If you’ve visited The Higher Haven, you’re familiar with that final turn south down dusty 63rd. street off of 106th Ave., as a bright green, half-mile farm field of soybeans — or this year’s cucumbers — spreads out wide to the Western horizon on your right. Every year, bees fan out across and pollinate that field, increasing the crop yield and improving the quality of the produce. Both honey bees and native bees buzz from flower to flower, pollinating not only the agricultural crops but many wild plants as well, contributing to the overall biodiversity of our neighborhood ecosystem.
This may be why we chose the blessed bee as the symbol for our signature retreat, our quarterly Noble Silence Meditation Retreat (NSMR), a weekend of energized, spiritual work that brings about fruitful growth. Just completed in mid-July, we’ll be offering the next NSMR again this Fall, from Friday, October 17th to Sunday, October 19th. Right now, as mentioned in our previous post, we’re riding out the retrograde by bowing to some of the greater forces at work in our world. Having recently consulted with our friend James Kelleher regarding our upcoming Fall schedule, here’s what James had to say about this very day — 08/08/2025:
“The upcoming Mars–Saturn opposition, active from July 28 to September 13, 2025, peaks on August 8, and in Vedic astrology, this alignment is like summer rush hour on the cosmic highway. It often produces delays, obstacles, and pressure, amplifying frustration for individuals and entire nations. For most of us, this transit simply means snags in communication, bottlenecks at work, or setbacks in everyday plans. It's the astrological equivalent of sitting in traffic when you’re late for a meeting. It’s annoying, but usually manageable. However, for countries and large organizations, this aspect can be far more visible, especially during periods of global instability. History shows that previous oppositions have coincided with moments of mounting strain: the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the Korean War offensives in 1951, and even major turning points in World War II.
In today’s world, with a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East, the grinding war in Ukraine, and other geopolitical hotspots simmering, this opposition suggests the possibility of increased tension, military buildup, or even surges in violence. While it doesn’t guarantee conflict, it often marks periods when tempers flare and patience runs thin. The best remedy? Think of rush hour traffic—you can’t change it, but you can change your approach. Slow down, stay patient, and reframe the experience. Listen to your favorite music, a podcast, or an audiobook. Tension and delays are part of life. Frustration & anger, however, are optional.”
The take-away? Rest, relax, organize, (for us) plan our Fall and 2026 schedule, and of course our favorite — go on retreat. We had hoped to have this post up by Wednesday, as it was the cut-off for August’s Shinzen Young Home Practice Program (HPP), a chance to meditate and practice more advanced techniques with people from around the world. We posted a chunk of Shin Speak an article or two back, and are looking forward to this weekend’s Shinzen led sessions on Focusing Out, Going Deeper into Equanimity, Working with the Auto Family, and Feeling Great! You can explore next month’s HPP or even consider a Virtual Home Retreat with Shinzen, both very economical ways to boost your personal practice.
Here, we’ll soon be posting our full Calendar of classes and retreats, information on solo visits, and be back in Ceremony next week with our August Way of The Contrary Weekend, circling up monthly through December. Although our tag line touts “Movement for the Body” and leads with Yoga, followed by Meditation, Ceremony, and Community, that was simply a pleasing rhythm of words to my old advertising copywriter ear. The truth is that we are a one-of-a-kind retreat center, more accurately offering Ceremony — powerful enough to heal a lifetime of unhealthy patterns and even mental illness, Meditation —in the Vipassana Tradition with techniques and teachings from a Master Teacher, Yoga — practiced in its original intent, to keep the body supple for long periods of sitting still, and a thriving Community — of which we’d love for you to be a part. All that said, we’re excited about a new standout yoga teacher, a yoga teacher’s yoga teacher, Ms. Kellie Lindsay, who will help lead upcoming Fall classes and 2026 retreats. We’ll close on the healing and uplift she recently received in Ceremony:
“As I was nearing the end of the first year of my PhD program—which followed a devastating break-up, completing my master's degree on fumes, working full-time, and moving myself and my teenage son to Ann Arbor—I was actively searching for a reset button. I've practiced and taught yoga for many years, so my initial instinct was to search for yoga retreats since those were familiar to me. However, I stumbled upon the Way of the Contrary at the Higher Haven and felt a strange calling to attend it instead. I will forever thank my intuition because this retreat experience was unlike anything I had ever encountered, and it was exactly what my body, mind, and soul needed. To be honest, I wish it had lasted much longer.
I had never participated in a ceremonial purification Lodge, so, I had no expectations or pre-conceived opinions on how things might go, which allowed me to "drop in" and embrace the newness of the practice in tandem with the newness I felt in my life. We were encouraged to bring photos of loved ones and/or "trinkets" for blessings, and that gesture alone helped me feel a deeper connection to my purpose for being there. Including photos of relatives alive and deceased as well as a friend who is struggling, I realized that I had inadvertently chosen people of a certain pattern. This realization happened moments before I entered the Lodge, and throughout the ceremony the feelings of forgiveness, relief, compassion, and closure washed over me. ‘Renewal’ is the best word I can use to describe it. An added bonus that I was completely taken aback by was that the chronic pain in my neck and shoulder was completely gone after the Ceremony. I am writing this nearly two weeks later, and I'm elated to report that the pain has not returned.
Logistically, Paul and his team were amazing at making us all feel at home on the grounds and in the retreat center. The place was clean, comfortable, and the trails were lovely and very well marked. Getting to spend quiet time alone in nature is always a bonus, and it was especially sweet for spending time introspecting after the Ceremony. All-in-all, if you are even slightly on the fence or feel any apprehension about attending this retreat, please take it from me—GO. You will not regret it.” ~ KL
