Upcoming Retreats, Events & Gatherings
October Lunch and Learn: Arts & Community
Thursday, October 15th, 2026
Join Marianne Carruth, Executive Director of Tryon Fine Arts Center, for an engaging conversation about the power of art to strengthen communities, inspire learning, and deepen our connection to the world around us. A passionate advocate for making the arts an essential part of education and everyday life, Marianne will be joined by local painter and sculptor Dale McEntire to explore how creativity can spark curiosity, bring people together, and create a richer sense of place and belonging.
The morning begins at 10 a.m. with an optional forest bathing experience led by Aimée Bostwick, followed by the conversation with Dale and Marianne at 11 a.m. and lunch together in Kanuga’s dining hall at 12:15 p.m. Come for a morning of reflection, creativity, conversation, and connection.
An Evening for All Souls: A Gathering of Song and Spirit
Sunday, November 1st, 2026
Gather for an evening of music, remembrance, and community as we honor the lives of those who have helped form and shape us.
On Sunday, November 1, we’ll come together along the shores of Kanuga Lake for a meaningful All Souls gathering centered on song, memory, and hope. The evening begins with a community choir workshop, where all are invited to learn a song that will later be sung together as luminaria are released across the lake.
Guests can create personalized luminaria in memory of loved ones while sharing a simple supper of white chicken chili and cornbread. As dusk settles over the lake, Roots Grown Deep, featuring the CCLD One Voice Choir, will lead a concert culminating in the luminaria release — a beautiful ritual of light, remembrance, and connection.
Come to sing, remember, reflect, or simply be present. All are welcome.
Awakening Soul
Beloved Unknowing: Held in Mystery
November 5th – 8th, 2026
Join us for AwakeningSoul, November 5–8, 2026, as Mirabai Starr and Carmen Acevedo Butcher lead us into deep listening, spiritual practice, and embodied wisdom.
Together, we’ll savor beautiful music with the Awakening Soul Ensemble, tune into nature through forest bathing, and find healing through sound baths and yoga — or simply seek the respite our hurried lives are asking for.
We don’t have to have it all figured out. Come rest in the not-knowing, together, in beloved community.
Icon Writing with Teresa Harrison
November 14th – 20th, 2026
We are delighted to welcome back Teresa Harrison for another inspiring Icon Writing Workshop at Kanuga.
Whether you are returning or joining us for the first time, this year’s workshop invites you into a deeply creative and contemplative experience. Participants will have the opportunity to choose from four beautiful icons, each offering its own unique story and spiritual depth. Guided by Teresa’s expertise, you will learn the sacred practice of icon writing while creating a meaningful work of art to take home.
Come ready to slow down, be present, and engage your creativity in a setting that nurtures both skill and spirit.
November Lunch & Learen: Forgiveness at Ground Zero
November 19th, 2026
What does it mean to choose forgiveness in the face of unimaginable loss?
Join us for a powerful Lunch & Learn with Lyndon Harris, whose experience at Ground Zero became the beginning of a profound journey into forgiveness, resilience, and spiritual transformation.
The morning begins at 10 a.m. with forest bathing led by Aimée Bostwick, offering a gentle, sensory experience in Kanuga’s natural surroundings and an opportunity to become present and reflective. At 11 a.m., Lyndon will share his story and explore how forgiveness can open a path toward healing, freedom, and transformation.
Winterlight 51
December 28, 2026 – January 1, 2027
Middle and high schoolers from across the country are invited to a winter retreat at Kanuga in the mountains of western North Carolina. In this community built on unconditional acceptance, young people are empowered to feel nourished by nature, be unapologetically genuine, and to create authentic connections with each other and the Creator.
Gather the Scattered
February 20th – 26th, 2027
Join us for this week-long Iona Community experience. Guided by worship leader John Bell and musician Sally Ann Morris, this retreat invites Members, Associates, Friends, and those curious about the Iona way of life to step away from daily demands and enter a rhythm of shared prayer, music, reflection, silence, and conversation rooted in the rhythms of work, rest, and worship that have long shaped life at Iona Abbey.
Lansing Lee with Amy-Jill Levine
April 7th – 10th, 2027
The Lansing Lee Conference, featuring Amy-Jill Levine, offers a cross-faith conversation and a thought-provoking experience that invites deeper understanding and dialogue.
Interested in planning an event at Kanuga? Reach out here.