Mind and Body Retreats San Rafael

Marin County is beautiful, but even with Mount Tamalpais on the horizon, days in San Rafael fill up fast: commutes over the bridge, packed calendars, constant notifications. Ratna Ling offers San Rafael residents a true change of scenery. The retreat center sits on a forested ridge above the Sonoma Coast, surrounded by coastal redwoods and wide Pacific views.

Our mind and body retreats bring together gentle yoga, guided meditation, breathwork, and mindful movement. They also leave plenty of unstructured time to walk the grounds, rest, and simply be. You might be recovering from a demanding season at work, moving through a personal transition, or just craving a few days without a screen. Either way, a weekend at Ratna Ling gives your body and mind the space to settle.

Weekend Mind & Body Escapes for Marin County Residents

You don’t need to board a plane to find real stillness. From San Rafael, Ratna Ling is a scenic drive north through Sonoma County wine country and along the Russian River to the coast. That makes it an easy choice for a restorative weekend close to home. Browse our upcoming mind and body retreats below and reserve your place to slow down, reconnect, and return to Marin feeling clear and renewed.

Women’s Self-Care Retreat

With Sarah Michelson and Laura Moir

October 9 - 12, 2026
Come together with fellow women to celebrate your innate strength, wisdom, and compassion. There is time to reconnect to the sacred feminine and cultivate a community of sisterhood and solidarity through deep listening, laughter, self-care, and ceremony.

The Art of Loss: A Retreat for Grief, Remembrance & Renewal

With Gloria Baraquio and Lydia Hwang

October 30 - November 1, 2026
Loss comes to us in many forms. It may be the death of someone we love, the end of a relationship, a change in health or identity, or the quiet realization that a chapter of our life has ended. Join Gloria Baraquio and Lydia Hwang for a restorative weekend at Ratna Ling devoted to grief, remembrance, and the many ways we learn to live with change.

Begin Again: A weekend retreat

With Yvonne Kingsley

November 6 - 8, 2026
Join Yvonne Kingsley for a peaceful weekend of yoga and meditation as we slow down and surrender to the present moment. Through the alchemy of mindful movement, breath work and contemplation, we expand our capacity to meet the present moment with curiosity and equanimity.

Autumn Renewal: Yoga, Ayurveda, and Healthy Aging

With Melina Meza and Baxter Bell

November 13 - 15, 2026
Join longtime teachers Melina Meza and Baxter Bell for a nourishing weekend at Ratna Ling exploring yoga and Ayurveda as practical pathways to vibrant, healthy aging.

The Essence of Yoga: A Weekend Retreat

With Jenn Russo

November 13 - 15, 2026
We welcome back Jenn Russo of Healdsburg for a special yoga retreat. At this retreat we will focus on using the breath to strengthen our practice and experience a lasting peace. Afternoons will be a slow flow/restorative practice, focused on calming, centering and relaxation.

Grace & Gratitude: A Pre-Thanksgiving Yoga & Meditation Retreat

With Lauren Cohen and Nat Kendall

November 20 - 22, 2026
Join Lauren Cohen and Nat Kendall for a nourishing pre-Thanksgiving weekend in the redwoods! Through soulful yoga practices, dharma discussions, chanting, meditations, time in nature and more, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate grace and gratitude in our everyday lives.

Joy & Appreciation – SLIDING SCALE

With George Wiegand, Linda Copenhagen and Karmyn Ojeda

November 27 - 29, 2026
For this special retreat, we are offering a sliding scale to allow you to give what you can. We hope you can join us! This Thanksgiving retreat is offered as a way to support folks who need some peace and quiet during this holiday. We invite you to take a sacred pause, to sit, to lay down, to be in nature, to meditate, and to come back to center.

Wintering – A relaxation retreat

With Clare Buckley

December 4 - 6, 2026
Join Senior Yoga Teacher Clare Buckley in the serene and beautiful setting of Ratna Ling and awaken to the experience of holistic wellbeing. In the serene and beautiful setting of Ratna Ling, we will explore embodied movement, breath work, energy work, meditation and mindful practices to deeply nourish energy pathways and to restore balance and equanimity.

The Inner Quiet: A winter retreat

With Sarah Koh

December 18 - 20, 2026
Join Sarah Koh of Alchemy Springs this winter solstice to cut through the noise and get to the core essence of your being. This contemplative winter retreat is a space for you to truly slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with the quiet wisdom of your heart and body. What is your soul asking for at this time? What is ready to emerge? What wants to resolve and heal so that you can move forward…

A Year for Me: New Year Self-Care Retreat

With Karmyn Ojeda and Erica Martzen

January 15 - 18, 2027
RECLAIM YOUR LIFE THIS YEAR. Take back your time. Take back your energy. Bring your life back into balance. If youʻve been going going going, or giving giving giving, we invite you to join us this January to start the new year with new habits, new perspectives, and new intentions to take back your life and reclaim your energy.

San Rafael Mind & Body Retreat FAQ’s

Most weekend programs begin on Friday afternoon or evening and wrap up on Sunday. Check the start time listed on your specific retreat page before you plan your day. Friday traffic on northbound 101 through Novato and Petaluma can add significant time. We recommend leaving San Rafael by late morning or early afternoon rather than heading out after a full workday.

Arriving in daylight makes a real difference. The final stretch of road on the ridge is narrow, winding, and single-lane in places, so mileage doesn’t translate directly into travel time. A generous buffer lets you take the drive slowly, enjoy the coastal views, and arrive settled instead of rushed.

A local class or spa visit can feel wonderful, but you usually drive straight back into your to-do list afterward. A residential retreat gives your nervous system time to genuinely downshift. Over several days, gentle yoga, guided meditation, breathwork, and mindful movement build on one another, so the effects go deeper and last longer.

At Ratna Ling you also step completely outside your normal environment. Meals are prepared for you and the schedule is thoughtfully paced. There is open time to walk among the redwoods, journal, rest, or sit quietly with the ocean view. That mix of structure and spaciousness helps guests return home truly renewed rather than just temporarily relaxed.

No. Our mind and body retreats welcome first-time participants as well as experienced practitioners. Yoga sessions emphasize gentle, accessible movement, and meditation is introduced with clear guidance. You can participate at whatever level feels right for your body that day.

Each program page describes the teacher’s approach and what the weekend will focus on. You may have an injury or a health consideration, or simply want to know whether a retreat is a good fit.

Retreat packages include organic, vegetarian meals prepared on-site. The food is nourishing and satisfying and supports the physical and meditative practices you’ll be doing throughout the weekend. You can leave meal planning, grocery runs, and dishes behind in San Rafael.

Pack comfortable, layered clothing you can move and sit in easily. Conditions on the Sonoma Coast can change quickly, from sunny afternoons to cool, foggy evenings, so a warm sweater or jacket is a good idea in any season. Sturdy walking shoes are helpful for exploring the grounds and nearby trails, and slip-on shoes make it easy to remove them indoors, which guests are asked to do in the lodge.

You may also want a water bottle, a journal, any personal medications, and a flashlight for walking outside after dark. If your program includes yoga, check the retreat description to see whether you should bring your own mat or props. It’s also worth leaving the laptop at home when you can.

Absolutely. Many guests from San Rafael and across the Bay Area come to Ratna Ling solo, and the retreat setting makes it easy to feel comfortable on your own. Group sessions, shared meals, and discussion times offer natural chances to connect with others. The quiet grounds also give you plenty of space for solitude whenever you want it.

Ratna Ling Mind and Body Retreats

San Francisco Mind and Body Retreats | Palo Alto Mind and Body Retreats | Petaluma Mind and Body Retreats | Santa Rosa Mind and Body Retreats

San Rafael Mind and Body Retreats | Sausalito Mind and Body Retreats