Resting, Resting Deeply

Kaira Jewel's Summer 2025 Newsletter

Aug 12, 2025

Dear friends,

I hope you are finding some rest and ease these days. I have not sent out the monthly newsletter as usual as I am on a summer-long sabbatical.

It is so good to rest. Deeply. This time of rest and recreation has allowed me to see how much I have needed this space (and fun!) in ways I was not aware of. It took several weeks for me to slow down enough to feel how much I was carrying and gently begin to let go and sense into what I needed to nurture myself at a deeper level.

I have enjoyed spending time at the beach, hiking, being with friends and family, taking time to meditate, exercise—especially yoga, travel, and open to new experiences. Just a few highlights so far have been:

Seeing Bear Grease, the all-Indigenous hip hop musical parody of Grease! Its the first all-Indigenous production I’ve seen and only the 2nd ever to debut Off Broadway. I got chills when Tammy Rae Lamouche sang Stand By Me in Cree. And when the director came out after the standing ovation and shared that they let themselves really have fun and be authentically who they are making this production because their parents in the 70s (the period when Grease was made) didn’t get to have a youth like this—fun, free and festive. He said they were dancing and singing on stage for their ancestors. For me it was history in the making. Please support this and go see it if you get the chance!
Seeing the Amy Sherald: American Sublime exhibit at the Whitney in NYC. Her paintings center everyday Black Americans and moved me in ways I was unprepared for. She gave such freedom to her subjects, and through them, to me, to us. (The exhibit ended Aug 10 but hopefully will travel to other places.) I walked through the exhibit twice and it was incredibly contemplative. One of the paintings I found myself studying and feeling with for a long while is below:
Hope Is the Thing with Feathers (The Little Bird) by Amy Sherald
Listening to Alphonso Horne and the Gotham Kings at a live (and very enlivening!) free lunchtime concert in Manhattan.
Visiting the African Burial Ground museum (very sobering) also in Manhattan—it is a hidden gem and contains incredibly important history about the city and our country. A historian in the film about the burial grounds said, “Enslaved people were really colony builders” as they built the first walls, roads and structures of Manhattan in the 1600 and 1700s under horrific conditions of overwork, malnutrition and child labor. Most enslaved people in Manhattan didn’t live past their 30s as they were routinely worked to death.
Attending the 3rd part of Tanya Birl-Torres and Reza Salazar’s The Zora Project series, “A cosmic, theatrical offering to the legacy of Zora Neale Hurston,” that explored the work song tradition which Zora studied and documented. It included a beautiful conversation among all of us participants on work, our relationship to it, where we go in our minds when working and what does our work really need to be right now, collectively?
Worshipping at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem one sweet Sunday in July with my partner, Adam, surrounded by a loving community, soul-stirring gospel music and a rousing sermon on What does it mean to be a Christian?
Reading Ocean Vuong’s novel, The Emperor of Gladness. Whoo-wee! What beauty!
A joyful local bachata class with my honey on my birthday! And a number of other amazing dance classes around the NYC buroughs.
And time visiting my mom and sister in Denver—especially taking my mom back to the rehab facility where she recuperated from her fall last year and, with a friend, offering InterPlay, improvisational movement and storytelling, to the residents. They shared “this was better than therapy…and much cheaper!” and “I got the high without taking any drugs” and “it was nice to share and really feel someone listening to me.”

Also Lion’s Roar published my article We Must Have Courage in their July issue, on how we can meet this current and often ovewhelming collective moment grounded in the teachings of awakening. Here’s a taste:

Tending to this very moment is so important, for the future is made only of this moment. When we feel powerless and helpless, we can come home to ourselves and connect with our breath and body. In his last teaching before he passed away, the Buddha encouraged his disciples to cultivate the “island within.” That is, we shouldn’t take refuge in any other person or thing, but only in the energy of awakening that each of us has inside. We can each do this now. Only by tending to reality, moment by moment, can we access our inner power. We may be tempted to give up our inner power when feeling helpless in the face of external power, but this would be a kind of obeying in advance. Don’t do it!

At the same time, this is a devastating moment. It is heartbreaking to witness the ongoing starvation and destruction in Gaza — to see such suffering, and to know how long it has been allowed to continue. Many of us are carrying sorrow, rage, confusion, and a sense of helplessness. It can be overwhelming.

In this pain, it feels more important than ever not to turn away — from the truth, from each other, or from what we know to be just. Staying connected to community, to our capacity to care, and to the truth of what’s unfolding can help us stay human. It can help us respond in ways that are grounded in love and committed to a future where such violence is no longer possible.

I’m sharing my friend Oren Sofer’s call to join in supporting a direct mutual aid campaign that sends funds straight to families in Gaza and evacuees in Egypt. Learn more or donate here: https://chuffed.org/project/yegforgaza

Other Ways to Support Palestinians in Gaza
If this approach isn’t the right fit for you, here are additional ways to help:

Recently, the head of the UN World Food Program said of the situation in Gaza: “This is not a warning, this is a call to action. This is unlike anything we have seen in this century."

Also The House of Interbeing is a new effort underway to support Palestinian and Israeli activists, justice seekers, war resisters and peacemakers to create an international house of peace and mindfulness adjacent to Plum Village Monastery in France. More on it below.

Below is a full list of my upcoming events but here I want to highlight a few key ones:

I will be offering a new monthly in-person and online class through New York Insight beginning October 9th from 6:30-8:30pm: The Body Remembers Freedom: Meditation, InterPlay, and the Art of Coming Home to Yourself. More info below.
In addition this month I’m Teacher of the Month for Dan Harris’ 10% Happier podcast and have 8 guided meditations that will be made available, 2 per week for subscribers (it seems you can also get one or more of them for free) that accompany Dan Harris’ interviews with deep thinkers and creatives like Dr. Sunita Sah, Gretchen Rubin, Manu Kapur, Ofosu Jones-Quartey, and Sebene Selassie.
There are so many wonderful programs and trainings happening that I share with you below, including the Earth Awareness Teacher Training, an 8-month program for meditation and mindfulness teachers to cultivate ecological literacy, embodied presence, and a sense of sacred reciprocity with the natural world. More on this and many other important offerings below.

My intention is to return to the regular monthly newsletter rhythm in October. Until then, be well.

May you find deep rest and plentiful inspiration, and may goodness and grace find you daily,

Kaira Jewel

PS: Here is the beautiful Resting Deeply song that I love to sing and share with others. Please enjoy.

Upcoming retreats, daylongs, and talks:

Oct 9, 2025 The Body Remembers Freedom: Meditation, InterPlay, and the Art of Coming Home to Ourselves…A new monthly in-person (and online) series!

Monthly on 1st or 2nd Thursdays · 6:30–8:30pm · New York Insight Meditation Center

What if freedom wasn’t something to earn — but something your body already remembers? What if your body already carried the wisdom you need to heal, connect, and come home to yourself? What if play could be a blessing?

The Body Remembers Freedom is a monthly gathering where we explore the intersection of meditation, dharma, and embodied practice. Each session includes time for stillness and contemplation, a dharma talk or shared inquiry, and InterPlay — a playful, powerful practice using movement, voice, storytelling, and deep listening to unlock the wisdom of the body. Together we create a space that welcomes laughter, tears, rest, and joy — a space where you can move freely, feel deeply, and be held in community. Through this practice, we remember what it feels like to trust ourselves, to breathe fully, and to belong.

We gather to remember the sacred in the ordinary, to bless our own aliveness, and to reconnect with community, the earth, and the truth in our bones. Come as you are. No performance, experience, or flexibility required — just a willingness to be curious and present.

In person and online More info is coming soon on New York Insight and my websites

Oct 15, 2025 Guided Meditation, Teaching and Dharma Sharing from 5:30-7pm hosted by Smith College and the River Valley Sangha of Northampton, NH. Open to sanghas of the Connecticut River Valley and the general public. Held on Smith College Campus.

In person Contact Denys Candy at dcandy[at]smith.edu for more information.

October 26, 2025 12pm “Mindfulness & Climate Change” Kaira Jewel is a guest speaker for the Beloved Community Circles training. Program dates are weekly through September and October 2025, sponsored by Beloved Community Circles for Mindful Action.

More Info here. Online.

October 26, 2025, Sunday 1:30 pm - 3:30pm One Earth Sangha: EcoDharma Exploration with Kaira Jewel Lingo

Info and registration will be available here soon. Online.

November 16, 2025, Sunday 10 am to 4 pm ET, New York Insight Day Long

Blessing Our Aliveness: Play, Rest and Practice in Beloved Community with Kaira Jewel Lingo

In this day of practice, we come together to honor the miracle of being alive. Through mindfulness, play, and rest, we will deepen our connection to ourselves, each other, and the present moment. When we slow down and remember our innate wholeness, we touch a source of vitality and joy that is always available, even in the midst of challenge.

Location:
115 West 29th Street, 12th floor
New York, NY 10001

SAVE THE DATE In person, held at New York Insight Center, Info and registration to come.

November 21 - 23, 2025 Annual BIPOC Women's Retreat with Valerie Brown, Marisela Gomez MD, and Kaira Jewel Lingo

Our focus will be the book Healing Our Way Home and the importance of ancestors, joy, and liberation. Join us for an exploration of how we can see ourselves in each other’s path of joy and liberation, and take refuge in our individual and collective healing. There will be daily dharma teachings, daily mindful walking/moving, sitting/stationary meditation, mindful eating, singing, dharma writing, and dharma sharing. Reading of the book before the retreat is highly recommended.

In person, held at Garrison Institute, Info and registration to come.

SAVE THE DATE

A few of my 2026 Events

May 24 - 29, 2026, Nature Retreat at Spirit Rock with Kaira Jewel Lingo, Mark Coleman, and Susie Harrington

In person retreat. SAVE THE DATE

June 20 - 24, 2026, Annual Retreat for Black, Indigenous, People of Color at Garrison Institute with with Dr. Marisela Gomez, Kaira Jewel Lingo and Joe Reilly

In person retreat. SAVE THE DATE

June 24-30, 2026, Teen Retreat at IMS

In person retreat. SAVE THE DATE

Ongoing every Thursday at noon ET: Weekly BIPOC Meditation Sangha Online
We extend a warm invitation to Black/Indigenous/People of Color to join for an hour of meditation, teaching and sharing with Kaira Jewel Lingo and Marisela Gomez, and other guest teachers, who alternate teaching every Thursday from 12 - 1pm ET.

By donation. More info here and to register here.

Recent teachings

We Must Have Courage by Kaira Jewel

Published May 27, 2025

When we feel powerless in the face of politics, we overlook the positive change we are capable of creating. Kaira Jewel Lingo on how to find our inner—and collective—strength.

“If we want a different kind of world in the future, we’ll have to be the seeds of that world now. As the late activist A. J. Muste said, “There is no way to peace; peace is the way.” We cannot sacrifice the means for the ends. Other people are not our enemies, no matter what they believe or do. It’s discrimination, ignorance, and violence that we oppose, and we must stand up against these harmful attitudes, in whomever they manifest, including ourselves.”

Read on Lion’s Roar here.

Moving Through Change, Loss, and Disruption: an interview and guided meditation on Being Salt and Light from Richard’s Rohr Daily Meditations.

Recorded on June 11, 2025

A conversation between mindfulness teacher Kaira Jewel Lingo and Mark Longhurst, Publications Manager at the Center for Action and Contemplation. Together, they discuss the nature of Engaged Buddhism and explore practices to help navigate seasons of loss and disruption.

Tricycle’s app has three new 5 minute meditations by Kaira Jewel Lingo

Here is the link to download for free Tricycle’s app: https://onelink.to/negzys

Once you download the app, look for Kaira Jewel's meditations, under the Practice tab like in the images above.

Good things I’m spreading the word about.

August 17 - 23, 2025, Belonging To Each Other: An Ecodharma Retreat for People of Color at the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center in Boulder County, Colorado with Kritee Kanko, and Imtiaz Rangwala.

More Info here. In person.

Earth Awareness Teacher Training

This 8-month program will cover the tools, knowledge, and inner resources to cultivate ecological literacy, embodied presence, and a sense of sacred reciprocity with the natural world. With a pedagogy rooted in relationality, mindfulness, and justice, teachers will strengthen their capacity in addressing both the outer and inner dimensions of socio-ecological loss and resilience. Teachers for this program are Kirsten Rudestam, Susie Harrington, B Anderson, Yong Oh, and Nico Cary.

The program will begin October 2025 and run through May of 2026. For more info here. Applications due August 15.

The newly formed House of Interbeing provides a space for Israeli and Palestinian peace activists to live together in mindful community to heal, to connect with one another, and to plan concrete action for peace. Located near Plum Village, participating activists can attend mindfulness retreats and open practice days at Plum Village to foster inner peace and healing amidst catastrophic violence and pain. Please consider supporting this important project.

Beloved Community Circles Training

Dedicated Practitioner Program May 10, 2026 – May 22, 2028

Five 7-Night Retreats in person at Spirit Rock Meditation Center.
Study the Buddha's original teachings from the Pāli Canon.
Explore suffering and the path to freedom with a community of dedicated practitioners.
Integrate wisdom, compassion and ethical action in daily life.
Led by Gullu Singh, Amana Brembry Johnson, and many other leading teachers (Kaira Jewel will be a guest teach on at least one in-person retreat).

More info and to apply here. Applications close October 1, 2025

I’m happy to share that my friend Michelle Latvala’s book of poetry Between Latitudes was recently published!

Michelle's debut book Between Latitudes was published by Green Writers Press earlier this year, profoundly addressing themes of climate, ancestry, bodies, nature, kinship and more through her accessible, intimate, and deeply relevant poetry.

"These poems arise from the depths of our collective knowing, both disturbing and stirring us to respond. Her words surprise, expose, delight, and interrogate. Rooted in the strength of lived experience, they invite us into the heart of grief and the mystery of grit, compelling us to wrestle with how we live on this planet."—Kaira Jewel Lingo

More info and to order the book here.

Also, my friend Joe Reilly just recorded a new album Learn to Love Again

Music, Meditation, Love and Community are What We Need Right Now; singer songwriter Joe Reilly and band offer an experience of healing and transformation in new album Learn to Love Again which was released on all streaming platforms on June 20th, 2025.

I'm excited to share that some of my friends are hard at work planning the next session of the Contemplative Semester — a three-month immersion into meditation, community building, and nature connection for young adults taking place from February 1 to May 8th, 2026 in Marlboro, Vermont.

Last year, I had the chance to visit and teach, and was inspired by the depth of these young people’s practice! You can get a taste of what it was like in this video or sign up for an information session to learn more. Applications are open, so please share with anyone aged 18-25 who might be interested. Scholarships and college credit are available! Finally, if you might like to offer financial support to sustain this program and make it more accessible, you can reach out to Maya Park at maya@contemplativesemester.org.

Sky Mind Retreats

Sky Mind Retreats is a community dedicated to Nature Dharma retreats. All retreats are held in natural outdoor settings. Our offerings include a variety of experiences such as camping retreats, backpacking adventures, and kayaking excursions, among others. While most retreats take place fully outdoors, some may offer indoor sleeping options, allowing participants to enjoy being outside during the day (weather permitting). Most of our retreats are grounded in the Insight Meditation tradition.

Nature retreats provide an opportunity to explore the power of a silent meditation retreat while immersed in the beauty and wildness of nature. We participate in an age-old tradition of going into the wilderness as a support for spiritual practice and inquiry. Immersed in nature, we use meditation practices to increase our receptivity to interconnectedness, preciousness and to the beauty that surrounds us.