The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center, Inc

Farm Event: Mushroom Identification
2025-06-27 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Let’s get wild on a 3 hour walk in the old growth forest while we discover, properly identify and discuss foraging for wild edible and medicinal mushrooms. We cover the basics to get you started on what could become a lifelong passion and hobby of yours! We discuss prime habitats where specific mushrooms occur, why and what mushrooms do ecologically and a thorough discussion on safety precautions as well as practical harvesting/preservation techniques. Lastly, we will show you some simple wild mushroom uses and cooking techniques that we all will sample!

Learn to identify choice edible and medicinal mushrooms
Learn to identify the common toxic look alikes
Learn approved forage areas and where not to forage
Learn proper handling and storage techniques
Learn the variety of ways mushroom benefit the forest and their ecological role
Learn preservation and preparation techniques
Learn the BIG 5 functional mushrooms and what they can do for you
Leave with a few wild recipes

Rain Policy
All of our events have indoor rain plans as backups in case of adverse weather. Please dress accordingly and bring rain gear if the forecast looks to be really wet!
Refund Policy
If you must cancel your reservation to one of our events then please let us know, at the latest, 48 hours before the scheduled time. If an unexpected emergency occurs then please let us know ASAP by emailing farm@themountainrlc.org. For both options, we can offer you the opportunity to attend a future event.

Farm Event: Wild Foraging
2025-07-11 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-15 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-16 13:00 - 16:00
Would you like to re-awaken to the presence and gifts of the wild food and medicine growing all around you? Please come along as we emerge into our old growth forest and learn what nature has to offer. Here we will learn of the legends and lore of these Appalachia natives, how they have historically been consumed, how to sustainably harvest and how to prepare them safely. Lastly, we will enjoy a wild foraged herbal tea and give our gratitude for nature and the nourishment that it provides.

Learn to identify edible and medicinal plants, herbs, berries, nuts and mushrooms.
Learn about the life cycle and how to sustainably forage these wild edibles
Learn how they have historically been consumed
Learn how to prepare them safely
Learn their uses and the legends behind these nutritional powerhouses

Rain Policy
All of our events have indoor rain plans as backups in case of adverse weather. Please dress accordingly and bring rain gear if the forecast looks to be really wet!
Refund Policy
If you must cancel your reservation to one of our events then please let us know, at the latest, 48 hours before the scheduled time. If an unexpected emergency occurs then please let us know ASAP by emailing farm@themountainrlc.org. For both options, we can offer you the opportunity to attend a future event.

Farm Event: Mushroom Identification
2025-07-25 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-29 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-30 13:00 - 16:00
Let’s get wild on a 3 hour walk in the old growth forest while we discover, properly identify and discuss foraging for wild edible and medicinal mushrooms. We cover the basics to get you started on what could become a lifelong passion and hobby of yours! We discuss prime habitats where specific mushrooms occur, why and what mushrooms do ecologically and a thorough discussion on safety precautions as well as practical harvesting/preservation techniques. Lastly, we will show you some simple wild mushroom uses and cooking techniques that we all will sample! Learn to identify choice edible and medicinal mushrooms
Learn to identify the common toxic look alikes.

Learn approved forage areas and where not to forage
Learn proper handling and storage techniques
Learn the variety of ways mushroom benefit the forest and their ecological role
Learn preservation and preparation techniques
Learn the BIG 5 functional mushrooms and what they can do for you
Leave with a few wild recipes

Rain Policy
All of our events have indoor rain plans as backups in case of adverse weather. Please dress accordingly and bring rain gear if the forecast looks to be really wet!
Refund Policy
If you must cancel your reservation to one of our events then please let us know, at the latest, 48 hours before the scheduled time. If an unexpected emergency occurs then please let us know ASAP by emailing farm@themountainrlc.org. For both options, we can offer you the opportunity to attend a future event.

2025 Muldoon Family Camp
2025-08-04 - 2025-08-13
We’re a group of friends and family scattered across the country. To celebrate many of us turning 40 this year, we’re hosting a homemade summer camp for our favorite people, across the generations. Thanks to The Mountain for blessing us with an absolutely perfect venue.
Registration
Registration is now open!
Registration deadline: July 21, 2025
Adult Double Occupancy: $130 per person per night
Adult Bunkhouse: $110 per person per night
Adult Single Occupancy: $200 per person per night
Youth 12-17: $80 per person per night
Child 4-11: $65 per person per night
Toddler 0-3: Free
Click Here to Register!
Select “Other Retreats”, then “2025 Muldoon Family Camp”.

Elemental Alignment Retreat
2025-08-15 - 2025-08-17
Awaken the Elements Within
Join us for a sacred weekend in the tranquil Blue Ridge Mountains, where nature, movement, and spirit converge for deep healing and remembrance. Through the five elements – Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Ether – You’ll reconnect with inner rhythms and restore harmony within.
Retreat Offerings:

5 Elements Yoga
Tai Chi & Elemental Breathwork
Reiki Healing & Circle Work
Crystal Sound Bath Journeys
Shamanic Medicine Wheel
Ceremony & Labyrinth Experience
Somatic Ancestral Healing
Shamanic Fire Ceremony

For more details and to register, visit www.exhalelakeoconee.com
Questions? Call or text 706-818-1725

UUCA Board Retreat
2025-08-15 - 2025-08-17
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Atlanta’s annual board meeting.
Click Here to Register!

Evans-McIver Family Reunion
2025-08-22 - 2025-08-24
This is a private event and not open to the public.
Registration: Open now!
Registration deadline: August 8, 2025
Registration includes your lodging, meals, and use of meeting spaces. The price below does not include the 6.75% NC sales tax.
Adult Double Occupancy: $260
Adult Single Occupancy (limited availability): $400
Adult Bunkhouse: $220
Youth 12-17: $150
Child 4-11: $120
Toddler 0-3: Free
Check-in begins at 3pm on Friday. Check-out is at 9am on Sunday. Meeting spaces are available until 12pm on Sunday.
How to register:

Go to The Mountain’s website
On the top right click on Registration Portal
Create an account
Create a profile for each member of your family
Under “Program Classifications” select OTHER RETREATS
Select the appropriate program
Specify dietary needs, housing options and mobility needs
Specify roommate options. If this is left empty one will be assigned to you
Repeat this process for each member of your family
Submit payment. Your spot is not secured until payment has been submitted

2025 Qollasuyu Gathering
2025-09-05 - 2025-09-07
In these times of continual stress when everything seems to converge in more mayhem and
mischief, we are called to be in community. We need to be with one another. We need to
deepen our connections within the natural and unseen worlds by immersing in the encantos that sing us back to Life!
These are the times to gather in ceremony.
To be in companioned silence.
To sit within the flow of the constant universal living energy pulsing through the ancient oaks,
retained in the moss covered rocks, and soaring with the hawk in the distance.
We need time and space to breathe.
To see, to listen, to smell and taste, to feel
It is time for us to remember to be the Magic!
The Council of the Qollasuyu invites you to join us for the September Gathering
* a leisurely weekend of ceremony, workshops,
* being with the trees, communing with the night sky,
* sharing poetry and prose, music and dancing,
* conversation, healing sessions, the fire circle
* and your own meanderings.
Our weekend leaders include Sanctioned Teachers, longtime mesa carriers and invited guests.
We begin with dinner at 6 PM followed by the opening ceremony on Friday evening and end
with a late lunch on Sunday.
For more information click here to visit Qollasuyu website
“Our minds, as well as our bodies, have need of the out of doors. Our spirits, too, need simple
things, elemental things, the sun and the wind and the rain, moonlight and starlight, sunrise and
mist and mossy forest rails, the perfumes of dawn and the smell of fresh-turned earth and the
ancient music of wind among the trees.”
– Edwin Way Teale
Registration Details
● Program: September 5 – 7, 2025
● Registration opens July 12, 2025
● Registration deadline: August 23, 2025
Pre-requisites:
1. Each person is expected to be present for the full weekend. The energy builds as we move
and weave through each event of the weekend.
2. Each person must have a basic understanding of the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition and have
created a basic mesa.
3. We can provide links to resources or personal study with a mesa carrier.
There is a separate Program Registration Fee of $65 is due on arrival.
Additional information and program registration for the Gathering can be found at the
Qollasuyu website: https://qollasuyu.blogspot.com
Information on The Pachakuti Mesa Tradition can be found at The Heart of the Healer
Shamanic Mystery School https://heartofthehealer.org/
Contact Janet Harvey at chacaruna@icloud.com if you have questions or need additional
information.
Registration with The Mountain includes:
● Lodging
● Meals
● Use of assigned facilities
3 Days / 2 Nights Mountain Stay Package (Not including 6.75% NC sales tax)
Adult double occupancy, shared room … $260
Adult single occupancy, private room … $400
Additional nights may be added prior to or after the Gathering.
Commuter Rate … $120
Reserve Your Space
In our registration system, select “Other Retreats” then your 2025 Qollasuyu Gathering Package

The Shaman's Path with Don Simmons
2025-09-05 - 2025-09-07
A retreat allows you to recharge your spirit. It’s a space where you can pause, reflect, and heal, free from the constant noise and distractions of the outside world. Whether you’re seeking healing from past trauma, looking to find deeper meaning, or simply wanting to reconnect with your true self, The Shamans Path Mystic Mountain Retreat offers a nurturing environment for profound transformation.
Escape to the tranquil beauty of The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center in Highlands, NC, for a transformative 3-day retreat designed to nourish your mind, body, and soul. Nestled atop a 4,200 foot mountain, this peaceful sanctuary offers rustic lodging and stunning natural surroundings, allowing you to disconnect from the world and reconnect with your True Self. Sacred and Real. Led by Don Reed Simmons, a seasoned mystic, shamanic practitioner, and leading sound therapy provider, this retreat will guide you through powerful experiences of healing and self-discovery.
Throughout the retreat, you’ll participate in guided meditation sessions that will help you cultivate mindfulness, inner peace, and clarity. Through Shamanic Journeys, you will explore deep, ancient wisdom, unlocking hidden aspects of your spirit and gaining insight into your life’s purpose. Past Life Regression will provide you with profound revelations about your soul’s history, helping you release old emotional patterns and trauma that may be holding you back. Surrounded by Nature you will learn to hear the Wisdom of all living things in a way that will surprise and amaze you.
All of this will be served with nourishing, fresh, and delicious meals prepared from locally sourced ingredients, ensuring you feel rejuvenated and energized throughout the experience. The rustic accommodations enhance the sense of serenity, offering a perfect blend of comfort and connection to nature.
This retreat is more than just a getaway; it’s a Sacred opportunity to heal, grow, and discover the deeper meaning of your life. By the end of the 3 days, you will leave feeling grounded, empowered, and transformed, carrying with you a sense of peace and purpose that will last a lifetime. The wisdom and clarity gained here will inspire you to live with greater intention, authenticity, and joy.
About Don Reed Simmons
Don Reed Simmons has been an active professional meditation teacher, hypnotherapist, sound practitioner, psychic and Shamanic healer/teacher for over 30 years. He has studied meditation with Zen Master Thicht Nhat Han and Jon Kabat-Zinn and was certified in Past Life Regression with Brian Weiss, MD, author of “Many Lives, Many Masters.” Don has developed The Mindful Society to help others discover living Mindfully in everyday life and leads a group, “The Trusted Tribe” in virtual weekly meditations and other programs of Spiritual attunement. To date he has facilitated well over 2,000 in person or virtual meditations. His One Minute Meditation has been played over 2 million times on one of the best known App, The Insight Timer, and is the most requested meditation in the Under 5 Minutes category.
The Shaman’s Path Website
Registration
Registration opens: Open now!
Registration deadline: August 22, 2025
Regular Rate:
Double occupancy: $552.55
Single occupancy: $702.00
Early Squirrel Special starting immediately through June 23, 2025
Double Occupancy: $512
Single Occupancy: $662
Special closes: June 23, 2025
Cost includes:
Lodging
All meals at Retreat Center
All Programs
All taxes and fees
How to register:

Click here or go to The Mountain’s website and click on Registration Portal in the top right
Create an account
Complete your personal profile
Under “Program Classifications” select OTHER RETREATS
Find ‘2025 The Shaman’s Path’ and select your room option
Specify dietary needs, housing options and mobility needs
Specify roommate options. If this is left empty one will be assigned to you
Submit payment. Your spot is not secured until payment has been submitted.

Greenville UU Fellowship Retreat - 75th Anniversary!
2025-09-12 - 2025-09-14
Join us in continuing to celebrate “75 Years of Love and Light” as we gather with our GUUF Family for a weekend of fellowship and fun at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center near Highlands NC.
Registration
Registration status: Opens soon!
Registration deadline: August 29, 2025
Adult Double Occupancy: $240
Adult Bunkhouse: $200
Adult Single Occupancy (limited availability): $380
Youth 12-17: $140
Child 4-11: $110
Toddler 0-3: Free
How to register:

Click this link or go to The Mountain and click on Registration Portal in the top right
Create an account
Complete your personal profile and a profile for each member of your family
Under “Program Classifications” select ‘Church Retreats’
Find the ‘2025 UU Greenville’ retreat and select your room option
Specify dietary needs, housing options and mobility needs
Specify roommate options. If this is left empty, one will be assigned to you.
Repeat this process for each member of your family
Submit payment. Your spot is not secured until payment has been submitted.

Need help registering? Email us at gsoffice@themountainrlc.org, or call 828-526-5838 any day between 9am and 5pm.

UU Fellowship of Athens Retreat
2025-09-12 - 2025-09-14
Come join us as members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, Georgia gather to relax at The Mountain. Hang out, hike, sing around the campfire, and eat together in this unstructured and non-staff led retreat.
Registration
Registration Status: Open now!
Registration deadline: August 29, 2025
Cost
Adult Double Occupancy: $240 per person
Adult Single Occupancy (limited availability): $380 per person
Youth 12-17: $140 per person
Child 4-11: $110 per person
Toddler 0-3: Free
Registration Instructions

Go to The Mountain’s website
On the top right click on Registration Portal
Create an account
Create a profile for each member of your family
Under “Program Classifications” select ‘Church Retreats’
Select the appropriate program
Specify dietary needs, housing options and mobility needs
Specify roommate options. If this is left empty one will be assigned to you
Repeat this process for each member of your family
Submit payment. Your spot is not secured until payment has been submitted

Farm Event: Forage and Feast
2025-09-12 13:00 - 16:00
Come roam the edges of the mountain meadow and old growth forest for delicious, nutritious wild plants and mushrooms. Here we will learn the skills to identify and sustainably forage these wild foods. We will learn of the traditional uses and legends behind these natives. Then join us at a table outside on the farm and allow us to prepare these nutritional powerhouse foods for you. During this demonstration you will establish proper preparation and cooking techniques and will even leave with a few recipes. Taste, discover, connect and be with nature.

BYOB possible
Learn to identify wild edibles and their toxic lookalikes
Learn to sustainability forage and harvest wild edibles
Learn traditional uses
Learn Appalachian legends and lore
Learn how to prepare your harvest
Learn traditional and modern cooking techniques
Leave with nutritional wild recipes

Rain Policy
All of our events have indoor rain plans as backups in case of adverse weather. Please dress accordingly and bring rain gear if the forecast looks to be really wet!
Refund Policy
If you must cancel your reservation to one of our events then please let us know, at the latest, 48 hours before the scheduled time. If an unexpected emergency occurs then please let us know ASAP by emailing farm@themountainrlc.org. For both options, we can offer you the opportunity to attend a future event.

Farm Event: Wild Foraged - Oxymels & Elixirs
2025-09-19 13:00 - 16:00
Have you ever wondered how natural remedies are made? Oxymels and Elixirs are long embedded in our history. Come learn how to sustainably harvest and process natural herbs that you could be medicinally using right now from your own backyard. Learn to treat common colds and seasonal allergies without harmful drugs from the pharmacy. Hear the stories, legends and lore our elders used to tell us of these native plants and most of all take your health into your own hands.
Here we will learn to identify and ethically wildcraft medicinal plants and herbs into healing oxymels and elixirs to boost your immune system and naturally care for your family.

Learn what oxymel and elixirs are
Learn their traditional uses
Learn to identify and forage wild medicinal herbs
Learn to use ingredients from you own refrigerator
Learn to make your own customized product to care for you and your family such as elderberry tonic and fire cider

Rain Policy
All of our events have indoor rain plans as backups in case of adverse weather. Please dress accordingly and bring rain gear if the forecast looks to be really wet!
Refund Policy
If you must cancel your reservation to one of our events then please let us know, at the latest, 48 hours before the scheduled time. If an unexpected emergency occurs then please let us know ASAP by emailing farm@themountainrlc.org. For both options, we can offer you the opportunity to attend a future event.

Joy on The Mountain Top - Co-Creators a Delightful Expedition
2025-10-05 - 2025-10-10
Learn More and Register
Come to the mountain and JOYN us in a deep dive into JOY! We will enter our deep dive through experiential processes on a co-creative expedition to a mountain experience of pure JOY!
​We will climb our metaphorical mountain from the beautiful 4,200-foot mountain top in Highlands North Carolina, October 5-10, 2025. The falls colors will brighten our collective imaginations as we delight in exploring JOY together individually and collectively.
​As Barbara Marx Hubbard taught, we are at a point of “breakdown before breakthrough”. Through the dramatic changes in ALL social and global systems-education, financial, climate, governmental, it can become very wearisome. Our JOY “meters” might even be running critically low as we navigate this historic time on our planet.
​We will explore together:
What is the birth of JOY and how can it be entered?
What is authentic JOY?
How can “the shadow” hide JOY and drain personal energy?
How can JOY be embodied more fully?
How can “play” open and reveal the magic of JOY?
During our Convergence, we will De-Light in living through this dynamic time together and support each other in co-creating the mystery and wonder that JOY is revealing through us out into our world.
JOYN the JOY-IN!
INTERESTED?
​DATES, DETAILS & DEALS: CCC Registration, Room and Board (vegan/vegetarian meals with gluten free options) All rooms have 2 single beds and private full bath; limited number of single rooms by special request (Contact Noel)
​CHECK-IN: After 3 PM on Sunday, October 5th
​CHECK-OUT: Friday, October 10th; out of rooms by 9:00 AM; off the grounds by Noon
​PLEASE NOTE: All registration payments accepted by Check, Venmo, or Zelle.
​MONETARY EXCHANGE:
BEST DEAL: (SAVE up to $250 on double room; $350 on single room)
Pay $950 (double occupancy) or $1,300 (single occupancy) by AUG 3
NEXT BEST DEAL: 2 payments:
Double Occupancy: $550 due AUG 3, and $550 due AUG 15
Single Occupancy: $750 due AUG 3 and $750 due AUG 15
PAYMENT PLAN:
Double Occupancy: 3 payments of $400 due AUG 3, AUG 15 and SEP 15
Single Occupancy: 3 payments of $550 due AUG 3, AUG 15 and SEP 15
CANCELLATION POLICY (based on The Mountain policy):
Before AUG 1: Full refund minus $35 administration fee.
AUG 1 through AUG 31: Refund payment(s) minus $250 administration fee.
SEP 1 through OCT 5TH: Refund payment(s) minus $500 administration fee.
NOTE: All funds are fully refundable if event is cancelled.
​​​EMAIL: cocreators@lightpartners.org
Noel Marshall ~ 920.312.0301
Learn More and Register

UU Asheville Mountain Gathering
2025-10-10 - 2025-10-12
Join our congregation for a restful weekend of inter-generational connections. Experience the mountain retreat and learning center again or for the first time while deepening relationships with fellow congregants. Take a workshop, go for a hike or just sit on the balcony and enjoy spectacular views of the mountains.
When
Program: October 9 – 11, 2026
Registration: Coming soon!
Registration Deadline: September 25, 2026
This event will sell out well in advance, please register and pay in full to secure your place
Registration
Registration restricted to Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville members, friends and invited guests
We highly recommend guests to register and pay early to secure lodging. We give priority to those who have mobility and medical issues, but cannot guarantee specific rooms to any guest.
Registration Fee includes:

Lodging
Meals
Use of assigned facilities
Participation in program activities

Adult Package Rate, 3 Days /2 Nights, Friday – Sunday:

$240 per person, double occupancy (shared room)​
$380 per person, single occupancy (private room)​​

***Private rooms are limited and based on availability.***
​Youth Package Rate, Friday – Sunday

Youth ages 12-17 – $140
Children ages 4-11 – $110
Toddler ages 0-3 – FREE
Youth and Children must be accompanied by a registered parent/guardian
Youth and Children are lodged with an accompanying registered parent/guardian

Reserve Your Space
In our registration system, select Church Retreats then select your 2026 UU Asheville package
​Each family member must be registered individually in our registration website
​Use one username and password per family
​

UU Franklin Day Retreat
2025-10-13
The UU Fellowship of Franklin is excited to return to The Mountain this October and share a day of fellowship with UUTC Brevard. Registration is $65/person and includes lunch, dinner, and use of Mountain facilities. Purchase tickets below to register. Please be sure to inform us of any dietary needs or food allergies in your party.

Fall Elementary CON
2025-10-17 - 2025-10-19
Fall Elementary CON
Youth Conventions or “CONs” are weekend long events planned by youth with adult support for youth from third grade to high school. At heart, a youth con is an experience in building covenantal community and empowering youth leadership.
Supported by the larger work of The Mountain, each con has a different theme and focus, but they all incorporate community building, fun, worship, and exploration of spirituality. Each event has its own covenant and is in covenant with The Mountain’s safety policies. Youth experience both the safety of being in a covenantal community and the responsibility to repair relationships when difficult situations arise.
Youth have the opportunity to serve in leadership roles to help plan events, help run events, help the CON community live in covenant, or be peer chaplains for emotional support.
When
PALs Training: September 26 – 28, 2025
Elementary (3rd – 5th graders): October 17 – 19, 2025
Intermediate (6th – 8th graders): October 31 – November 2, 2025
Senior High (9th – 12th graders): November 14 – 16, 2025
Registration opens: Now open!
Registration deadline: 2 weeks prior to CON start date.
If your youth coordinator has given you a transfer code number please enter the number at the payment portion of the registration process
In our registration system, select Youth CONferences
Fee
The Mountain is excited to announce a pilot program to better cover the costs of running The Mountain while still making it an accessible place for all who want to come.
Youth
Traditional Cost: $100/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
True Cost: $215/person (Covers the whole cost of the weekend)
No Cost: Free
Advisor
Supporter 2: $100/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
Supporter 1: $50/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
No Cost: Free
Please email youthcamp@themountainrlc.org with any questions or concerns regarding this new price structure.
Click Here to Register!

2025 NWUU Bi-Annual Retreat
2025-10-17 - 2025-10-19
Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation is excited to return to The Mountain for their bi-annual retreat!
Registration status: Now open!
Registration deadline: October 3, 2025
Adult Double Occupancy – $240/person
Adult Single Occupancy (limited availability) – $380/person
Adult Bunkhouse – $200/person
Adult Commuter (Staying off-site) – $120/person
Youth 12-17 – $140/person
Child 4-11 – $110/person
Toddler 0-3 – Free

Click here or go to The Mountain’s website and click on Registration Portal in the top right
Create an account (or login)
Complete your personal profile and a profile for each person in your party (if applicable)
Under “Program Classifications” select Church Retreats
Find your retreat and select your room option
Specify dietary needs, housing options and mobility needs
Specify roommate options. If this is left empty one will be assigned to you
Repeat this process for each member in your party.
Submit payment. Your spot is not secured until payment has been submitted.

Sacred Lomi
2025-10-20 - 2025-10-24
This Advanced Lomilomi Retreat with Sacred Lomi is designed to help Sacred Lomi practitioners deepen their practice, receive from other advanced practitioners and elevate their gifts as healers. The incredibly serene and uplifting energy of The Mountain Retreat, nestled in the majestic mountain forest of North Carolina, is an incredible place for transformation and life changing reflection. This once-a-year event is the only opportunity for students who have successfully completed our Home Study Course to attend one of our Advanced Lomilomi Retreats! For more information please visit: https://www.sacredlomi.com.

Three Awakenings
2025-10-27 - 2025-11-03
The three distinct paths of Inner Alchemy, Prayer, and Meditation can be found in various forms throughout the world’s mystical traditions. The Three Awakenings school brings these paths together in a way that is easier to practice and understand for aspirants that weren’t born or raised in the traditional religions and cultures associated with these methods.
This is a private retreat not open to the public.

Fall Senior High CON
2025-11-14 - 2025-11-16
Fall Senior High CON
Youth Conventions or “CONs” are weekend long events planned by youth with adult support for youth from third grade to high school. At heart, a youth con is an experience in building covenantal community and empowering youth leadership.
Supported by the larger work of The Mountain, each con has a different theme and focus, but they all incorporate community building, fun, worship, and exploration of spirituality. Each event has its own covenant and is in covenant with The Mountain’s safety policies. Youth experience both the safety of being in a covenantal community and the responsibility to repair relationships when difficult situations arise.
Youth have the opportunity to serve in leadership roles to help plan events, help run events, help the CON community live in covenant, or be peer chaplains for emotional support.
When
PALs Training: September 26 – 28, 2025
Elementary (3rd – 5th graders): October 17 – 19, 2025
Intermediate (6th – 8th graders): October 31 – November 2, 2025
Senior High (9th – 12th graders): November 14 – 16, 2025
Registration opens: Now open!
Registration deadline: 2 weeks prior to CON start date.
If your youth coordinator has given you a transfer code number please enter the number at the payment portion of the registration process
In our registration system, select Youth CONferences
Fee
The Mountain is excited to announce a pilot program to better cover the costs of running The Mountain while still making it an accessible place for all who want to come.
Youth
Traditional Cost: $100/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
True Cost: $215/person (Covers the whole cost of the weekend)
No Cost: Free
Advisor
Supporter 2: $100/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
Supporter 1: $50/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
No Cost: Free
Please email youthcamp@themountainrlc.org with any questions or concerns regarding this new price structure.
Click Here to Register!

The Path Within Retreat
2025-11-14 - 2025-11-16
A Sacred Weekend of Realignment, Stillness, and Inner Remembering
When life gets loud, the soul whispers…
There comes a moment in every journey where continuing forward means slowing down.
Where healing doesn’t look like doing more but like listening more deeply.
The Path Within Retreat is that moment.
Held in the stillness of the North Carolina mountains, this 21⁄2-day immersive retreat invites you
to disconnect from the noise, realign with your truth, and walk your next step with presence and
peace.
No fixing. No performing. No pressure.
Just space to breathe, reflect, and come home to the you you’ve always been.
What We Promise You’ll Receive
This retreat isn’t about pushing you to become something else.
It’s about giving you sacred space to remember who you truly are.
Here’s what you can expect:
✔️ A compassionate and grounded space where you don’t need to prove or perform
✔️ A renewed relationship with silence, stillness, and your sacred pace
✔️ A deeper connection with your own body, breath, and emotional wisdom
✔️ Tools to discern what is truly aligned in your life and what is no longer yours to carry
✔️ Rituals and practices that travel home with you, long after the retreat ends
Outcomes You’ll Walk Away With
By the end of the retreat, you’ll leave with:
🌱 A personal map of your “inner terrain” and emotional cues
️ Clear language for your Sacred Yes and Sacred No
🪞 A greater capacity to be present without needing a plan
📓 A reflection journal filled with insights, truths, and reminders
🔥 A reawakened trust in your path even when it’s winding
Most of all:
You’ll return home with a felt sense of peace, authenticity, and sacred alignment.
What’s Included
✅ 2 nights of restful lodging in the Blue Ridge Mountains
✅ Delicious, nourishing meals (vegan & gluten-free options available)
✅ All retreat sessions, meditations, rituals, and movement experiences
✅ Your personal Path Within Retreat Journal and reflection tools
✅ Silent solo time in nature + group connection circles
✅ Optional pre- and post-retreat group calls for support and integration
The Six Core Sessions
Each session is a sacred invitation inward:
1. The Noise Around, The Silence Within – Embracing inner quiet
2. Losing the Map to Find the Way – Releasing control and certainty
3. Markers of the Inner Terrain – Tuning into emotional and somatic wisdom
4. Walking the Winding Way – Trusting detours, pauses, and slow seasons
5. Sacred Yes, Sacred No – Setting boundaries with love and clarity
6. The You You’ve Always Been – Returning to your truest self
You’ll journey through these with breathwork, journaling, quiet nature practices, and intentional
group reflection.
Retreat Facilitator: William Brown
William Brown is a retreat leader, storyteller, and the founder of Living Beyond and Sacred Journey Coaching and Retreats. With decades of experience guiding others through transition and transformation, William’s approach is soulful, grounded, and invitational. As a Sparketype® Maven/Sage and deeply intuitive guide, William creates safe spaces for authentic connection, presence, and emergence. He believes transformation happens not through force but through presence, curiosity, and inner permission. “This retreat isn’t about helping you become someone new. It’s about giving you the space to finally be who you’ve always been.”
🤝 Guest Session Leaders – Coming Soon
You’ll also be supported by soul-aligned guides offering breathwork, sound healing, and somatic support. Stay tuned as we announce the beautiful humans joining us in co-creating this sacred space.
️The Location: The Mountain, Highlands, NC
The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center is nestled high above the clouds in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains. With forest trails, quiet sanctuaries, a labyrinth, and mountaintop views, it’s the perfect backdrop for inner work, nature connection, and sacred rest.
Investment in Your Sacred Journey
All-Inclusive Retreat Experience: $572.55
🌿 Early Bird: $472.55 if registered by September 30
Your investment includes:
✔️ Lodging + all meals
✔️ Full retreat programming + retreat journal
✔️ Ritual tools, practices, and group connection
✔️ Pre- and post-retreat online calls for grounding and integration
Scholarships may be offered upon request.
Retreat Flow
Arrival: Friday, November 14 | 3:00 PM check-in
Closing: Sunday, November 16 | 1:00 PM departure
Location: The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center | Highlands, NC
This Retreat Is For You If…
● You’re at a crossroads, longing for inner clarity
● You feel spiritually curious but need space away from dogma
● You’ve been busy helping others and forgot to listen inward
● You want a spiritual experience that honors your pace and process
● You’re ready to say YES to yourself quietly, fully, and unapologetically
Reserve Your Spot Now
Space is limited to honor depth, intimacy, and presence.
You don’t need to be perfect, prepared, or polished.
You just need to be willing to take the next sacred step.
👉 Register Now
📩 Questions? Email us at admin@livingbeyondfoundation.org
Registration deadline: October 31, 2025
You are not behind. You are not too much. You are not
too late.
You are simply being called home—
to the path that was always within you.
Let’s walk it together.
Click Here to Register

Divine Embodiment
2025-11-20 - 2025-11-23
Divine Embodiment: Men Exploring the Connection between God and Eros
We come together not to define Divinity, but to embody it. Come as you are. Leave more fully who you are.
Click Here for More Information and Registration

The Mountain's Grateful Gathering
2025-11-26 - 2025-11-30
Grateful Gathering 2025 Schedule
Join us for a long weekend of acknowledging and celebrating the gratitude in our lives. Even through challenging times, there is much to be grateful for, be it friendships, family, community, opportunities for learning, The Mountain, and many other things in our lives.
The program includes workshops, entertainment, hiking, building connections with old and new friends, worship service, and outdoor adventures.
This is a great opportunity to invite family and friends to share time together, and no one has to cook or clean up after the holiday feast.
About The Grateful Gathering at The Mountain: An Intergenerational Program Thanksgiving Week
We are looking forward to gathering with people familiar with The Mountain, as well as welcoming new people to this special place.
In a spirit of gratitude, as we are immersed in our extraordinary natural environment, we will learn, discuss, and share ideas and life stories about our individual and group relationships with the Earth and one another.
The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center is an ecologically-conscious retreat and learning center located on 4,200 foot high granite cliffs on the Eastern Continental Divide in the Blue Ridge Mountains, surrounded by the Nantahala Forest. We offer a unique opportunity to learn about and enjoy the ecology and geology of the area. Perched on the Eastern edge of the Highlands Plateau, this temperate rainforest includes an Old Growth Oak Forest, one of the oldest in the U.S. Our four ecosystems, with the highest flora and fauna diversity (over 10,000 species) in North America, have nurtured multiple cultures including the Cherokee Nation.
We look forward to you joining us for this Grateful Gathering adventure.
Topics to consider in this gathering are personal and organizational values, gratitude felt and expressed, and learning more about our own and other cultures in relation to living our values.
Program for Children and Youth
All meals will be with families. Activities between meals will focus on environmental exploration, creative opportunities, and discussions about our world, the people, plants, and animals.
When
Wednesday, November 26 – 30, 2025
Registration: Now open!
Registration deadline: November 25, 2025 at 5pm
Reservations
Reservation Fee includes: Lodging, meals, use of assigned facilities
Make sure to reserve your spot early; participation is limited
4 night event (Wed-Sat nights)
Adult Double Occupancy: $480/person
Adult Single Occupancy: $740/person
Youth 12-17: $260/person
Child 4-11: $200/person
3 night event (Wed- Fri nights)
Adults Double Occupancy: 3-nights: $345 per person
Single Occupancy (Limited Availability): $555.00 /person
Youth 12-17: $195.00/person
Children 4-11: $150/person
Toddler 0-3: Free
2 night event (Wed-Thu nights)
Adult Double Occupancy: $230/person
Adult Single Occupancy: $370/person
Youth 12-17: $130/person
Children 4-11: $100/person
Toddler 0-3: Free
Thursday Commuter Rate
Includes Programming and Dinner
$50/person (Purchase a ticket by scrolling down this page!)
Click Here to Register for Overnights
Thursday Commuters ONLY: Purchase a ticket below!

The Calm Within: A Clarity of Mind Mahamudra Meditation Retreat
2025-12-05 - 2025-12-07
The Calm Within: A Clarity of Mind Mahamudra Meditation Retreat at The Mountain Retreat Center in Highlands, NC
Friday, December 5 – Sunday, December 7, 2025
Take a break from the busyness and excessive productivity of everyday life, and retreat into the clarity and calm deep within our own mind.
During this special weekend mountain retreat, attendees will be guided in meditations on the nature and clarity of our own mind. These sublime meditations are effective methods for improving concentration and counteracting negative mental habits that result in stress, anxiety and fear.
By training in these meditations, our mind becomes progressively more subtle and peaceful, causing us to experience a profound inner stillness and tranquility. Eventually, we will discover our own inner potential for lasting peace, happiness and true freedom.
These meditations are part of the Mahamudra tradition, the very essence of Buddha’s teachings. Gaining the slightest experience of these blessed instructions will revolutionize our life, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Sessions will be skillfully guided by the Resident Teachers of Southern Kadampa Centers. Sessions include a brief teaching, silent time for meditation and time for question and answer. All sessions are suitable for beginners and those with some experience of Kadampa Buddhism.
Everyone is welcome!
This regional retreat is organized by Kadampa meditation centers and branches in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday
3:00-7:30p.m. | Check-in at The Mountain’s main office
6:00-7:15p.m. | Dinner
7:30-9:00p.m. | Introduction and Session 1
Saturday
8:00-8:45a.m. | Breakfast
9:00-10:15a.m. | Session 2
11:00a.m.-12:15p.m. | Session 3
12:30-1:45p.m. | Lunch
4:00-5:30p.m. | Session 4 and Q&A
6:00-7:00p.m. | Dinner
7:15-8:30p.m. | Session 5
Sunday
8:00-8:45a.m. | Breakfast
9:00-10:00a.m. | Session 6
11:00a.m.-12:30p.m. | Session 7 and Conclusion
RETREAT TEACHERS
Gen Kelsang Norbu was ordained in 2006 by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, and was requested by him to be the Resident Teacher of KMC North Carolina. He earned the title ‘Gen’ in 2012, indicating that he is a senior ordained teacher in the New Kadampa Tradition of modern Buddhism. He is known for his loving and gentle nature and holds a very clear and sharp understanding of Buddha’s teachings.
Kelsang Dechok is a senior ordained teacher of Modern Buddhism. She has studied and taught in both the US and the UK for many years. She was ordained in 2006 by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, and was requested to be the Resident Teacher of KMC Georgia in 2023. Whether it be through guided retreats or classes, her playfulness and sincerity allow students to see how the teachings can benefit them in their busy modern lives.
Gen Kelsang Tabkay has been a practitioner of Kadampa Buddhism and student of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso for 18 years. Ordained as a Buddhist monk in 2013, he is the Resident Teacher of KMC South Carolina and previously, KMC Phoenix. He has also guided many retreats at the International Kadampa Retreat Center Grand Canyon. He is known for giving accessible and practical teachings, dedicating himself to bringing peace into the hearts of others.
Kadam Sharon Lovich has been practicing meditation and Kadampa Buddhism since 2003 and is the Resident teacher of the Je Tsongkhapa Kadampa Buddhist Center in Asheville since 2017. She has engaged in numerous focused meditation retreats and is known for teaching others how to develop a peaceful mind with great skill, lightness, and humor.
Ethan Lechner has been a practitioner of Kadampa Buddhism since 2008. In that time, he has traveled throughout the world to receive teachings from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and the tradition’s most senior teachers. Ethan is appreciated for his warm, humorous, and relatable style of teaching Dharma.
ABOUT THIS RETREAT
What is a retreat?
In meditation retreat, we take a break from our normal busyness to gain experience of a particular meditation practice.
In a retreat, we have the opportunity to gain deeper concentration by letting go of our usual busyness, preoccupations and worries, to experience a spacious and life-enhancing perspective.
Even with poor concentration, we are generally more peaceful, relaxed, and happy on retreat than in our ordinary fast-paced, externalized lives.
Whether you’re a beginner or simply want to enjoy retreat in ideal conditions, every aspect of these retreats are structured to help you refresh your mind through meditation. During the breaks enjoy meaningful conversation and the beauty and tranquility of the North Carolina Highlands.
How to prepare
A wonderful way to prepare for this retreat is to read Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s text Mahamudra Tantra or The Oral Instructions of the Mahamudra.
Retreat Sessions
Sessions run between 60 and 75 minutes. The sessions combine practical instruction and time for meditation that will allow you to:

connect with an experience of true inner peace
develop basic techniques that can help you to create a consistent habit of meditation
leave with practical inner tools to apply what you have learned to your daily life

During the Breaks
Between retreat sessions take time to relax and carry your experience of peace, enjoy the tranquility of the grounds and connect and discuss with like-minded people.
Make it a Digital Detox Weekend
Are you feeling over-stimulated by the modern world and your phone is rarely out of your hand? Are you losing time to tech-based distraction? Is your phone draining you of energy to live with clarity and focus? Instead of sinking into habitual distraction, now is the time to take back control of our mind. Consider leaving your phone in your car and taking a break.
Morning Silence Practice
During this retreat we will be practicing silence in the morning, until after lunch. Silence is not just about not talking, it is about developing an inner quality of stillness.
In silence, we engage with the meditation object in a more intimate way. We start listening to the Dharma from deep within our heart which gives us a special inner experience of the teachings. Penetrating insights arise and since we are able to hold onto them with firm mindfulness we find Dharma experience pervades and nourishes our heart at a very deep level.

REGISTRATION DETAILS
Registration Deadline: November 23, 2025
Registration opens: August 11, 2025
Registration fee includes:

double or single room, or indoor camping bunkhouse
bed linens, towels and shower amenities
all program fees
vegetarian dinner on Friday
vegetarian breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday
vegetarian breakfast on Sunday
access to The Mountain grounds, facilities and hiking trails

Adult costs:
IMPORTANT: Expect simple, rustic accommodations, with basic amenities and a focus on nature. Contentment is an essential part of a successful meditation retreat. It will be cold, so please bring a space heater, additional blankets or sleeping bag, and anything that will help you be more comfortable.
Single Room (limited availability)
$490 per person
Single Occupancy rooms are now full. If you’re open to sharing a room, please register for Double Occupancy. If you will only attend the retreat with a private room, please sign up for the waitlist in Campwise. If you’re willing to sharing a room but want to be notified if a single opens up, please register for Double Occupancy and then email your private room request to james.williamson@themountainrlc.org. Extra private rooms, if available, will be assigned about 1-2 weeks before the retreat.
Double or Triple Room
$350 per person
If you don’t specify a roommate when you register, one will be assigned to you in the same gender.
Indoor Camping/Family Bunkhouse
$290 per adult
This is an indoor camping experience in a rustic cabin. Cabins have an indoor bathroom and shower and mini-split heating unit. Perfect for families!
Children and young adults:
Children may attend the retreat at a cost of $150 per child. We regret that children under 16 are not allowed in the main meditation room during sessions. A video link will be available in a comfortable quiet area reserved for families.
Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by two (2) nominated responsible adult carers over the age of 18. Those who are aged 16 and 17 years must be accompanied by an adult over 18. You will be asked to provide the names of the carers/accompanying adult at the point of booking, and will be unable to complete the booking without it. This retreat is a public event and the care and safety of children and young adults remains at all times the responsibility of their parents/nominated carers/accompanying adult. For insurance purposes, NKT-IKBU and the Retreat Organizers cannot take responsibility for children and young adults. Children (of all ages) must be under adult supervision at all times.
How to register:

Go to The Mountain’s Portal
On the top right click on Registration Portal.
Create an account
Complete your personal profile
Under “Program Classifications” select OTHER RETREATS
Select your room option
Specify dietary needs, housing options and mobility needs
Specify roommate options. If this is left empty one will be assigned to you
Submit payment. Your spot is not secured until payment has been submitted.

Fall Intermediate CON
2025-12-12 - 2025-12-14
Fall Intermediate CON
Youth Conventions or “CONs” are weekend long events planned by youth with adult support for youth from third grade to high school. At heart, a youth con is an experience in building covenantal community and empowering youth leadership.
Supported by the larger work of The Mountain, each con has a different theme and focus, but they all incorporate community building, fun, worship, and exploration of spirituality. Each event has its own covenant and is in covenant with The Mountain’s safety policies. Youth experience both the safety of being in a covenantal community and the responsibility to repair relationships when difficult situations arise.
Youth have the opportunity to serve in leadership roles to help plan events, help run events, help the CON community live in covenant, or be peer chaplains for emotional support.
When
PALs Training: September 26 – 28, 2025
Elementary (3rd – 5th graders): October 17 – 19, 2025
Intermediate (6th – 8th graders): December 12 – 14, 2025
Senior High (9th – 12th graders): November 14 – 16, 2025
Registration opens: Now open!
Registration deadline: 2 weeks prior to CON start date.
If your youth coordinator has given you a transfer code number please enter the number at the payment portion of the registration process
In our registration system, select Youth CONferences
Fee
The Mountain is excited to announce a pilot program to better cover the costs of running The Mountain while still making it an accessible place for all who want to come.
Youth
Traditional Cost: $100/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
True Cost: $215/person (Covers the whole cost of the weekend)
No Cost: Free
Advisor
Supporter 2: $100/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
Supporter 1: $50/person (Covers part of the cost of the weekend)
No Cost: Free
Please email youthcamp@themountainrlc.org with any questions or concerns regarding this new price structure.
Click Here to Register!
