Start your life at Lawrence with Ritu@l Retreat! Experience an intimate and immersive spiritual retreat, that allows YOU to choose how to best make use of your time at Lawrence. 

About the Retreat

The retreat is designed to inspire connection to self, others, nature, and beyond leaving you energized, emotionally balanced and mentally focused. Learn to transform ordinary habits and routines into intentional practices to feel in control of your days, minimize stress, and find pockets of peace even on the busiest of days. Through weaving together a fabric of these practices and rituals, gain insight about yourself that may be important in your desire/quest/hope to experience meaning and purpose throughout your years at Lawrence and beyond.

Each activity is designed to help you ground and enrich your personal practices with the support of fellow participants, peer leaders, and professional staff. Form a tight-knit community of folks to walk alongside as you all gain insights in traversing the inevitable unknown that accompanies a college experience. Over the course of the retreat, you'll be welcomed to your first community at Lawrence – one that is inclusive, thoughtful, and compassionate.

Student sitting near edge of river
Students sitting together in boat on river
students sitting or kneeling on floor during a group activity

Activities

Enjoy an early move in and a dynamic itinerary that includes three nourishing meals a day, time with yourself, and built-in-naps. Get to know your peers personally through group reflections, fun activities, and direct mentorship from your peer leaders and professional staff members, ensuring you’ll find connections before even stepping foot in a classroom. 

A range of activities and spiritual practices to explore throughout the retreat are offered. From ancient practices, site visits, reflective journaling, along with exercises and readings, you'll discover a personal sense of spiritual resonance. Guided meditations, campfires, Tai Chi, walking the local labyrinth, and a river cruise/kayak are just the tip of the iceberg.  

Cost & Participants

The fee for the retreat is $100. 
Please note: financial assistance is available to ensure that this program is accessible to all students who are selected.

Registration is limited to 12 to 15 first-year students who you will get to know well throughout the retreat. Like you, all participants in the retreat see their spiritual lives as organic and emerging and aspire towards a meaningful college experience.