Zach here – Where religions differ, mystics all agree. This is a saying I always recall in times of great conflict and duality. It helps me remember that although it seems like everyone is on the crazy side of some ideology, my tribe, the mystics and the seekers — we are all still in alignment with the eternal truths. So much is changing, as always. Today, wars are ending, Presidents are starting, friends you never would have expected are now in politics. It’s truly a wild time to be alive and personally, I couldn’t be more excited about it.
In the heart of winter is when I like to turn off the noise a bit and go deeper internally to listen. I’m not manifesting anything, not plotting or planning or making resolutions. I just use this time to listen. I listen to the birds, the leaves, the wind, the waves, all the subtleties and the things I often can’t hear when I’m moving too much or tuned into too much of the noise.
We’re beyond excited to open up applications for our second annual gathering at ChoZen, held April 16-20, 2025. The event is open for guides, patron, practitioners, elders, community leaders, sacred site stewards and patrons. Learn more here.
With love,
Zach and Elyse
Community Spotlights
Happenings
Jan 26-Feb 2 (Mexico) Our friend Jacquelyn from Kakun is hosting seven days at a historic 16th-century hacienda nestled in Mexico. This journey of renewal and exploration invites you to reconnect with the parts of yourself waiting to be discovered. Learn more here.
Jan 28-29 (Australia): Join the sisters of Stream Entering Monastery to welcome the Lunar New Year of the Snake with traditional Vietnamese music, poetry, and ceremonies to nourish your spirit. Register here.
Feb 3-8 (Santa Fe): Join Edward Sullivan, Chip Conley, and Darby Rose for a transformative 5-day retreat, What Now? Finding Passion and Purpose After a Big Success. This experience is designed for those looking to clarify their next steps after major achievements. Register here.
February 6-9 (Austin): Our dear friend and Namuna Guide Nic Warner is hosting a men’s retreat and immersion dedicated to masculine depth and practice. Reserve your spot here.
Feb 13-Mar 12 (Online): Join Queen Afua for The Indwelling Healer, a four-week course on Nile Valley healing practices to release trauma and restore balance. Learn more here.
March 27 – March 30 (Sebastian, FL): Our beloved friends at ChoZen are hosting Modern Samurai with Sensei Zen Takai, a 4-day, 3-night retreat blending ancient samurai teachings with modern leadership. Register here.
April 8th-13th (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia):Join ORIGINS, a six-day transformative journey to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, where you'll walk ancestral paths with Indigenous wisdom keepers. Full details here.
April 16-20 (Sebastian, FL): We are hosting our second annual gathering with ChoZen for our Guides and patrons, focused on the theme of Gift Consciousness. Apply here.
May 7-15 (France): Our dear friend and Namuna Guide, Aude Barras, is leading a intimate (11-person) pilgrimage on the land where Mary Magdalene landed after her exile from the Holy Land. Sharing practices connected to the land, she will lead a trip with Academy of Oracle Arts in May. Learn more here.
June 12-16, 19-23 (Oregon) The 12th Annual Spirit Weavers Gathering will take place in 2025 at the beautiful Cedar Bloom sanctuary in Southern Oregon, with the Sun Session from June 12th-16th and the Moon Session from June 19th-23rd. Register here.
June 17-22 (Big Sur): We are collaborating with Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, where we will host a week of Zen practice with monks, multi-modal practices, and time in these beautiful hot springs. Applications opening soon.
June 7-14 (Mallorca): Our dear friends and namuna Guides, Dr. Erica Matluck and Paul Kuhn of Seven Senses are hosting GNOSIS Retreat. In a beautiful restored, 14th-century Templar monastery, they will guide you through yoga, kriya, breath work, meditation, sound therapy, energy work, ritual, gestalt constellations and more to illuminate blindspots, foster inner strength, and reveal clarity. Apply here.
Online Pilgrimage of the Rose (Fall 2024): Our dear friend and Namuna Guide Aude Barras and The Academy of Oracle Arts are offering a 3-month "online pilgrimage" program which mixes soundscapes -imaginal pilgrimage, teachings, and practices. Learn more here.
Ongoing (Los Angeles): The Philosophical Research Society hosts regular events for those seeking wisdom in the troubled time of its inception as well as those who would continue seeking practical and profound wisdom in the future. Learn more here.
Ongoing (Mill Valley): Our dear friend and advisor Tim Chang is one of the co-founders of The Portal, an urban sanctuary designed to ignite transformational growth, foster community, and embrace holistic well-being. Sign up for yoga, programming, and membership here.
