Nature’s Embrace
Buddhist Meditation and Devotional Chanting in Ojai, California
With Chandra Easton
Course Overview
Nature’s Embrace is a three‑day residential retreat inviting you to rediscover freedom by opening to your innate wisdom through Buddhist meditation, Dharma teachings, and devotional chanting (kirtan). Held in the radiant Ojai Valley beneath the Topa Topa mountains, this retreat offers a gentle, spacious container where slowing down and listening deeply reveal the spontaneous, creative essence within you.
Each day begins with a sunrise sky‑gazing meditation to cultivate spacious awareness as the foundation of practice. Mornings unfold in silence, allowing the natural world to support inner stillness. Throughout the day, we’ll explore Dharma themes, guided meditation sessions, chanting, and mindful walking beneath the oak groves. Evenings are held in song, with Chandra and special guest musicians leading devotional chanting—including selections from the 21 Taras Collective Mantra Mala Vol. 1. On the final night, we gather for a fire puja, chanting together around the fire as a consecration of intention, devotion, and the practice we carry home.
This retreat is hosted in collaboration with Synchrony Labs, created by Mikey Siegel—a transdisciplinary design studio rooted on the retreat land. Their work weaves together neuroscience, contemplative practice, and design, exploring how technologies like biosensing, immersive media, and AI can deepen emotional attunement and collective healing.
The retreat will unfold on their 45-acre site, home to The Diamond Temple, a luminous architectural space for immersive experience and ambient biofeedback.
Dates:
May 22-25 (Friday-Monday)
Arrival: Arrive between 2-5pm on Friday (enough time to set up your tent before dinner).
Departure: After lunch, break down tent around 12:30pm
Please note: This is glamping style accommodations. Bring your own tent and bedding. We will have the temple and outside chill spaces, but you’ll need to be self-sufficient for your sleeping space and bedding. The property has two heated outdoor showers, flushing toilets, and a sink for brushing teeth.
Prefer not to camp? While we do encourage all participants to camp on the property, you may also choose to commute each day from a nearby hotel. There are several options about 20 minutes away:
Location:
Diamond Temple, Ojai Valley, California (Address given upon registration)
Rates:
Pay-It-Forward Rate: $1200
General Rate: $1008
Access (scholarship) Rate: $800
Includes food, camping, teacher dana, and Synchrony Labs experience
Contact:
Kamille at admin@chandraeaston.com
Pricing Guidelines
Pay-It-Forward Rate
Choose this amount if you have the financial security and capacity to support this program at a higher level. The contributions we receive at this rate make it possible for us to offer a below-cost Access Range to those practitioners with a limited income.
This range is for you if you:
- Own your own home and live comfortably without financial worry
- Have investments and savings
- Easily have access to money in times of need or emergencies
- Have the desire to help make the Dharma more accessible to others
General Rate
Choose this rate if you have the financial capacity to sustain our ability to offer high-quality programs. The contributions we gratefully receive at this rate enable us to keep our prices low while covering the basic program costs.
This range is for you if you:
- Have the capacity to meet your basic financial needs
- Make your rent or mortgage and other monthly payments
- Are generally able to purchase new items and experiences for yourself
- Can afford to take trips and go on retreats
Access Rate
Choose an amount if you have limited financial capacity or are currently experiencing financial hardship. The contributions we gratefully receive at this rate go toward covering costs and are supported by contributions of those who choose the Pay-It-Forward Rate.
This range is for you if you:
- Have difficulty meeting your basic financial needs
- Are experiencing housing, employment, or income instability
- Live paycheck-to-paycheck and and lack money in times of need
- Face challenges due to devaluation of your currency against the US dollar.
