Retreat is an intentional community gathering, held in an awesome venue a few hours from San Francisco. It's an open space unconference, moderated to include break-out spaces for sessions and activities participants want to host. Participants come with the intention to share their passions, to learn new things, to grow, and to connect deeply with each other.
Retreat is a special container; created as a space where our awesome friends (and new friends) can truly be themselves, while co-creating a dynamic atmosphere where we collectively determine the content and activities that make ROI a unique experience, each time.
It's a little bit like Burning Man, a little bit like a meditation retreat, and a little bit like a good stimulating conversation. It's also not at all like those things, because there's much less dust, only a few connection exercises, and usually many small meaningful conversations.
ROI values authentic connection with genuine people, to that end; Retreats are never publicized. Instead, each organizer and subsequent retreater takes the time to think about who they truly want to spend 4 days getting deep and silly with and reaches out with sincere invitation. Inevitably, we end up with a group of dynamic hearts, spirits and intellects, who come together to create something vastly cooler than the organizers could have done.
Unexpected, wonderful things at every turn. Deep conversations, spontaneous, ridiculous, joyful play, open and accepting community, or maybe just a long, chill, recharge weekend. Retreat is very much a choose-your-own adventure event, which means that people have all kinds of different experiences.
Unconferences run on sessions, which are small gatherings that last roughly an hour. Sessions are organized and run by you, the participants. A session can be a lesson, a request to learn about something, a discussion, an invitation to join an activity, or something else! Hosting a session can be as low-pressure as inviting people to come lounge on the deck and read quietly with you, or as intense as teaching practical martial arts. Participants are encouraged (but not required) to host sessions, so start thinking of something you might like to teach, discuss, or share!
If you have questions, feel free to contact the organizers for advice or clarification at retreatofintention@gmail.com