Earlier this year I had to cancel a retreat after reserving a nice venue, catering, and the rest. I’ve done in-person retreats many times and they are special. But this year things are different, and I like how it made me think outside the box.
Now, I offer virtual retreats both for individuals and for groups. We tested out a virtual retreat last weekend for 18 members of Inquiry Circle and it was amazing. I literally did 24 hours of inquiry in three days. And the participants joined in for as many of the sessions as they had time for in their time zone.
The best thing about using Zoom for this virtual retreat was that we could easily meet as a group or pair up in the breakout rooms to do The Work. This mirrored exactly what we do in the in-person retreats. I also allowed for people to do written work instead of partner work if they preferred.
Because it was on Zoom, the retreat was much more accessible for everyone: no travel expenses at all so the overall price could be much more affordable. It turned out to be just $100 per day, cheaper than a one-hour session with me.
Finally, the content was the same as for an in-person retreat. We each dove into our own work, worked at our own pace, and had the same kind of deep inquiry as with an in-person retreat. We regularly brought up questions and shared experiences. And we got to know each other better with each hour that we spent together.
I watched many participants who were able to participate fully even in a busy household with family around. For others who needed to get away, I suggested that they rent a nice room somewhere to be away from family for the retreat.
If you want to participate in these virtual retreats regularly, join us in Inquiry Circle. These are quarterly retreats just for Inquiry Circle, my ongoing practice group for The Work. The next step to join Inquiry Circle is to take The Work 101 starting in January.
I also occasionally offer virtual retreats for people who are not members of Inquiry Circle. Right now there are a few people interested in doing a virtual retreat, if you think you might be interested in joining us, let me know.
Have a great week,
Todd
“We’re all children, even the wisest of us. We’re all five-year-olds, just learning how to do this thing called life.” Byron Katie, A Thousand Names for Joy
Further reading: Virtual Retreats
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