Ojai Foundation

Category: Intentional Communities

ojai website

Located on a 40-acre ridge of semi wilderness in Ojai, California, the Ojai Foundation is an educational retreat center for both youth and adults, a place of personal retreat, and a community dedicated to the way of council, honoring spiritual practice in all traditions, service to others, and stewardship of the land.
Our adult programs include training in the council process, which involves speaking and listening "from the heart"; storytelling; mindfulness in a variety of traditional and contemporary settings; permaculture; and relationship intensives. We serve individuals, schools, and business organizations interested in community building, spirit in business, and the exploration of sacred arts. Wilderness rites of passage and a ropes adventure course are available for all ages.
The community is an essential part of this work: staff, guests, teachers, and students all create and explore how to learn and live together. Our common practices include daily morning meditation, council, mindful work, and service to the foundation's vision and the land we steward. We have nine residential staff positions and offer work retreat to four individuals each month. Core staff positions usually arise from the pool of work retreatants.
Our work-retreat program is for those interested in exploring the relationship between mindful work, spiritual practice, and community experience. The work is 25 hours a week to help maintain the center and support the foundation programs with time left for personal retreat. A 24-hour solo in nature is offered at the end of each month's stay. There are biweekly councils, and there are weekly teachings by our retreat coordinator. To apply contact us by phone or letter. Please include the dates you wish to come, the skills you offer, and the intentions you have for your time here. Cost is $25/week. We encourage people to come for a full month; a week's stay is minimum. For work retreatants foundation programs are available at a reduced price. Please call or write for our brochure and program schedule.