“I’m in a process to transform many aspects of my life and Ongo has given me support and strength to do it. It has helped me with my intention to change my relationships with myself and other significant people on my life. But more than that, it has given me a vision of my future and how I want to be.”
– Ongo Online Retreat participant

Today, as many of us are social distancing and spending more time with ourselves and our families without other distractions or supports, the need to develop our emotional intelligence and spiritual resilience is greater than ever. While each day brings new uncertainty from the outside world, often our life at home is also full of challenges. We may want inner peace and joyful relationships, but without regular inspiration, guidance, and spiritual companions to support us, daily struggles can easily overwhelm our best intentions.

The Ongo Online Retreat exists to offer that support. For the last ten years, it has provided learning, companionship, and encouragement for hundreds of people around the world to cultivate presence, compassion, and wisdom in their everyday lives. Each twelve-week retreat is adapted to address the unique situations and needs of those participating, while also giving a solid foundation of training in practices like Nonviolent Communication and Mindfulness. The format allows both new and experienced practitioners to find the ground they need to live their values.

Anyone from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection can participate in the Ongo Online Retreat. There are no prerequisites to join this program, other than a desire to learn and practice these teachings in your daily life.

DEEPEN your self-awareness and inner equanimity through meditation, Mindfulness practice, and applying authentic Zen Buddhist teachings to everyday life situations.

EXPAND your ability to respond compassionately and courageously to loved ones, not-so-loved ones, and “what-the-#%?!” ones, by using the skillful means of Nonviolent Communication.

Cultivate SUPPORT from teachings and teachers who walk their talk, and companionship through a leader-full international community that shares your deep intention and commitment.

Through phone, email, and Web, we bring the retreat to you:

• Daily – Emails, five days a week, with a specific practice or inspiration for your day, including guided audio meditations and video examples.
• Weekly – Access to a live “Wisdom Hall” online gathering with Catherine, Jesse, and the community for learning, connection, and practice (To find out the weekly gathering times, see below)
• Weekly – Meeting with a fellow community member for support and practice (scheduled individually). Detailed guidance and practices for these meetings will be emailed to you both.
• Weekly or Monthly – One-on-one private sessions by phone or video conference with Catherine and/or Jesse (scheduled individually), for personal guidance. You can sign-up to have these meetings either weekly or monthly.
• Anytime – Access to the Ongo online forum for discussion, questions, and support with Catherine, Jesse, and the community.

“The one-on-one calls were so penetrating and poignant. I felt such self-awakening and connection following them. I often found in them I faced a rawness of emotion and need never encountered so profoundly before. I would wish, were it an option, to have one-on-one calls in lieu of therapy as they feel far more authentic and revealing.”
– Ongo Online Retreat Participant

PARTICIPANT COMMITMENT:

“Commit to participating in everything.  Take a risk by being open and willing.  You’ll be happy you did!”
– Ongo Online Retreat Participant

The nature of an online-based retreat is that it requires extra commitment on the part of the participants to give it the focus and depth found in an in-person intensive. To promote this focus and depth, we ask that anyone considering the Ongo Online Retreat make a general commitment to participate in the live online gatherings, your weekly meetings with your “Ongo Buddy”, your private sessions with Ongo leaders, and minimally, thirty minutes, three times a week, to read and reflect on the emailed practices. We make this commitment with full acknowledgement that there will be times in which we may “fall short”, due to various life circumstances. Both the commitment to practice and the “falling short” are integral parts of the Ongo Online Retreat.  If you have any questions about this, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

LIVE “WISDOM HALL GATHERING” TIMES:

The live online meetings with Catherine, Jesse, and the Ongo community will take place every week at two different times (choose the group that meets at a time convenient to your timezone):

Americas/UK/Europe/Africa group: Saturdays at 10:00am, U.S. EST (New York), from April 25th to July 11th. In the UK, that’s 3:00pm. To see your local time equivalent for the first call, click here.

Americas/Asia/Australia group: Saturdays at 7:00pm, U.S. EST (New York), from April 25th to July 11th. In Sydney, Australia, that’s 9:00am Sundays AEST, from April 26th to July 12th. To see your local time equivalent for the first call, click here.

Note that, for both groups, due to time changes across the globe, your local time equivalent could change during the 3 months of Ongo – if you are not on U.S. Eastern Time, we highly recommend that you use this tool online to check the times on each of the call dates before signing up. All calls will be one-and-a-half hours long.

“My life with my husband has transformed. My ability to “hear” his voice and be a part of his life without judging what is good/bad is growing our love and our commitment to live happily.  My ability to hear my nonverbal son’s voice and empathically guess what his need(s) is/are has improved my confidence and in my ability to connect to him.”
– Ongo Online Retreat participant

ABOUT JESSE AND CATHERINE

JESSE WIENS CHU lived and trained in Soto Zen Buddhist monasteries for seven years. Among his many teachers, he was particularly influenced by Tenshin Reb Anderson, Soshin Teah Strozer, and Toni Packer. During that time, he also encountered the teachings of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), studying with founder Marshall Rosenberg and participating in trainer Robert Gonzales’ NVC LIFE (Living, Integrating, Fully Embodying) program for three years. In 2006, Jesse founded ZENVC as a vehicle for bringing the teachings of Zen and NVC together. Today, he continues to study these teachings by living them in his work and play as a Center for Nonviolent Communication Certified Trainer.

CATHERINE CADDEN has been an educator since 1987 finding alternatives to teaching, learning, and conflict resolution that work with the principles of nonviolence. Her journey led her to study with a number of renowned teachers, among them Jack Kornfield, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Sahn Nicole Hill, Ram Dass, Marshall Rosenberg, and Stephen and Ondrea Levine. In 1997, Catherine founded the TEMBA School, a visionary K – 8 academic program rooted in nonviolent philosophy, NVC, mindfulness, sustainable living, and artistic expression. In 2009, her educational philosophy and story of TEMBA, Peaceable Revolution Through Education, was published. As a Certified Trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication, Catherine brings over 15 years of experience practicing, living and teaching Nonviolent Communication (NVC) internationally to participants of all ages.

TOGETHER, Catherine and Jesse have worked on six continents with NGO’s, families, intentional communities, inmates, youth, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Baha’i, Hare Krishnas, atheists, activists, liberals and conservatives. They are coauthors of The Ongo Book: Everyday Nonviolence and hold an unwavering confidence that this work is universally beneficial.

COST:

We offer two options, with three possible payment plans for each:

• Ongo with MONTHLY Private Sessions with Catherine/ Jesse (3 total)
  • Pay in full upfront: $585 USD / $955 AUD / 530 EUR now
  • Pay monthly: $215 USD / $355 AUD / 195 EUR payments now, by June 1st, and July 1st ($645 USD / $1055 AUD / 585 EUR total)
  • Sign up with a friend and pay monthly: $195 USD / $321 AUD monthly payment by now, by June 1st, and July 1st ($585 USD / $955 AUD / 531 EUR total)
• Ongo with WEEKLY Private Sessions with Catherine/ Jesse (12 total)
  • Pay in full upfront: $1233 USD / $2012 AUD / 1117 EUR now
  • Pay monthly: $450 USD / $738 AUD / 408 EUR payments now, by June 1st, and July 1st ($1350 USD / $2205 AUD / 1223 EUR total)
  • Sign up with a friend and pay monthly: $415 USD / $683 AUD / 377 EUR monthly payment now, by June 1st, and July 1st ($1245 USD / $2033 AUD / 1128 EUR total)
    

SIGN UP HERE