Living Gratefully in Troubled Times
A 2-Day Retreat in Sausalito, CA
An invitation to reset, reawaken, and experience living gratefully in a new way…
In a time where isolation and negativity dominate, it can feel challenging to adopt or maintain a grateful perspective on life. That’s why we’re extending you an invitation to step away from the noisy world and experience living gratefully in a powerful way: together, in person, through shared conversation and exploration about this spiritual practice with universal application.
This retreat is your opportunity for a personal reset. It’s a chance to reground, engage in meaningful conversation rooted in our organization’s 50+ year legacy of finding common ground through gratefulness, cultivate a more hopeful outlook, and develop or renew a practice of living gratefully.
This practice isn’t an entry point to an endless loop of self-improvement; it’s a lasting reorientation that can evolve with you through all of life’s beauty and hardship.
By committing to living gratefully, we can reawaken to our lives and all of the possibilities that exist right now. Even and especially in these uncertain and challenging times. Reawaken with us October 16 – 17.
The Experience + What’s Included
We will provide a blend of focused learning sessions, vibrant conversations, and opportunities for personal reflection. You will leave this retreat feeling restored, with the building blocks for a daily gratefulness practice that you can lean on for support and guidance, even in troubled times.
What’s included:
Two days of soulful exploration, conversation, and reflection
Retreat workbook and toolkit, plus a free copy of Everyday Gratitude
Restorative time in one of the most beautiful coastal towns in the world
Lunch and light snacks both days; happy hour on Friday; coffee, tea, and light breakfast on Saturday
Connection with other retreat participants in a small group setting
What’s not included: Travel to and from Sausalito, CA; overnight accommodations — see our FAQs below for recommendations; dinners — we’re happy to provide suggestions!
Secure your spot today!
About the Retreat Location
Campbell Hall at Christ Episcopal Church is located in Sausalito, California, immediately across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco and less than a half mile up the hill from San Francisco Bay. The church campus sits in a lush neighborhood of winding roads, only a short distance from Sausalito’s shops, restaurants, and ferry terminal. At Campbell Hall, you’ll find stained-glass windows and wood finishes creating a bright, warm atmosphere for shared conversations and learning. The private patio and tranquil garden provide the ideal conditions for peaceful contemplation. You can even catch glimpses of the San Francisco Bay.
Meet Your Hosts
Joe Primo
Chief Executive Officer
I first came across our founder Br. David Steindl-Rast’s scholarship while earning my Master of Divinity degree at Yale Divinity School. Of all the spiritual practices and teachings of theologians, philosophers, and ethicists I was exposed to during my education, the practice of living gratefully was — and remains — the most transformative perspective for my life and work. It supported me through trauma, loss, transitions, and while working with the dying and grieving. It is a language and perspective like no other because it is multi-lingual in its universality. It opens us up to this remarkable and mysterious life, while also making us healthier in heart, mind, and body. To speak this language is to sing.
Sheryl Chard
Director of Education
I’ve been part of Grateful Living for over a decade, serving as the Director of Education since 2020. Prior to that, I spent nearly three decades as an education leader, building programs and leading organizations with equal concern for the life of the mind and the well-being of the heart. Gratefulness was a guiding principle throughout, aligning with my efforts to create places of belonging, creativity, wonder, and love. In my current role, I’ve been fortunate to immerse myself in the scholarship, spiritual teachings, and science of living gratefully — deepening what I’ve long believed and witnessed. Like all practices that hold the possibility of transformation, living gratefully is a lifelong journey of discovery. I look forward to sharing our teachings, resources, and practices—and walking part of the road with you.
Secure your spot today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Friday, October 16: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., PDT
Saturday, October 17: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., PDT
Living gratefully is a spiritual practice, but neither our organization nor this retreat is a religious entity. We welcome people of all faiths or none into this beautiful setting on the church campus.
This two-day retreat is rooted in scholarship, spiritual wisdom, and research and will include guided reflection, vibrant conversation, and practical resources to build and deepen your perspective and daily gratefulness practice. Sample session topics include Beyond Thanks: The Foundations of Living Gratefully, Reclaim Joy, Tune In to the Constellation of Your Belonging, Awaken Your Inner Mystic, and Exercise Your Soul Muscle.
Campbell Hall at Christ Episcopal Church is located at 70 Santa Rosa Ave in Sausalito, California.
Click here for up-to-date public transportation options, including the ferry! Closer to the retreat date, we will provide parking information for those arriving by car.
Yes! We recommend the following:
- Hotel Acqua (4.2 miles away) — 10% Discount code available for retreat participants: After you select your dates, click “Rate Access/Corporate Code” from the drop-down menu. Enter code LG1016 and click “Add.” Discount available until hotel reaches capacity.
- Best Western Corte Madera (7 miles away) — Special group rate of $179 + tax per night: Call the hotel directly at (415) 924-1502 and mention the “Living Gratefully in Troubled Times” Group Block or book online with this link. You must book by September 16, 2026.
If you prefer to be within walking distance (note: Sausalito has steep hills!), The Inn Above Tide, Casa Madrona), and Gables Inn Sausalito are all a 10-minute walk away.
We have two scholarships available for 50% off the retreat cost. Please email us at [email protected] to apply.
We understand that life gives us surprises. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds due to limited space in this retreat.