On Intersection of Now & Then: Making Sense of Times, Places & Transitions

Cultures teach us how to notice and mark transitions in time, such as when one season turns to the next or when one stage of life flows into another. Some psychologists believe that our very sense of who we are is the story we tell ourselves about where we’ve been, where we are, and where we imagine we are going. Our story is framed by time and place and the meanings we find in their intersections.

Transitions of moving from one place to another, whether by choice, obligation or for survival, are less subtle and less inevitable than those of time. How did I get here? Where am I going? Can I go back? Moreover, our memories and dreams are marked by the intersection of particular places at particular times in our lives.

This retreat invites you to join a conversation about the times, places, and transitions in your life and Life. The heart of our gathering beats from the stories and reflections that we share around our table — and when we sometimes share with just one other or a few others at different times, drawing upon a variety of forms of exploring questions that are at the same time uniquely personal and perhaps also universal.

We meet in a unique space—a modest Zen Buddhist center in a dramatic high desert setting (elevation 6500 ft./2000 m.) in northern New Mexico. At our doorstep are natural hot springs that reveal a geological history that shaped this land. We meet at a place that, for a thousand years, has been home to the original people who lived here, and whose community today is just a few minutes down the road.

On December 12th, Our Lady of Guadalupe Day, we will be guests of our good friend, renowned pottery artist Emma Yepa at Jemez Pueblo. We will enjoy a traditional meal and pottery-making demonstration and then watch the dances that continue throughout the day.

In the words of participants who have attended our previous retreats:

“I begin to breathe easier when I remember retreats at the Bodhi with Jack and Tatyana. I awake to put my feet down on thermal heated wooden floors and head out for walking meditation under the stars, then take a soak in the natural hot spring as the sun rises and soft mist floats above the water. Silent breakfast - and centering conversations with Tatyana and Jack - on to unforgettable Pueblo experiences. Ahhhhhhh!” (Jean Mavrelis)

"A deep dive into the most essential aspects of our life experience: Culture, Identity, Place, Home, and along with those comes family, relationships, traditions, transitions, and who tells the story. And those were the areas we played in within the retreat - equally valuable was the visit to the nearby Jemez Pueblo as invited guests at the Feast Day. This retreat is not for those who are unwilling to challenge their established ways of thinking and being, their understanding of US and world history, or the source of their own emotions. Being in the serene and clean environment of the Bodhi Center and natural hot springs in the high desert of New Mexico gave us just the right atmosphere of openness, mindfulness and community, not to mention star-filled skies, dramatic geology and meaningful local festivals." (Sue Shinomiya)

After you learn about logistical details, make sure to check out the retreat outline and our super special offer.

Fees and Discounts:

The amount you pay depends on when you register and whether you are eligible for any or all of the three discounts listed below. Please pay attention to registration categories and descriptions.

PLEASE NOTE: You will pay 7.19 % sales tax, and we will absorb 3.7% + $1.79 of the service fees and 2.9% of the processing fees. If you prefer to pay by check, please choose that option during the registration, and instructions will be forwarded to you.

Feel free to if you have any questions.

• Retreat Course Fee: $ 1200
• Early bird special (ends on November 17, 2025): $ 995.00
• Regular registration (up to December 10, 2025): $ 1200

• SIETAR members or SIIC alums discount: $ 25
• Returning participant discount: $ 25
• Partners’ discount (for two or more people registering together): $ 25 per person

(Partners’ discount applies to couples, friends, colleagues, etc.)

Refund Policy:
Refunds can be requested up to one week before the event (the last day is Wednesday, December 3rd).

You need to if you need to cancel your participation.

PLEASE NOTE: the nonrefundable deposit of $ 150 plus fees will be subtracted from the total amount.

Transportation

The Bodhi Manda Zen Center is about 90 minutes from the Albuquerque airport and roughly two hours from the Santa Fe airport. Since it gets dark early in December and winter weather can be unpredictable, we recommend traveling on Tuesday, December 9th, and staying at an airport hotel overnight before heading to Jemez Springs. We strongly suggest traveling to Albuquerque. We assist participants who rent cars and those who prefer not to by coordinating carpooling from the airport.

Lodging expenses (to be paid directly to the Bodhi Manda Zen Center DURING the retreat)

Lodging, meals (Wednesday dinner - Sunday lunch), and use of various Bodhi Center spaces, including hot springs and meditation halls.

• Double or triple occupancy $700 ($ 175 per night)
• Private rooms (a very limited availability) $ 740 ($ 180 per night)

The retreat coordinator will make ALL arrangements for your logistics at the Bodhi after you register for the retreat.

If desired, you can arrange a more extended stay directly with the Bodhi Center for an additional fee.

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Some people prefer not knowing what’s next, while others appreciate a step-by-step description of what to expect. This outline is created to meet in the middle of different learning preferences. Our retreat includes invitations to rare opportunities in this place and time as a way to explore various layers of cultures and identities. It also incorporates deep learning built on the emerging design principle driven by group composition. We have had participants coming more than once and having completely new experiences.

This retreat is the same and different every year. It is the same in its main components described below and distinct in what and how we are doing to facilitate the process. Our approach is spontaneous and driven by what emerges. Some of our participants come multiple times and always have a fresh and unique experience.

Participants engage in large group discussions, small group activities, and individual reflections. Retreat facilitators emphasize a balanced approach to learning through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic techniques. Experiential learning is significantly strengthened by our experiences in this environment and how we bring those into our conversations.

Driven by the composition of the group, both personal and professional. Cultural Identity (previous groups discussed race, ethnicity, gender, generation, national, multicultural, LGBTQ, and other identities). The sense of Place (previous groups discussed transitions and adjustments, belonging, intersections of place and identity, what we feel is "home.") Transitions (previous groups discussed relocations, changes, and losses, adjustments related to the pandemic, new technologies, societal tensions, etc.). Cultural Exploration (previous groups discussed insider/outsider experiences, dominant/non-dominant cultures, the role of history in current events, and more.)

Bodhi Manda Zen Center provides a gentle container that supports and enriches our experience. Participants are welcome to partake in early morning meditations or meditate at a different time on their own in the beautiful Sutra Hall. We encourage participants to minimize their use of smartphones and other destructive devices and engage fully with a unique collection of human realities that each group brings together to create its own collage defined by coordinates of culture – place and time, here and now, there and then.

Privileged to be here on December 12, a Pueblo Feast Day, we are invited to the family home of a friend, an award-winning potter, Emma Yepa, who will welcome us with a traditional Feast Day meal and also show us how she makes her pottery in this famous pottery village, from the digging the clay to the shaping of the pots -- no wheel is used -- and then the firing: the whole process. At Jemez Pueblo, no pictures or videos are allowed during our visit. We must be fully present, respectful guests.

Nothing is better for giving us this wonderful feeling than contributing together to support a place that becomes our home for a few days and a wonderful memory forever. Every year, we engage in our “community service” at the Bodhi, giving a couple of hours of our labor and creativity to do the Bodhi, whatever needs to be done. You would be surprised how much joy you can get out of raking leaves or sorting grapes to be dried for raisins when it is done with a group of intelligent - and funny - people under the blue skies of New Mexico.

Don’t forget to bring some money for unique gifts. You will have several opportunities to do holiday shopping and surprise your friends and loved ones with original local art and jewelry pieces.

Super Special Offer:

Jack Condon’s recently published book, It Goes Without Saying: Culture as Communication, will be available for purchace during the retreat. If you already have a copy, don't forget to bring it. Jack will be signing books for all!

The book has received high praise by the Chair of the Department of Anthropology at Harvard University, Matthew Liebmann, and by linguist and bestselling author, Deborah Tannen (You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation), who calls Jack’s book, “a treasure trove for anyone interested in cross-cultural communication.”

Also check out other Arts events in Jemez Springs, Entertainment events in Jemez Springs, Theatre events in Jemez Springs.