Meditation is bringing the mind home.
~ Sogyal Rinpoche
Mindfulness and Contemplative Retreats
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Myndtree’s retreats offer a dedicated time away from the pace of daily life, creating space to explore mindfulness and contemplative practice in community. Held in serene settings, these retreats support reflection, insight, and meaningful engagement with timeless teachings through meditation, inquiry, and shared presence.
Retreat themes vary across the years and may draw from contemplative traditions such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Brahmavihārās, or seasonal practices of letting go and renewal. While the sources may be traditional, the approach is secular, inclusive, and accessible, welcoming participants from all backgrounds and levels of experience.
Participants often describe arriving with few expectations and discovering a welcoming, safe environment where contemplative teachings are made accessible and personally meaningful. Many also value the sense of shared experience that emerges, finding that the support and insights gained during retreat continue to inform daily life well beyond the retreat itself.
Reflections from a Myndtree Retreat [3:12]. Video by Bann Roy
Upcoming Retreat
Living Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, August 7 ~ 9, 2026
One whose Self is united sees the Self as abiding in all beings and all beings as abiding in the Self.
~ Bhagavad Gita, VI.29
The Bhagavad Gītā (The Song of the Divine) has been a living source of wisdom for seekers across millenia, offering guidance not as philosophy alone, but as a direct invitation into clarity, steadiness, and inner freedom. This retreat draws upon Ramana Maharshi’s Gīta Sāram, his distilled selection of verses that point unambiguously to the heart of the Gita’s teaching.
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Open for Registration
Tending the Garden of Your Heart, September 5 ~ 7, 2025
Explore Loving-Kindness, Joy, Compassion, and Equanimity at this two-day restorative meditation retreat at Mount Madonna Retreat Center overlooking Monterey Bay, CA. Through guided meditations, wisdom teachings, and quiet contemplation, we’ll cultivate these heart qualities and learn how to bring them into our daily lives. Led by Gayathri Narayanan, this retreat creates a space to reconnect with our inner capacity for wisdom, care, and balance.
Open for Registration
Healing Hearts ~ Metta as Medicine for Our Times ~ Nov 7 - 9, 2025
Loving-kindness is the fuel for resilience in a difficult world. It allows us to meet whatever is happening with a heart that remains open. ~ Sharon Salzberg
Join us for an online weekend retreat exploring the ancient practice of Metta (Loving-Kindness). From the comfort of our homes, we'll create a sacred virtual space on Zoom, and dive into the teachings and practices of Metta, enjoy gentle yoga and connect deeply with one another in a supportive, heart-centered community. Led by Tina Clay and Gayathri Narayanan, this retreat will expand our heart’s capacity to embrace life with balance, compassion and ease.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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1. What types of meditation retreats does Myndtree offer in the Bay Area? Myndtree offers meditation retreats in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, hosted at Mount Madonna Retreat Center in Watsonville and Urban Ashram in Los Altos Hills. Retreats range from single-day to multi-day immersions and include guided meditation, dharma talks, gentle yoga, and nature-based practices such as forest bathing. Programs draw from Buddhist and Advaita Vedanta contemplative traditions and welcome both beginners and experienced practitioners seeking inner calm, clarity, and emotional balance.
2. Do I need meditation experience to attend a Myndtree retreat? No meditation experience is required. Myndtree retreats welcome both newcomers and seasoned practitioners. Each retreat offers clear guidance, supportive instruction, and a compassionate learning environment. Led by Gayathri Narayanan, a certified mindfulness meditation teacher, retreats are designed to be accessible whether you are new to mindfulness or deepening an existing practice.
3. Are Myndtree meditation retreats religious or secular? Myndtree meditation retreats are secular and inclusive, while drawing wisdom from Buddhist and Advaita Vedanta contemplative traditions. Teachings focus on universal practices such as mindfulness, compassion, and self-awareness that support well-being across cultures and belief systems. No religious affiliation is required or assumed. Retreats present ancient wisdom as practical, experiential tools in ways that respect diverse spiritual perspectives.
4. What are the benefits of attending a Myndtree meditation retreat? Attending a Myndtree meditation retreat offers dedicated time away from daily demands to pause, reflect, and nurture your well-being. Commonly reported benefits include reduced stress and anxiety, increased clarity and emotional balance, deeper self-awareness, and a renewed sense of purpose. While these are not silent retreats in the strict sense, periods of noble silence are encouraged to support inward reflection and allow participants to turn their attention inward. The combination of structured meditation practice, wisdom teachings, supportive community, and serene natural settings creates conditions for rest and renewal that often extend beyond the retreat itself.
5. Who leads Myndtree meditation retreats? Myndtree meditation retreats are led by Gayathri Narayanan, founder of Myndtree and a certified mindfulness meditation teacher. Her teaching is informed by years of study in Buddhist and Advaita Vedanta traditions. Participants value her clear guidance and her ability to create supportive, welcoming spaces for inner exploration and meaningful connection.
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The day long retreat in Los Altos Hills to set intentions was more valuable than I expected. The setting was beautiful and Gayathri did an excellent job of planning and presenting the various concepts and activities. I came away with valuable insights and a clear sense of my intentions for 2025. I would recommend such a retreat without reservation.
Anne G.
It was a wonderful retreat and for me (and dare I say, all the participants) a fantastic way to start the new year. It was well organized, had a flow….and….it started and finished on time!! With lots of smiling faces and grateful hearts. The thought, work and care you put in showed in your talks, meditations, the material you provided and the assignments you had us do. The setting and the delicious, wholesome lunch and snacks added beautifully to the experience. I came away feeling happy, content and renewed. It was a time to go inwards and go inwards I did, coming out richly rewarded. Thank you!
Meenakshi H.
Gayathri has the rare uncanny ability to make people feel comfortable, and comforted. Her cheerful, gentle, compassionate presence, belies her immense knowledge and experience. It isn't surprising that everyone who meets her, even in her teacher avatar, wishes so much to befriend her for life! It is her intellect that sparkles through in the material put together for the thought generating process- it never feels heavy or oppressive and sets forth a process of contemplation that is healing.
Jaya C.
Gayathri's Mindful Beginnings Retreat at the peaceful Urban Ashram was a wonderful way to start the New Year. It helped me reflect on the past year, and helped me to focus on my vision for the coming year. With her loving heart and wisdom, Gayathri led a beautiful retreat. It was a retreat that I continue to reflect back on and am so grateful to have had this wonderful opportunity to start the year mindfully and with intention.