Programs

With Fr. Brendan Ellis Williams, CMR

In this year’s annual autumn retreat, Open and Spacious Like the Sky, I will be inviting participants into the depths of contemplative insight through several powerful and ancient doorways: doorways that open to what I would call the ur-stratum of human spiritual experience. These openings into depth include myth, the roots of imagination, and the practice of sacred creativity. We will explore and embody some powerful tools in these arenas during our time together in retreat, and I will be guiding and holding the necessary sacred space for participants to safely enter the deep places of the soul and the unconscious mind in order to draw up life-giving waters from the Otherworld Well.

Since the container of this annual fall retreat is meant to provide (either alternatively or together) both Eastern and Western tools and modalities for deepening the contemplative life, and last year leaned heavily into Indo-Tibetan techniques and traditions, this year will draw substantively from the Western imagination, and employ tools from ancient myth, depth psychology, guided imaginal journey, and sacred art to usher seekers into new ways of becoming, being, and belonging, and to ultimately make way for the spaciousness of deep-rooted contemplative awareness.

Note that this retreat is different every year—I never repeat the same curriculum twice. This will be a totally unique opportunity to engage in this kind of depth-work with me in an intimate retreat container with a lot of time and space for small group and individual instruction.

Registration closes August 31, 2026.

Experience the quiet magic of fall at The Bishop’s Ranch on a guided Saturday hike through some of its lesser-known trails. Nestled on rugged terraces above the Russian River, the Ranch is a unique crossroads of ecosystems—bordered by the towering conifers of the coastal forests and the fertile, cultivated floodplains with remnants of riparian woodland.

This moderate-level hike will cover 4–6 miles, with some elevation changes along the way. While not strenuous, the terrain includes hills and uneven footing, so participants should be prepared for a moderately challenging walk. The pace will be relaxed and rambling, with plenty of time to pause, take in the views, and enjoy the journey.

Ranch host Julie Miller will lead the way, drawing on her background as a former park ranger, nature guide, retreat leader, and spiritual director. Her thoughtful approach invites hikers to see more than just the trail—to notice the stories the land holds and to connect more deeply with the natural world.

The group will stop midday for a Ranch-prepared sack lunch, offering a chance to rest, reflect, and enjoy the company of fellow hikers in a beautiful setting.

Whether you're a seasoned hiker or simply eager to be outdoors, The Fall Hike offers fresh air, inspiration, and the gentle beauty of nature in transition.

This creative collage, word, painting project is based on the book, The Kitchen Madonna, by Rumer Godden. We will explore the book together and then we will create our own kitchen Madonna's to bless our own kitchens. Each Madonna will be a unique expression of our own spirituality, culture, cooking and home life. The process will be as meaningful as the final art piece.

Use breath and meditation to deepen your understanding and appreciation of yoga. Our focus will be on choosing what opens your heart, supports your health, and uncovers your inner wisdom. You will be guided and encouraged to move past your resistance into a state of peace, clarity, and joy. After a morning of active, uplifting asana practice, focused on raising the energy and creating a sense of strength and lightness, in the afternoon, we will practice Restorative/Yin Yoga, moving into increased levels of awareness and stillness.

Designed for young adults ages 21 to 35, the NextGen Weekend Retreat is an opportunity to step away from the pace of everyday life and spend a few days connecting, reflecting, and simply enjoying time together at The Bishop’s Ranch.

The weekend will offer a welcoming mix of conversation, shared meals, time outdoors, group activities including a brief service project, and plenty of space for rest and fun. Whether you’re a regular visitor or haven’t been to The Ranch in years, come as you are and make space for new friendships, meaningful connection, and a little renewal along the way. Come for the weekend. Leave with a deeper sense of community and connection.

Thanks to several generous donors, the cost of the NextGen Weekend Retreat has been reduced to approximately one-third of the usual cost of a weekend at The Ranch. We want cost to be as little of a barrier as possible, so if the reduced rate is still difficult, additional partial scholarships may be available on a case-by-case basis. Please email programs@bishopsranch.org for more information.

A weekend of respite, creative reflection and renewal. Winter is a time to dig our roots into the deep rich soil of our lives and get reconnected to our inner wisdom. We will enter this exploration through the making of SoulCollage® cards, guided meditations, and group discussions.

Our creative time will center around the creation of SoulCollage® cards. The process uses found images, intuition, and imagination.  First you use intuition to select images, sourced mainly from old magazines and books, which we then collage onto 5x8” cards.  Once a card is created, then we use our imagination to dialogue with the collage and listen for the wisdom it holds for us. A completed card, with its unique composition of images chosen by you, has a dream-like quality to it.  Like our dreams, each card can carry multiple layers of meaning. As we work with our cards and our personal deck grows, we become more fluent in the symbolic language of our personal journey. This process is accessible to all, anyone can do SoulCollage®, even people who believe they have no artistic ability. Your cards are unique to you and are for your personal use to discover your own inner truth and wisdom.

During the weekend as you make cards for your SoulCollage® deck there will be opportunities to go deeper in your inner exploration with reflection time in the beautiful Chapel of St George, walks on the meandering Bishop Ranch trails and wandering the lovely labyrinth.

Instructor bio:

Lisa Thorpe is an artist and educator with over 30 years of experience creating retreats and art experiences at the intersection of art and spirituality. She is a certified SoulCollage® facilitator and trained with the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation as a Spiritual Director. Learn more about her and her work at www.lisathorpe.com.

To join the waitlist, please register for the retreat. 

Make time for those unfinished projects or new endeavors at a four-night quilt retreat. With all meals provided and no chores in sight, beginning through advanced quilters can truly focus on their passion. You’ll have time to be with old friends and the opportunity to make new ones while working on your own projects or sharing your creativity with other participants. This retreat is intended to give you the time you need for yourself without formal instruction or sales pitches.

To join the waitlist, please fill out the registration form. 

In 2026 John Philip began a new series of retreats (called The Fire of Hope) to respond to the deep challenges of this moment, whether political, religious, or environmental. Where do we draw spiritual strength to passionately say no to what is false and witness to what is true and of God?

The Fire of Hope 2 is the second in a three-part series of annual retreats led by the Celtic teacher John Philip Newell and his colleague Cami Twilling in which we seek the strength for justice, the strength to protest, and the strength of prayer. The teachings of this retreat are based on the book that John Philip is currently working on, drawing especially on the wisdom of Martin Luther King, Joan Baez, and Thomas Merton. Although the final text for this three-year series has not yet been written we recommend the following books by John Philip Newell as preparing the way, A New Ancient Harmony and the prayerbook Celtic Benediction.

The Fire of Hope 2 can be taken as a stand-alone retreat or in conjunction with The Fire of Hope 1 and The Fire of Hope 3 which can be attended in any order and at any of our retreat centers across the country or online.