Ecodharma Retreat for Resilience and Disaster Planners – Loving Each Other and the Earth by Building Beloved Community
Leaders
-
Kritee KankoCo-LeaderKritee (dharma name Kanko) is a Climate Scientist, Buddhist Zen priest, Educator & Founding Spiritual teacher of Boundless in Motion. She is an ordained teacher in the Rinzai Zen lineage of Cold Mountain and a co-founder of Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center. She has served as faculty for courses or retreats at the intersection of climate crisis, racial justice, trauma healing and spirituality for many organizations including One Earth Sangha, Al Gore’s Climate Reality, Stanford University, World Council of Churches, San Francisco Zen Center, Mind & Life Institute and Lama Foundation. She has served as a leading scientist in the Climate Smart Agriculture program at Environmental Defense Fund for 12 years.
Kritee‘s experience is that identifying and releasing our personal and ecological grief in presence of a loving community is necessary; that helps us unlock our gifts and serve our communities. Her articles and interviews have appeared in the New York Times, BBC, Washington Post, Harvard Health, Yale Climate Connections, California Public Radio. Please see her personal website here</a.
-
Bianca AcostaCo-LeaderBianca Acosta is a trained teacher of somatic Qigong, traditional ecological design and farming practices (best known as permaculture), and Ecodharma ceremonies at the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center. She is originally from Zacatecas, Mexico and has been living in Colorado for over 17 years.
She is proud of her indigenous roots and her life’s prayer is to be an active co-creator of a more beautiful world by sharing her gifts, being in synergetic relationships with Mother Earth, the diverse communities she is part of and embracing the multi-dimensionality of their being. She currently is in her last year of Capulli, a four year immersive program in curanderismo and ancestral/traditional healing. She envisions and leads healing retreats and ceremonies for Boundless in Motion including retreats for Indigenous women and for people of color.
-
Leilani BushCo-LeaderLeilani Bush (she/her) is an evidential medium, Reiki practitioner, spiritual teacher, and wellness coach. Her life’s mission is to help herself and others heal, grow, and spiritually evolve to live their truth. Her practice (which she calls medicine) helps others identify and remove obstacles to their healing. She accomplishes this by channeling messages from spirit guides and ancestors to understand the story of one’s past, give clarity and insight into the present, and illuminate a path to the future. She studied mediumship in Stansted, England at Arthur Findlay College.
Hailing from Washington, DC, Leilani has over 25 years corporate experience in a myriad of industries including finance, healthcare, technology, and the energy sector. As a Change Manager and Project Manager, the bulk of her work focused on organizational change, process improvement, workforce planning & development as well as corporate communications. Previously, she served as the southeast regional board member for the Center for Energy Workforce Development.
-
ThanissaraAdvisorThanissara (she/her) started Buddhist practice in the Burmese school in 1975. She was inspired to ordain after meeting Ajahn Chah and spent 12 years as a Buddhist nun, where she was a founding member of Chithurst Monastery and Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK. She has facilitated meditation retreats internationally for the last 30 years and has an MA in Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Practice from Middlesex University & the Karuna Institute in the UK. She co-founded Dharmagiri Sacred Mountain Retreat in South Africa and Sacred Mountain Sangha in the U.S. She has written several books, including two poetry books. Her latest book is Time To Stand Up, An Engaged Buddhist Manifesto for Our Earth.
-
Emerson JamesAdvisorEmerson James (they/them) has spent a decade practicing homemaking in Cache Valley, Utah, and the surrounding Bear River Mountains. They are called to the particular role of spiritual practice and action to facilitate the transformation of cultures and systems of oppression. A person who has had a diversity of jobs – field ecologist, artisan cheese maker, project manager – Emerson tends to focus not on the what, but the how. For them, bringing great care and beauty to the small details, with an eye towards the whole, builds the foundations and containers for individuals, organizations, and communities to reimagine and give form to alternative systems of being. A dedicated meditator, they continue to be humbled by the journey to see themselves and the world clearly. They have a BS in Environmental Stewardship from McPherson College and an MS in English with an emphasis in Creative Nonfiction from Utah State University. Their queer, ecological, dharma, and writing interests are currently being expressed in an ongoing project exploring the liberation possible when an eco-queer lens is applied to the Jataka Tales.
EVENT DESCRIPTION
As the polycrisis, encompassing interconnected global risks such as climate disasters, deepens, participants will engage in practices to cultivate community resilience and emotional strength in preparation for future challenges. Through restorative practices, a day of solo nature immersion, and the building of relationships among local stakeholders, attendees will develop skills for spiritual and emotional healing, while fostering mutual aid and trauma-informed resilience in the face of ongoing climate-related events.
RETREAT DISCRIPTION
We must prepare for a “polycrisis,” that goes beyond the climate crisis and encompasses multiple interdependent global risks that significantly degrade humanity’s prospects. Increasing frequency and severity of climate disasters are an integral part of the deepening polycrisis and they reveal both our fragility and interdependence. This retreat is the first in a series of three designed by Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center (RMERC) to support the cultivation of community resiliency and responsiveness in states around Colorado as disasters and chaos will unfold in our communities in the decades to come. We need to be prepared for fires, floods, catastrophic winds, droughts and other more slowly unfolding stressful events not just in 2025-2030 but in 2040-2050 and beyond.
Finding deep refuge in the beauty and wisdom of the land and the dharma teachings, we will rest and replenish, tend our nervous systems, introduce spiritual and emotional resilience practices, and cultivate the capacity of the heart to hold space for grief and rage and end with community building work. After accessing groundedness and restorative nourishing connection and trust with each other and the more-than-human world, we can identify, release or accept our grief and rage.
Our programming will include a day of “Solo: Nature kinship day” where we will spend a contemplative day “alone” in the natural world, allowing ourselves to come into a deep sense of visceral connection, belonging and communion with rocks, trees, waters and all other beings on RMERC land as our relatives or kins. The retreat will allow Eco-Chaplains, therapists and other spiritual support professionals exposure to the experiences of front line climate resilience advocates, K-12 educators, mutual-aid and disaster planners. Additionally, it will offer disaster responders resources, skills and practices for spiritual and emotional healing.
By the end of this retreat, we hope to weave a web of relationships among key local/regional stakeholders who are involved in community-level climate resilience efforts that will allow for mutual aid/community care and trauma informed resilience in the face of future climate related disasters in Colorado and surrounding states.
Those who attend will be invited to participate in ongoing virtual events to support the continued cultivation of ecodharma-sangha (community) to care for each other and the Earth in the face of the polycrisis.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS RETREAT:
We will invite participants from Colorado and surrounding states who want to cultivate regional resilience and warm connections between
- K12 educators,
- grassroots activists,
- trauma informed therapists and eco-chaplains,
- climate resilience experts from regional climate/justice organizations,
- emergency response personnel (e.g., Fire department, FEMA, City/County Staff),
and - mutual aid groups who cater to vulnerable populations during and after disasters.
The overall cohort will consist of people who have an understanding of the physical, psychological and spiritual resiliency needs in the wake of climate and other disasters. To remain aligned with RMERC’s vision, we will also have at least 50% BIPOC participants. Participants with European backgrounds will be selected on the basis of their prior training in the areas of anti-racism, allyship and solidarity across race, gender, sexuality, and class. We will set up clear multicultural and multi-racial space agreements and will have conflict resolution frameworks in place. We will have online events for potential and finalized list of participants, both before and after the retreat so that people stay in a web of relationships for deeper service to our community for decades to come. (Participants may potentially participate in one or more retreats across the three years if they qualify for the future retreats that are part of this initiative.)
COST / FINANCES
- The food and rent for this retreat is fully funded by the BESS Family Foundation.
- There will be small registration fee for admin costs which can be reimbursed post-attendance for student-activists, BIPOC or other participants from other under-represented groups.
- We will invite voluntary donations (dana) at the end of this retreat to support leading teachers.
- There are travel support scholarships especially for indigenous participants who are original stewards of Colorado, if needed.
THINGS TO KNOW
The price of retreats is set as low as possible and covers only retreat center expenses. None of the fee goes to the leaders, who are solely supported by the voluntary dana offerings of yogis. In the tradition of the Buddha, the amount of the dana offering is up to each individual. We do ask that your offering be as generous as your finances allow in order to support the tireless efforts of the leaders. Please bring a check or cash. We are very grateful for your support.
Retreats with Private Registration
Please check with the organization hosting your retreat.
Retreats with Private Registration
Please check with the organizers of your retreat about the availability of scholarship funds. Note that in retreats with Private Registration, RMERC provides scholarship funds for individuals who belong to underserved communities and who are experiencing financial hardship.
Click here to apply for an RMERC Scholarship.
Scholarship awards do not guarantee acceptance into a retreat. Please register as soon as possible after receiving your award to make sure space is available.
Meals are vegetarian and may include eggs or dairy, with vegan and gluten-free options available. Usually the cook can accommodate common food allergies such as gluten or dairy, but not food preferences. Make sure to include any special allergy or health needs you have during registration.
Tea, coffee and such are available all day long, along with some simple snacks such as mixed nuts and fruit. If you want a snack between meals, or supplemental protein, you can bring a small quantity of packaged unrefrigerated food. Please do not bring anything that needs refrigeration (medicine excepted). Excessive snacks are unnecessary: if you need a boost, a little gorp or an energy bar is sufficient for most people.
Lodging at RMERC includes
- Single and double rooms
- ‘Mini-singles’, available in the shoulder seasons
- A single ‘nook’
- Glamping and camping, available in the summer and early fall
- RV spaces, available all season.
See lodging details and photos here. Available lodging options are presented during registration.
All participants must sign an RMERC Waiver and Release to participate in activities at RMERC. Click here to sign the Waiver and Release. Some leaders may require their own waiver and release.
Participants must be 18 years or older to attend a retreat at RMERC. We are not able to accommodate children.
Some of the work necessary to support the group will be handled by participants during the retreat. Yogi jobs will be organized by the retreat manager. Most participants find serving others in this way quite enjoyable, and a great opportunity for practice in action. Yogi jobs typically include meal prep, meal clean up, bathrooms, tea bar, and last-day clean up.
You will be out of contact with no internet access or cell phone service during the retreat. The nearest strong cell signal could be as far away as the plains north of Boulder, or in the town of Nederland.
Please complete all personal business before you arrive. The staff will have the ability to make and receive emergency calls or emails on your behalf, but phone and internet are only available for emergency use.
Weather in the Rocky Mountains is variable and often unpredictable. Sunny skies can quickly give way to fast-moving storms, bringing sudden rain, hail, and wind, regardless of the season. Temperatures can fluctuate dramatically between day and night, with warm midday conditions followed by cold or freezing temperatures at night. During June-September, average highs are 65-75 F and lows are 35-45 F. In May and October average highs are in the 50s and lows are below freezing. April and November are colder still.
Equipment lists vary from one retreat to the next. Download an equipment list for your retreat on the retreat listing (or contact the retreat organizer). A general equipment list is available here: PDF Version | Word Version.
Please do not bring a radio, music player, iPod, laptop, books, axe, alcohol, marijuana, or illegal drugs. Think about whether you really need a camera; is it consistent with the intentions of a retreat?
RMERC is at an elevation of 8600 feet, and most people coming from lower elevations experience some effects of altitude. If you are coming from sea level, we recommend that you arrive in the Denver area a night earlier to help acclimatize. Remember to stay hydrated, stay warm, and take it easy the first day or two at the retreat center. Be kind to yourself.
Out of consideration for others, we ask that you not use scented self-care products, oils, or fragrances. We ask that everyone exercise the utmost respect for self and others. Thank you!
See the complete infectious disease policy here.
RMERC prioritizes creating a safe and comfortable retreat environment. RMERC does not require vaccinations, testing, or masks at this time. However, individual retreat leaders may determine stricter protocols at their discretion, and RMERC may revise the infectious disease policy in response to changes in public health guidelines
We recommend wearing N95 masks during travel and self-monitoring your possible exposure before arrival. If you experience symptoms, contact the retreat leader and consider adjusting your plans. HEPA air purifiers are available in shared rooms, and mask-wearing is always welcome.
Most retreats begin at 4:00 pm on the first day of the retreat (please check the start times in the retreat details). Yogis may arrive 1 hour early but they will not have access to the lodge or bathrooms. Yogis who are camping may set up their tents at that time. Note that all tents must be on the lodge side of the stream.
Most retreats end after lunch on the last day of the retreat, and all participants must vacate the property by 2:00 pm.
RMERC is located about 45 minutes NW of Boulder, at 8941 Overland Rd., Ward, CO. If driving, please park in our main parking lot by the road and walk down to the lodge.
There is no public transportation to the center, and if you need a ride, the best option is to carpool with other yogis. RMERC provides a rideshare forum if your retreat uses RMERC-hosted registration (see details for your retreat). Otherwise, you may contact the leader of your retreat for assistance. Uber or Lyft may provide another option; please contact them to inquire.
Note: there is no cell phone service in the region around the retreat center.
Denver International Airport (DIA) is about 90 minutes from the center. Your best options for travel to the center are:
- Shuttle bus to Boulder (1 hr) and then carpool to the center; RTD public transportation ($10) departs DIA every hour, or check Green Ride Boulder.
- Uber or Lyft, either to Boulder or to the center
- Car rental
You should plan on your flight arriving no later than 1 pm to reach the retreat center on time. Return flights departing from the Denver airport should leave no earlier than 5:30 or 6 pm. Please do not plan on leaving the retreat early.
RMERC is a nonprofit organization with a mission to offer low-cost retreats to as many people as possible. At the end of your retreat, you are invited to make a tax deductible donation to RMERC, and also to join the membership program of the RMERC community if you so choose. More information is here.
RMERC does not allow pets or service animals, as moose and bears become more dangerous in their presence.
Download a Trail Map in Color or a Trail Map in Black and White.
Thunder and lightning storms are not uncommon during the summer months, and lightning is a very real hazard. Take shelter in a lightning storm, ideally in a building or in a car. If that is not possible, crouch down and maintain a low profile until the storm passes. Sound travels approximately 1 mile every 5 seconds. Count the number of seconds between a lightning strike and the sound of thunder; a 10-15 second delay indicates that lightning is several miles away, and is warning to take shelter.
Please check with REI in Boulder (303-583-9970) for rentals of tents, sleeping bags, pads, backpacks, etc. Boulder is the largest city in the area, and the best source of supplies. Nederland also has a few well-stocked stores, including grocery, outdoor shop, and library (but no pharmacy).
If you are searching for a place to camp prior to arrival or post-departure, we recommend using phone apps to search, for example,
- iOverlander, for a wide variety of options
- RV Parky, especially good for finding RV parking options
- The Dyrt, for both free and paid camping options (premium version is best)
- Recreation.gov app, for reservations at federal campgrounds (cost is very reasonable)
- Hipcamp, for lower-cost camping and lodging options
KEY POINTS
-
DATES AND TIMES:
Arrival: Monday, September 29 , 4 pm. Departure: Monday, October 6, 2 pm.
-
REQUIREMENTS:
Please review and complete the application form if you are interested to participate in this retreat.
-
PROGRAM COST:
Registration fee of $120; other costs are covered by a sponsorship from the BESS Family Foundation. See the Retreat Description for details.
-
LEADER SUPPORT:
By donation (see Things to Know)
-
PROGRAM QUESTIONS:
Contact Leilani, [email protected]
-
REGISTRATION QUESTIONS:
Contact Kathy, [email protected].
- EQUIPMENT LIST:
- CALENDAR:
