Wisdom is understanding that we can find peace no matter what our circumstances are. That is real freedom.
Cara Lai
Residential Retreat Teacher
Cara Lai spent most of her life trying to figure out how to be happy—or at least avoid total misery—which ultimately led to her spending the majority of her adulthood meditating. She's explored the wild beauty of the human experience through many adventures in consciousness, including long retreats, chronic illness, and the profound experiences of childbirth and motherhood.
Cara once worked as an artist, wilderness guide, social worker and psychotherapist, but traded it in for an all-out mindfulness rampage. She’s a working mom whose teaching is relatable, authentic, funny, sometimes crass, and accessible for many people. She teaches teens and adults at Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, and Ten Percent Happier—ultimately hoping to get woke enough to bend spoons with her mind in front of large audiences. And to help everyone get totally free.
Cara Lai's Upcoming Programs
Family | On-Land
July 29 - August 2, 2026 | Wednesday - Sunday | 4 nights
The Family Retreat - Application 2026
Applications Now Open (January 20, 2026). Find joy in a retreat for the whole family and take time together to rest, reconnect, play, and enjoy! This four-night residential retreat for adults and children ages 7-15 years old will combine meditation and Dharma teachings, games, arts and crafts, nature time, and more. Kids and teens will have organized time each day to be with peers, fully supervised by our mindful leaders, and adults will also have time to practice, relax, and receive Dharma from the teachers.
Retreat | On-Land
August 4 - August 8, 2026 | Tuesday - Saturday | 4 nights
Young Adult Retreat
For those Young adults ages 18-32 years. Spaces Still Available! Join a kind community to practice mindfulness and compassion. Offer yourself freedom from overstimulation and come home to the experience of being alive. In mindfulness meditation, we rest and look deeply, knowing moment-by-moment what it is like to be human. Some of us are hesitant to look because there is concern about what we’ll find. Our practice shows us that the more deeply we look, the more reason we have to love.
Retreat | On-Land
September 8 - September 14, 2026 | Tuesday - Monday | 6 nights
Steadying the Heart: Refuge through the Four Sublime States
Spaces Still Available! The Buddhist path cultivates four transformative qualities that can be developed into steadfast dwelling places for the heart: kindness, compassion, joy, and balance. Known as the brahmavihāras, these states can be powerful supports for deepening concentration and insight on the contemplative path and responding to suffering. Throughout this retreat, we will explore techniques to develop each of these states, and release the obstacles that hinder us from living a full life and responding meaningfully to the needs of our world.
Retreat | On-Land
December 6 - December 11, 2026 | Sunday - Friday | 5 nights
An Undefended Heart: A Big Heart City Retreat
Spaces Still Available! This retreat is rooted in the transformative power of the heart. Drawing on heart wisdom practices, we explore meeting life with courage, tenderness, and an undefended presence. Meditation steadies the mind and softens the heart, supporting a wiser, more responsive way of being. Through lovingkindness, mindfulness, and embodied awareness, we welcome joy and grief, beauty and difficulty as the curriculum. The retreat includes sitting and walking meditation, guided practices, Dharma talks, one small group meeting, and teacher inquiry. All are welcome.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Cara Lai through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.