Skymind Resting in the Natural State

Skymind Resting in the Natural State is a five-day meditation retreat at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, devoted to open awareness practice and nondual Buddhist wisdom. Rooted in the Tibetan Mahamudra tradition and inspired by the 11th-century yogini Machig Labdrön, it is led by Charlotte Rotterdam and Pieter Oosthuizen, coauthors of Skymind. It suits beginners, experienced meditators, and anyone drawn to Buddhist wisdom, mindfulness, self-inquiry, and embodied transformation.

The retreat explores one simple and demanding instruction: to rest in the natural state. Skymind brings nondual teachings into everyday modern life, pointing toward a direct experience of our fundamental wholeness, wakefulness, and capacity for compassion. It is also offered as an invitation to personal and communal healing, speaking to the loneliness, despair, and anxiety many people carry.

What to Expect

Over the five days you work with the nature of your own awareness, aiming for a clearer understanding of it and more confidence in your ability to meet yourself and others with compassion. The teaching is varied: lectures, guided meditations, personal reflection, small- and large-group discussion, and creative and experiential exercises. Several sessions take place outdoors, in nature.

Check-in is on the Sunday afternoon, with rooms available after 5:00 p.m. Workshop sessions generally run from 9:00 a.m. to noon, with afternoon sessions from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday is a morning session only, leaving the afternoon open. On Thursday evening, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m., a demonstration of traditional Tibetan Buddhist Chöd practice is held outdoors by a bonfire. The retreat closes with a Friday morning session and check-out at 1:00 p.m. The faculty may adjust the schedule.

About Charlotte Rotterdam

Charlotte Rotterdam is a Buddhist teacher and contemplative educator. She is coauthor of Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness, and she teaches this retreat together with Pieter Oosthuizen.

About Pieter Oosthuizen

Pieter Oosthuizen is a teacher of Tibetan Buddhism and coauthor of Skymind. Together with Charlotte Rotterdam, he guides participants through the contemplative practice at the heart of the book.

The Setting

The retreat is held at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Participants can stay on campus or register as commuters if they live nearby. On-campus lodging is booked separately and includes meals and use of campus facilities, such as optional classes, recreation, walking trails, and parking. Choices range from private cabin rooms with heat, air conditioning, and linens, to a dorm single with a shared hall bath, to simple tent cabins with a nearby bathhouse and no heat or air conditioning, to camping on a pre-assigned site. Double cabin and double tent cabin options are available to those registering with a companion. Commuter registration also includes meals and access to the same facilities and amenities.

Before You Go

No prior meditation experience is needed. Bring clothing suited to being outdoors, a journal, and a pen. The suggested reading is Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness by Charlotte Rotterdam and Pieter Oosthuizen. Tuition covers the workshop itself, including time with the faculty, while lodging is a separate booking. Anyone needing an accessible room should ask Omega's registration team when arranging accommodation.