"Hands, Head, Heart" Retreat: Gandhi in Today's World?
On the weekend of April 6-7, we are delighted to host a 2-day "Hands, Head, Heart" Retreat at Banyan Grove around a probing theme: Gandhi in Today's World! This 2-day retreat (Sat @10AM - Sun @5PM) is an opportunity to convene with kindred community in dialogue, action, and reflection as a pathway to "be the change we wish to see in the world".
Seventy years after his assassination, is Gandhi still relevant today? Do his views on nonviolence feel like a utopia or do they offer fresh insights for addressing today's polarized communities? What is the "old as hills" intelligence of inner transformation that Gandhi leveraged to address external politics? At a personal level, what was his source of regeneration, working at least 15 hours a day for 50 straight years?
To probe into these questions, and beyond, we are delighted to host a 2-day retreat with some remarkable change-makers -- and a very special guest, Arun Bhatt. Arun Dada is an 83-year-old Gandhian, who spent more than 40 years working side-by-side with the legendary Vinoba Bhave. With decades of experience with frontline activism, penetrating insights into sustainable social change, soulful singing without any instruments, and a life lived by deeply "being the change", it is a rare honor to have Arun Dada among us. Other invited guests from our ecosystem include water activist Mark Dubois, indigenous wisdom keeper Brenda Salgado, restorative justice pioneer Sujatha Baliga, peace academy founder Kazu Haga, Gandhian scholar Michael Nagler, prayer activist from Japan -- Maki Saionji, and many more.
Along the way, our hope is to deepen our experience of generosity, build deeper ties amongst each other, and reflect on subtle values embedded in our actions and stories. Ultimately, by amplifying the inner transformation element of the service process, our hope is to cultivate a shift from consumption to contribution, transaction to trust, isolation to community, and scarcity to abundance. For more context, here is a reflection from Brian about our previous retreat in January.
Logistics:
Thank you for your kinship in holding such sacred conversations.
Seventy years after his assassination, is Gandhi still relevant today? Do his views on nonviolence feel like a utopia or do they offer fresh insights for addressing today's polarized communities? What is the "old as hills" intelligence of inner transformation that Gandhi leveraged to address external politics? At a personal level, what was his source of regeneration, working at least 15 hours a day for 50 straight years?
To probe into these questions, and beyond, we are delighted to host a 2-day retreat with some remarkable change-makers -- and a very special guest, Arun Bhatt. Arun Dada is an 83-year-old Gandhian, who spent more than 40 years working side-by-side with the legendary Vinoba Bhave. With decades of experience with frontline activism, penetrating insights into sustainable social change, soulful singing without any instruments, and a life lived by deeply "being the change", it is a rare honor to have Arun Dada among us. Other invited guests from our ecosystem include water activist Mark Dubois, indigenous wisdom keeper Brenda Salgado, restorative justice pioneer Sujatha Baliga, peace academy founder Kazu Haga, Gandhian scholar Michael Nagler, prayer activist from Japan -- Maki Saionji, and many more.
Along the way, our hope is to deepen our experience of generosity, build deeper ties amongst each other, and reflect on subtle values embedded in our actions and stories. Ultimately, by amplifying the inner transformation element of the service process, our hope is to cultivate a shift from consumption to contribution, transaction to trust, isolation to community, and scarcity to abundance. For more context, here is a reflection from Brian about our previous retreat in January.
Logistics:
- Food: Simple vegan meals will be served (Saturday lunch & dinner, Sunday breakfast & lunch).
- Accommodations: Participants will stay overnight at Banyan Grove, which has campus guidelines including 5 precepts. Arrival is Saturday between 8:30-9:45AM (optional meditation starts at 9AM) and depart Sunday at 5PM.
- Other: Like all ServiceSpace offerings, this labor-of-love space is offered entirely as a gift and managed entirely by crew of about a dozen volunteers.
Thank you for your kinship in holding such sacred conversations.
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