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Last Chance iconLast Chance
Top Rated iconTop Rated

Re-Vision: Sonoma County Writers Camp

Date
September 23 - 27, 2026

About this Retreat

Details of this retreat

We welcome back renowned authors Elizabeth Stark and Ellen Sussman for another  fabulous Sonoma County Writers Camp! Plus Special Guest Author Faith Adiele!
Draft Two to Submission-ready!
So you’ve got pages. Pages and pages. Now what?This camp will show you how to let the story teach you its secrets. We will begin by assessing what you’ve got–what’s evolved on the page. By discerning what your story wants to be, you will be able to build on what you’ve achieved. We will take you through the steps of reimagining the whole from inside. Finally, you’ll master honing the craft, securing the structure, and polishing it until it gleams. Dive deep and take your work from here to done… ready to take the world by storm!

Bonus Add-On
September 27-30, 2027
$1350, open ONLY to Camp Participants

Follow up your camp immersion with three days of writing retreat with Ellen, Elizabeth, seven other writers and YOU. Build on the inspiration you've gained, maintain the focus, and keep writing. Ellen and Elizabeth will be writing, too, with early morning meditative "writing from where you dream," ongoing cafe writing sessions in the later mornings and afternoons, shared meals and walks, and low-key, high positivity evenings of sharing work, chatting about books.

 
SCWC is proud to welcome Faith Adiele as their guest author.


FAITH ADIELE is a memoirist, essayist, and travel writer. She is author of Meeting Faith, an award-winning memoir about becoming Thailand’s first Black Buddhist nun, and four mixed-genre chapbooks exploring her Nigerian/Nordic/American identity. Her media credits include My Journey Home (a PBS documentary about finding her Nigerian father and siblings), stories for HBO-Max and the Calm app, and articles in Oprah Magazine and others. Named one of Marie Claire magazine’s “Five Women to Learn From,” Faith speaks and teaches around the world. www.adiele.com

Cancellation Policy: Guest must cancel 30 or more days prior to the camp to receive credit for the next SCWC program at Ratna Ling. If canceled in less than 30 days prior, payments are nonrefundable and no credit is offered.


SCHEDULE (Subject to Change):
Wednesday:

3pm  Check-in
5pm  Welcome Party
6pm  Dinner


Thursday:

6:30am Meditative Dream Writing
8am Breakfast
9am Writing Workshop
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Cafe Writing
2pm  Yoga
6pm Dinner + Ratna Ling Introduction
7:30pm Student Readings


Friday:

6:30am Meditative Dream Writing
8am Breakfast
9am  Writing workshop
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Cafe Writing
2pm  Hike with Ellen
4pm Master Class with Visiting Author
6pm Dinner
7:30pm  Student Readings


Saturday:

630am Meditative Dream Writing
8am Breakfast
9am Writing Workshop
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Cafe Writing
2pm Meditation with George
4:30pm Industry Panel
6pm Dinner
7:30pm  Student Readings


Sunday:

6:30am Meditative Dream Writing
8am Breakfast
9am Writing Workshop
12:15pm Lunch + Closing
1:30pm Checkout

For directions to Ratna Ling - Ratna Ling Retreat Center 35755 Hauser Bridge Rd Cazadero, CA 95421
Accommodations are beautiful lux cabins



ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Transportation to/from Ratna Ling is NOT included - carpooling encouraged
Payments are nonrefundable and transferable to a future Ratna Ling stay or retreat
Each cottage includes TWO private rooms with queen beds, large dining & living area, gas fireplace, spacious deck, jacuzzi tub, linens/towels/hand soap, kitchenette with tea & coffee, complimentary wireless internet. Towels and hand soap are provided.
Vegetarian meals are served during our weekend together.

 
What people are saying about our retreats:



 "Ratna Ling is beautiful, the accommodations are wonderful, very comfortable.  I love the land and the animals and the trees - and the quiet."
"I am grateful that I got to lead a retreat at a place that is so special to me. We had such an amazing group of people.  Thank you for all your support."
"I love it here and hope to continue coming for many years.  The setting and sacredness of this space are the perfect place to retreat."



"A very beautiful and relaxing place.  The cottage was really cozy.  The food was wonderful.  The staff was so nice."
“I loved having time to myself to reflect on my life and where I am going. Thank you Ratna Ling."
“Being able to move at my own pace is a luxury. And of course the food was delicious."



 

Getting Here

Location icon Ratna Ling Retreat Center

Directions

San Francisco International and Oakland International airports are approximately three hours south of Ratna Ling by car. Alaska Airlines flies to and from Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa which is approximately 1.5 hours from Ratna Ling by car. Unfortunately, there are no shuttles that bring you directly to Ratna Ling, so it is best to rent a car or email us to support in coordinating a carpool with fellow retreatants.

Accommodation

14 guest cottages on 120 acres of property. Each spacious, quiet cottage has 2 private rooms, with high ceilings and a deck with a view. Cottages include jet tubs (or ADA shower), towels, deluxe linens, refrigerator, tea kettle, coffee/tea, kitchen sink/counter, diningware, dining table, and living room with a stove fireplace. Free wifi available and a landline telephone. Guests can choose to have an exclusive cottage for ONE person; a private room for ONE person in a SHARED cottage; or a cottage for TWO people. Any additional guest after TWO is $100 per person per night. Meals and classes included.

For 1 guest in Private Room, Shared Cottage, including meals and classes

Venue & Amenities

A/C in Rooms icon A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi icon Free Wifi
Spa icon Spa
Sauna icon Sauna
Pool icon Pool
Towels icon Towels
Free Parking icon Free Parking
Kitchen icon Kitchen
Tour Assistance icon Tour Assistance
Hot Tub icon Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea icon Coffee/Tea
Cafe icon Cafe
Restaurant icon Restaurant
Fitness Center icon Fitness Center
Yoga Studio icon Yoga Studio
Housekeeping icon Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent icon Bicycles For Rent
Three miles from the beautiful Sonoma coast. Organic, vegetarian meals. 120 acres of redwoods, canyons, reservoirs, and wildlife. Sacred architecture timber cottages and communal spaces. Featured stupas, gardens, and temple empowered by Tibetan Buddhist Lama Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche.

Meals

Menu Types

All of our meals are organic and vegetarian, made with love and care. We provide homemade yogurt and granola for breakfast. Lunches and dinners always include salads or salad bar. Each meal is self-served on a buffet table.

Customer Reviews

4.95 out of 5.0 average rating

5.0
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Amazing experience
I attended Ratna Ling’s “A Weekend of Self-Care” retreat over Labor Day weekend, and it was truly one of the best things I have ever done for myself. From the moment I arrived, the peaceful natural surroundings made it feel possible to slow down, breathe, and step away from the responsibilities and noise of everyday life.

The retreat offered a beautiful balance of guided classes, quiet reflection, meaningful connection with other women, and time to simply be alone. Rosalyn White and Erica Martzen created a warm, welcoming environment where I felt comfortable participating if I wanted to, there was never any pressure. Nothing felt forced or overwhelming. The cottages were a comfortable peaceful place to rest. The food was gluten free and vegan. This isn’t my usual diet but I tried many new things and I was all very good. Prepared right there on the property fresh everyday.

What made the weekend so meaningful was having the space to reconnect with myself and find a sense of peace within. I left feeling lighter, more grounded, and reminded that caring for myself is not selfish but necessary.

If you are a woman who spends most of her time caring for everyone else, feels emotionally drained, or simply needs space to reset, I wholeheartedly recommend this retreat. You do not need to have experience with yoga, meditation, or retreats… I had zero experience with any of it and felt totally welcomed. Ratna Ling is a very special place, and I hope to return.

5.0
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Wonderful connection and reset!
Ratna Ling is a very special place filled with warmth and beauty. Expect to find inspiration, connection, and new ways of living in your daily life. Erica and Rosalyn were wonderful teachers, the food was amazing, and I will always remember my time here. Highly recommend!

5.0
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Ratna Ling Shines Like A Jewel
It was a joy to lead a retreat with Erica M. this past weekend. The exquisite facilities are beautifully designed and well-maintained. The gardens and natural landscape surrounding it are lovely and peaceful. The food was wonderful, fresh, and healthy. The staff was helpful and friendly and showed a connection to the spiritual tradition on which Ratna Ling is based.

The people attending the retreat were a very nice mix. Some came from as far away as South Carolina, while most were from the Bay Area. They were professionals, from a nurse to a tech industry worker to a retired Wall Street stockbroker. Many were there for the first time., but there was a quick bond that formed, based on an openness to caring and kindness. Many people shared their contact info to stay connected with each other.

Thank you, Ratna Ling, for providing the space to allow this amazing connection to take place.

4.0
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Time away but still present
As was my time last year, overall a very pleasant experience. The cabin is lovely and very comfortable. The food was very good for me. I most appreciated the special little meals that were brought to me because of my not being able to tolerate onions and garlic. The room for yoga was perfect, as was David's yoga. David is the best and he made my yoga and meditation experiences really special. Meditation in the temple was an experience I will carry with me for a long time. I don't want to say anything negative, but I think you should be aware that the shower valve in Cabin 17 is really faulty and getting scalded by hot water is a real possibility. It is impossible to adjust the water to STAY at a comfortable level for any length of time before it reverts to scalding or cold. There is a provision in California law regarding water temperature setting for facilities used by individuals who have no control over water temperature i.e. apartment buildings, rentals etc. and the temperature setting is much lower than what the setting is for your cabins. The regulation valve should be repaired and the water temperature turned down. The salad on our first meal on Friday was not fresh and was wilted and had spoiled leaves throughout. Otherwise, the food was great. I hope next year we are back in the cabins that are closer to the main lodge, as we had to drive to the lodge each day, because the walk would have been too much for me in addition to yoga.
I love coming to Ratna Ling and will continue as long as I can. ☮️ ❤️ Angi Shine

5.0
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Living with Ease
Wonderful experience.

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