The Cooperative of Practice: Being lit up together! year-long retreat

See retreat schedule below. (Registration has closed for this retreat.)

The universal human experience seems to be a search for connection and belonging. However, much of the time we find ourselves feeling isolated and alone, trapped in a conditioned reality that robs us of direct experience of the wisdom, love and compassion that is our authentic nature. We are not allowed to know that a life of love and acceptance is found by learning to direct attention to the intelligence that animates us instead of to the voices of egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate.

We belong to Life. We are love. We are the compassionate acceptance we wish to receive. How do we practice that? How does karmic conditioning keep us isolated from authenticity, our bodies, and our lives?

This year-long retreat centers on moving from isolation and separation to the sense of belonging to Life. We will look at the importance of the community that supports our practice, and we will be supported by our community in keeping commitments in this journey to compassionate self-acceptance. We will develop the spirit of inquiry and a love of learning through projects of our choosing. We will find out for ourselves what it is to be lived by Life instead of controlled by ego.


An Email Class with Cheri: Jan. 25 – Feb. 15 We will look at how ego keeps us in suffering through separation, what our practice focus is on the journey to unconditional love and acceptance, and why Sangha is so important as we walk this path. Three At-Home Workshops: Saturday - April 6, Sunday - Aug. 25, Saturday - Nov. 2 Conditioning robs us of enthusiasm for keeping practice commitments. So instead of developing a year-long plan, we will create one each quarter. Each workshop will be designed to go deeper into the themes of belonging and unconditional love and acceptance, and each will support us in making and keeping commitments for the next quarter. Radio Show with Cheri: Each Thursday, starting Feb. 28, at 5 pm PST The Buddha taught that the cause of suffering is ignorance of our authentic nature. To know our true nature, we have to learn to be in the world in a different way—excited, curious, and open to new information. We have to learn to love learning. Sign up to learn something new and be supported by calling in to this weekly radio show. Email Class 2 with Cheri: Sept. 10 – Sept 17 This will be a mid-year opportunity to share your process with Cheri in a short email class. Gassho