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Winter Slowdown: A 5-day Meditation Retreat

Location icon
35755 Hauser Bridge Rd. Cazadero, CA 95421 United States
Date
December 16 - 20, 2026

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Details of this retreat

Join the Director of Ratna Ling, Linda Copenhagen and the Ratna Ling faculty, to close out your year with calmness, clarity, and compassion.
Give Yourself a Precious Gift Before the Holidays
Instead of speeding up, take this time to slow down.
This special offering from Ratna Ling is designed to help you meet the holiday season with ease, openness, and a generous heart. We hope you’ll step into the holidays feeling refreshed, peaceful, and ready to appreciate every moment.
Did you know that USA Today rated Ratna Ling number 5 among the Top 10 Meditation Centers in the country? We are honored to share this expanded retreat with you, giving you time and space to deepen your experience of meditation and reflection.
In this 5-day Meditation Retreat, we will explore how our minds and bodies form new patterns and reinforce old ones. You’ll learn tools to loosen these patterns, shifting from judgment to appreciation. Even uncomfortable feelings and situations can then become opportunities for growth and transformation.
Through mindfulness and meditation practices, you will learn to slow down, calm your mind and body, and see more clearly. As we explore our senses, feelings, and perceptions, we begin to notice how our reality is created. These practices help us become more tolerant, spontaneous, and spacious — and less attached to any single outcome.
You may find yourself discovering that there is always more than one way to meet life’s experiences — with awareness, balance, and compassion.
This weekend includes:


Reading, Reflection and Discussion
Meditation & Mindfulness Practices
Work Practice in Garden, Kitchen, etc.
Kum Nye (Tibetan Relaxation Practice)
Self-Massage Techniques
Time in Nature and Solitude

Schedule (Subject to change):
WEDNESDAY


3pm Check-in
5:30pm Dinner
7pm Opening Circle, Meditation

THURSDAY


8am Silent Breakfast
9am-11am Introduction to Meditative Awareness
12:15 - 1:15 pm Lunch
2pm - 3:30 pm Work Practice & Discussion
4pm Kum Nye
5:30pm Dinner
7pm Tibetan Bowl Meditation

FRIDAY


8am Silent Breakfast
9am-11am Meditation
12:15pm Lunch
2pm Work Practice
4pm Kum Nye
5:30pm Dinner
7pm Self-Massage

SATURDAY


8am Silent Breakfast
9am-11am Guided Meditation
12:15pm Lunch
2pm Work Practice
4pm Kum Nye
5:30pm Dinner
7pm Journaling and Reflections

SUNDAY


8am Meditation
9am Closing Circle
10am Brunch
12pm Checkout

Getting Here

Location icon Ratna Ling Retreat Center, 35755 Hauser Bridge Rd. Cazadero, CA 95421 United States

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.

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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I'm A Yoga Teacher
I absolutely LOVE teaching retreats at Ratna Ling. It's is always 100% amazing and everyone always wants to stay longer. I can't say enough wonderful things about the staff, the food, the accommodations, everything - I LOVE Ratna Ling!!!

5.0
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Life changing!
I can’t recommend Ratna Ling enough. I participated in their Thursday–Sunday meditation retreat and left feeling full, inspired, and deeply appreciative of the experience.

George and Carmín guided our practice, incorporating teachings from the Nyingma school tradition as well as Kum Nye (Tibetan yoga). In between sessions, we enjoyed home-cooked meals prepared by the staff and spent time walking the beautiful 120 acres of redwood forest.

The accommodations were comfortable and had everything needed for a retreat setting.

I came away with a renewed appreciation for meditation, Buddhism, and the generosity and kindness of everyone at the Ratna Ling Center. I’ll definitely be returning.

— MJL

5.0
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Spring break
While not directly on the sea,Ratna Ling was situated a short drive from the most beautiful ocean views. I had a wonderful time with our teacher Martin learning and breathing together. Meals were excellent. Setting was very relaxing and I felt like a new person after one weekend.

5.0
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Wonderful First Visit
We visited Ratna Ling for a weekend yoga retreat with Martin Scott. Every aspect of our visit, the yoga, the cabins, the food, the grounds, even down to the weather, was great! Already looking for an excuse to return :)

5.0
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Sanctuary in the redwoods
If you are looking to escape the relentless pace of daily life, look no further. This retreat is a true sanctuary, offering a profound sense of peace from the moment you arrive. The location is breathtaking, with the entire space beautifully nestled among towering redwoods. Staying in the wooden cabins felt like a luxury; they are incredibly comfortable and provide a cozy, grounded atmosphere that complements the natural surroundings perfectly. The vegetarian meals were absolutely delicious and deeply nourishing.
The yoga studio itself is bright, peaceful, and framed by large windows that invite the forest inside. However, it is Martin Scott's instruction that truly defines the experience. Martin is exceptionally kind, gentle, and compassionate.
He possesses a rare talent for meeting every student exactly where they are. Whether you are a total beginner or an advanced practitioner, his accessible teaching style resonates deeply. I found his alignment cues to be transformative; they helped me advance my practice significantly while providing the tools to avoid future injury and maximize the benefits of every pose. Every evening, Martin led us in Yoga Nidra which left me feeling more relaxed than I have in years.
This retreat is the ultimate getaway from a hectic life. I cannot recommend it highly enough for anyone seeking to reconnect with themselves in a stunning, supportive environment.

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