Original Medicine Earth-Based Intensive Immersion Retreat
with Carol Cano, Janet Roos, Carmen Alvarez, Jonathan Relucio, Kimber Simpkins-Nuccio, Mario Castillo & Sarwang Parikh
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 - Monday, July 28, 2025 (6 nights In-person)
Arrival Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm PT
Departure Time: 11:00 am PT
Location: Spirit Camp Retreat Center on the unceded land of the Central Pomo speaking people (Little River, Mendocino County, California)
Retreat Description
Since 2014, we’ve continued to offer our Original Medicine program guiding hundreds of participants towards personal healing through deepening connection with nature as nature itself and cultivating relationships with our beloved ancestors and the Earth. We are thrilled to host the Original Medicine Residential Retreat welcoming participants of all backgrounds to experience the very essence of this unique yearlong healing crucible mindfully distilled into an immersive in-person land experience.
Braiding together the teachings of the Buddha and Indigenous wisdom co-creates a foundation of truth, trust, and love. During this intensive retreat, we will explore ways of coming into the core of who we are, our own Original Medicine, and enhance our personal growth and purpose with nature as our teacher. Held by the magic of the Redwood forest, we will learn and experience contemplative practices that include mindfulness meditation, earth walks, and embodied mindfulness movement. Participants will experience the depth and essence of Braided Wisdom’s one of a kind yearlong healing program refined intentionally into an intensive, restorative, and heart-opening experience that will deepen and widen the nature of who we are… not separate from nature itself.
We welcome all to consider registering, especially those who have been unable to commit to a yearlong journey.
For more information about the retreat, please view the Original Medicine Earth-Based Intensive Immersion Retreat Information Packet.
As part of your registration, it is important for you to complete the Original Medicine Intensive Immersion Retreat Participant Information Form 2025.
ABout THE teachers
Carol Cano, M.A.
Lead Teacher
Carol Cano, M.A., began her practice over 35 years ago at Wat Kow Tahm in Thailand and has actively engaged in building communities and teaching Dharma internationally. She is a teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She is a core teacher and a former board member of East Bay Meditation Center. Carol co-founded Philippine Insight Meditation Community in the Philippines.
Her unique teachings are deeply grounded in Basque, Native American and Buddhist influences that braid the Dharma along with Indigenous wisdom and earth-based practices. Her psychology background gives her a unique view into the human condition, which helps her hold community in a compassionate and confident manner. Carol reminds us to keep grounded in our hearts as we uphold spiritual ideals and encourages us to remain balanced within the demands of modern life. To find out more about Carol, please visit www.carolcano.com.
Janet E. Roos
Co-Teacher
Janet E. Roos, PMP, CMT-P, has been recognized as an innovator in Business Technology for over 30 years. She has worked coast-to-coast as a highly respected “In-House” and “Consultant” leader for world renown companies. Janet completed the UCLA Mindfulness Certified Training Program and is a certified member of the International Mindfulness Teacher’s Association. She is a co-teacher for Braided Wisdom's Original Medicine Yearlong Program. Janet is a four time “Hall Of Famer” recognized elite athlete who understands the inherent value of employing Mindfulness Practices for competition, sports preparedness, and training. She has sustained a personal meditation practice for over a decade and has attended numerous training and silent retreats. Janet has volunteered with Non-Profit Organizations and currently serves on two non-profit boards.
Carmen Alvarez
Teaching Assistant
Carmen is from the Purepecha lands in Michoacan Mexico. Carmen has a master’s degree in Leadership which she has braided beautifully with her Toltec, Purepecha, and her Mindfulness Training Practices providing holistic approaches to healing and personal development. She received her Certification as a Mindfulness Teacher from the Braided Wisdom Leadership Training Program in 2022. She also has completed two Indigenous Master programs, Nahualismo and Curanderismo. Carmen is a practitioner of Mexican Indigenous practices and she is also part of a Lakota centered community. Coaching and training are her passions as she thrives when working with others. Her belief is that we must heal ourselves and by doing so we heal our family, our ancestors, and our communities. Carmen practices and guides mindfulness meditations, leadership coaching, ancestral healing, trauma-based healing, limpias, manifestations, planting dreams, among many other healing techniques. Her intention is for everyone to find their passion and live their best life.
Sarwang Parikh
Teaching Assistant
Sarwang Parikh LMFT (he/they) is a psychotherapist and meditation teacher based on unceded Ohlone land in Richmond, CA. He was born into a devotional Indian lineage from an immigrant, working-class family. They have been practicing and studying the Dharma path for over 20 years, primarily through the doors of Vedic yoga and the Theravada Buddhist lineage. He has completed various teaching and study programs in yoga and Buddhist meditation including East Bay Meditation Center's 2-year Spiritual Teacher Leader program. Sarwang teaches at East Bay Meditation Center, Inward Bound Mindfulness Education and in other community organizations. They also serve on the board of Buddhist Peace Fellowship. Sarwang loves playing his handpan, being immersed in sci-fi or getting free on a dance floor. You can find out more about Sarwang at www.heartroottherapy.com.
Mario Castillo
Teaching Assistant
Mario Castillo (he/him) resides on the ancestral and unceded land of the Bay Miwok-speaking Saclan people (Orinda, CA). He identifies as a queer, cis man of color on a spiritual path and has been a dedicated Buddhist practitioner in the Theravāda and Vipassanā traditions for nearly 15 years. Mario began attending the East Bay Meditation Center’s Alphabet and People of Color Sanghas in 2009. He later co-founded two peer-led Deep Refuge Groups in 2010: Alphabet Brothers of All Colors and Alphabet Brothers of Color. Mario is a graduate of EBMC’s Commit to Dharma Program with Larry Yang (2012) and EBMC’s inaugural Spiritual Teacher and Leadership Training with Noliwe Alexander, Carol Cano, JD Doyle, and Amana Brembry Johnson (2023). Mario practiced as a Buddhist monk in Thailand with Venerable Acharn Tippakorn Sukhito before returning to the Bay Area to complete his graduate training. Mario received his Ph.D. in sociology from UC Berkeley in 2023. His research focuses on organizational diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Kimber Simpkins-Nuccio
Teaching Assistant, Movement Teacher
Kimber Simpkins-Nuccio (she/they) is a white, cis, queer mom and writer who taught yoga and mindfulness in the San Francisco Bay area for more than twenty years, bringing a body love and social justice perspective to her teaching and learning. She has completed the Dedicated Practitioner’s Program at Spirit Rock, teacher training at the Mindfulness Training Institute, racial justice facilitation training with Holistic Resistance, the Spiritual Teacher and Leadership Program at EBMC, Mindfulness Mentor Training with Banyan and is a visiting teacher at Spirit Rock, EBMC, New York Insight, and more recently, Insight Santa Cruz. She is currently learning the Kwan Yin dharmas in the 2 year Dharmapala training and is a member of the 2024 cohort of Braided Wisdom’s Original Medicine program. As a practitioner, Kimber values the intersection of social justice, self-knowledge, and decreased reactivity within Buddhist practice and appreciates how these skills help us increase our ability to connect deeply. Undermining white supremacy internally and externally is a core component of her work. She has witnessed first hand how the practice of mindfulness has brought more compassion and joy to her relationships and life.
Jonathan Relucio
Teaching Assistant
For a decade, Jonathan Relucio was a Senior Trainer for Niroga Institute, teacher trauma-informed yoga, meditation, and mindfulness in urban schools, mental health clinics and juvenile detention centers. Currently, he teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and East Bay Meditation Center. Jonathan also facilitates transformation in social justice movements as a Trainer for Rockwood Leadership Insitute; integrates mindfulness with restorative circles for healing and racial equity as co-founder of AllThriveEd.org; and serves on the Healing Advisory council for Filipino Advocates for Justice.
With over 20 years of experience in social services, community organizing, training, and leadership development, Jonathan values yoga, dharma, meditation, Indigenous medicine, martial arts, dance, and DJing as practices for liberation that heal us from the impace of oppressive systems.