Thailand, who sparked her interest in Buddhist monastic life. She trained as a nun in England and Asia from 1993 until 2009, primarily in the lineage of Ajahn Chah and has also received teachings in the Shechen lineage of Tibetan Buddhism since 2002. Santacitta Bhikkhuni co-founded Aloka Vihara in 2009 and received Bhikkhuni Ordination in 2011. She is committed to Gaia as a living being and resides as senior weaver at Aloka Earth Room, currently located in San Rafael, CA.
Off-Grid Retreats is a nonprofit headquartered in San Francisco with the mission of connecting people to nature through a contemplative lens. We support certified teachers to bring their offerings outside so more people can access guided mindfulness / meditation / movement / etc in nature. We offer scholarships and providing sliding scale tickets to our retreats. We also coordinate a nature practice fellowship, rentals and overnights for other nonprofits.
For more info, please go to offgridretreats.org/events/sept2026shifting
1 attendeeWhen Awareness Becomes Natural with Dave Smith
Shelterwood Collective, 23500 King Ridge Rd, Cazadero, CA, USThis nature-based retreat will explore the Four Foundations of Mindfulness with an emphasis on understanding “how to practice” as taught by Sayadaw U Tejaniya. Through the development of a sustained and kind awareness we come to meet ourselves and the world with presence, ease and wisdom. Embrace guided practice sessions, dharma talks, meetings with the teacher and time to explore trails and creeks. The retreat is suitable for beginners as well as experienced meditators. This retreat is also dana (AKA donation) based so our fees are only set to cover the cost of vegetarian meals and lodging (indoor, glamping, camping and BYOTent).
For nearly 30 years, Dave has held a practice rooted in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition. He was empowered to teach through the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. And he is a certified teacher for Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB), which is combines contemporary emotion based scientific research with contemplative practices and psychology drawn from Buddhism. He also studied Buddhist psychology at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS).
Off-Grid Retreats is a nonprofit headquartered in San Francisco with the mission of connecting people to nature through a contemplative lens. We support certified teachers to bring their offerings outside so more people can access guided mindfulness / meditation / movement / etc in nature. We offer scholarships and providing sliding scale tickets to our retreats. We also coordinate a nature practice fellowship, rentals and overnights for other nonprofits.
For more info, please go to offgridretreats.org/events/sept2026when
1 attendee
Past events
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