In Sacred Space: Empowered by the Cosmos

an embodied, in-person retreat

with Brian Thomas Swimme,

Rev. Kacey Carmichael

& musician Judith Tripp

Jan 9-11 2026

The Bay Area's San Damiano Retreat, Danville, California

There is almost a sensual longing for communion with others who have a large vision.

The immense fulfillment of the friendship between those engaged

in furthering the evolution of consciousness has a quality impossible to describe.

~ Teilhard de Chardin

In this intimate retreat, we will explore the Powers of the Universe.

With others also engaged in this rich confluence of cosmology, ecology, arts, and spirituality, we’ll deepen our understanding and embodied experience of Earth and Universe creating through us.

Our retreat is designed to enliven and deepen the rich web of relationships among leaders who are often siloed. We are limiting the number of attendees to be able to closely engage with each other and with Brian, Kacey, and the retreat team.

Brian’s current project is updating and reworking his 10 Powers of the Universe. He is excited to collaborate with experienced community members in this ongoing exploration of the universe’s creativity. We will actively align with these Powers in order to rise to this moment and consciously, even joyfully, participate in the “Great Leap in Being” taking place in our era.

In addition to Brian’s presentations of his new thinking on the Powers, we will enjoy facilitated discussions, synergistic small groups, delicious meals, and the gorgeous gardens, forests, waterfalls, courtyards, fountains, fireplace, and labyrinth of San Damiano Retreat. Throughout, Kacey will invite us into our own brilliance/the brilliance of the universe flowing through us with experiential embodiment practices including Authentic Movement, free-writing and drawing, guided meditation, poetry, and other contemplative and expressive arts.

Assisted by Judith’s flute, guitar, drum, and song-weaving, together we will co-create a sacred field of shared resonance. We hope you’ll join in this rare opportunity to gather in an intimate circle of embodied creativity, collaboration, care and celebration.

RETREAT INFORMATION AND LOGISTICS

WE ARE FULL BUT WE ANTICIPATE HAVING ROOM TO BRING IN PEOPLE FROM THE WAIT LIST. Please fill out and SUBMIT the registration form, but don’t pay yet. We will let you know as soon as space opens. Thank you!

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~ Led by Judith Tripp, a cosmogenesis-oriented labyrinth experience for entering and integrating will be available Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, if your travel schedule allows. Main retreat sessions will begin after 6 pm dinner together Friday January 9 and conclude with lunch Sunday January 11. Additional offerings will be available Sunday afternoon, such as Emergent Dialogue with Penny Andrews, and shared interest groups, including for those interested in spiritual direction/companioning and mentoring practiced with an eco-cosmic spirituality lens.

~ You are welcome to bring an example, description, or small display of your work/evolutionary edge in the world. Also feel welcome to bring a poem, song, dance, story, stand-up routine or other 3-5 minute expression for our Saturday night open mic. Saturday night also includes the opportunity to dance Empowered by the 10 Powers to Kyra and Kacey’s 10 Powers Playlist.

~ To whet your appetite, Brian’s previous expression of the Powers of the Universe is available on Audible or for free at Powers of the Universe .

~ While food, lodging, and retreat hosting costs in the Bay Area are high, we are trying to keep the cost for this retreat as low as possible. We are grateful to Science & Spirit Studio for helping with some costs. Brian is gifting each participant a copy of Cosmogenesis: An Unveiling of the Expanding Universe. Reading his book ahead of time will enable our exploration to go deeper. On the registration form please specify whether you would like a hardcopy sent to you, the Kindle version, or the Audible version (read by Brian).

~ Cost for the weekend is $795. This includes the full program plus lodging in a private room with bathroom, all meals from dinner Friday through lunch Sunday, and enjoyment of the 55 acre hillside retreat overlooking Mount Diablo, from 2pm Friday to 4pm Sunday.

~ We are excited to gather with folks from different but related communities such as The Deeptime Network, Creation-Centered Spirituality, Joanna Macy’s The Work that Reconnects, Yale Forum on Religion & Ecology, Science & Spirit Studio, Christogenesis, The Chaplaincy Institute for Arts and Interfaith Ministries, Sisters of Earth, Green Mountain Monastery, Montessori Cosmic Education, Aloka Earth Room for Dharma, Ecology & Art, Starborne Journal of Autocosmology, The BTS Center for Spiritual Leadership for a Climate-Changed World, Center for Ecozoic Studies, and others involved in cosmogenesis, eco-spirituality, ecozoic evolution, new cosmology, autocosmology, journey of the universe, Gaia systems theory, the universe story, Earth literacies, and Earth mysticism.

~ If you have questions, reach out to us at: embodyecocosmos@gmail.com

CONSIDER EXTENDING YOUR RETREAT

Leading up to the weekend you may want to settle into the retreat space or explore the Bay Area. January in Northern California is all lush vibrant greens, and is the best month for Gray Whale watching. Redwood forest walks are always magical.

Whether or not you choose to stay the additional night at San Damiano, Thursday evening January 8th we’re offering a special curated experience of San Francisco’s world-renowned Exploratorium Museum led by Tom Rockwell, the Exploratorium’s Chief Creative Officer and founding director of Science & Spirit Studio, which is helping support this retreat. (Note your interest on the registration form.)

In the 1-3 days following the weekend, you are invited to stay to relax in self-retreat, to share conversations or presentations of your current projects, and to integrate your experience. We have several certified spiritual directors/companions/mentors and expressive arts/transpersonal psychotherapists coming who offer individual or group sessions oriented toward an eco-cosmic spirituality. Sign-ups for these self-pay sessions will be available during the weekend. Email us if you are interested in offering sessions.

Registration for early arrival (Thursday) and/or extending your stay (through Sunday, Monday or Tuesday evenings) must be made directly with San Damiano for a very reasonable self-retreat fee CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO. 2 important notes: 1) the spiritual direction sign up on their form is for their directors, not ours, 2) under "How did you find out about us" write: "Brian Swimme retreat" and note with whom you will be sharing your room, if anyone. (Each person will need to register individually with San Damiano.)

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