Being in the world is messy. It’s not controlled the way things are when you’re on retreat. In these environments where everything is very controlled, we can see deeply into the subtleties of human tendencies, and let go of patterns that aren’t serving us. But it’s a different kind of deep practice to be in the throes of life, to be in the middle of chaos. When we learn how to be flexible and malleable with our real lack of control, we’re faced with uncertainty and impermanence. And we learn to live with that in a major way.
Cara Lai
Residential Retreat Teacher
Cara Lai spent most of her life trying to figure out how to be happy—or at least avoid total misery—which ultimately led to her spending the majority of her adulthood meditating. She's explored the wild beauty of the human experience through many adventures in consciousness, including long retreats, chronic illness, and the profound experiences of childbirth and motherhood.
Cara once worked as an artist, wilderness guide, social worker and psychotherapist, but traded it in for an all-out mindfulness rampage. She’s a working mom whose teaching is relatable, authentic, funny, sometimes crass, and accessible for many people. She teaches teens and adults at Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, and Ten Percent Happier—ultimately hoping to get woke enough to bend spoons with her mind in front of large audiences. And to help everyone get totally free.
Cara Lai's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land | Hybrid
April 1 - April 8, 2025 | Tuesday - Tuesday | 7 nights
Steadying the Heart: Refuge through the Four Sublime States
Registration Open. The Buddhist path cultivates four transformative qualities that can be developed into steadfast dwelling places for the heart: kindness, compassion, joy, and balance. Known as the brahmavihāras, these states can be powerful supports for deepening concentration and insight on the contemplative path and responding to suffering. Throughout this retreat, we will explore techniques to develop each of these states, and release the obstacles that hinder us from living a full life and responding meaningfully to the needs of our world.
Retreat | Online Non-Residential | Hybrid
April 1 - April 8, 2025 | Tuesday - Tuesday
Steadying the Heart: Refuge through the Four Sublime States
Registration Open. The Buddhist path cultivates four transformative qualities that can be developed into steadfast dwelling places for the heart: kindness, compassion, joy, and balance. Known as the brahmavihāras, these states can be powerful supports for deepening concentration and insight on the contemplative path and responding to suffering. Throughout this retreat, we will explore techniques to develop each of these states, and release the obstacles that hinder us from living a full life and responding meaningfully to the needs of our world.
Family | On-Land
July 30 - August 3, 2025 | Wednesday - Sunday | 4 nights
The Family Retreat
Applications Open February 19, 2025. Find joy in a retreat for the whole family and take time together to rest, reconnect, play, and enjoy! This four-night residential retreat for adults and children ages 7-15 years old will combine meditation and Dharma teachings, games, arts and crafts, nature time, and more. Kids and teens will have organized time each day to be with peers, fully supervised by our mindful leaders, and adults will also have time to practice, relax, and receive Dharma from the teachers.
Retreat | On-Land
August 5 - August 10, 2025 | Tuesday - Sunday | 5 nights
Young Adult Retreat
Open to: Young Adults ages 18-32 years.
Registration Opens - February 19. Join a kind community to practice mindfulness and compassion. Give yourself a break from overstimulation and come home to the simple experience of being alive. In mindfulness meditation, we practice resting, looking deeply, knowing moment-by-moment what it’s like to be human. Some of us are hesitant to look because we’re concerned what we’ll find. But our practice shows us that the more deeply we look into experience, the more reason we have to love.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Cara Lai through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.