A Year-End Daylong Retreat: the Power, Beauty and Sacredness of Endings

For those who wish to reflect on the many endings of 2025, this retreat may be for you.

An ending is not only a loss, but also a new beginning. Whether this year has brought you loss or gain, joy or pain, praise or blame, we invite you not just to say “good riddance,” but to clear space, to renew your relationship with a changing world and to gently loosen what you’re holding onto. At the solstice, on the darkest day of the year, we will gather to welcome the light.

When things fall apart, our bodies and emotions often react before our minds can catch up. We tell stories about what is ending and argue with reality through our “shoulds” and “should nots.” In this daylong retreat, we will make room for our resistance, anger, and grief, and explore simple, time-tested practices for being with endings - starting with just one breath as it arises and passes away. Breath by breath, moment by moment, we can learn to meet change with more care, compassion, and ease.

This contemplation is not meant to be bleak. It is a way to refresh the heart, reconnect with a sense of spacious freedom, and deepen our capacity to be with all the myriad things.

As 2025 closes, we will honor our community, our efforts, and our aspirations. From here, we can more fully offer ourselves as a small refuge for others in difficult times.

Facilitators
This retreat will be offered by Greg Hermsmeyer and Marina Colby.

How to participate: 
Sign up, and gently notice how you are relating to endings in your life right now. Come with curiosity and a willingness to witness more in yourself.

Please bring a water bottle, a meditation shawl or other clothing for comfort, and a vegetarian dish to share.