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OJAI, CA — In response to the increasingly demanding pace of modern life, longtime nature guide and author Lanny Kaufer has announced a full-day immersive event: Ojai Herbal Retreat: Roots of Renewal. Scheduled outdoors for Saturday, May 30, at the serene Krotona Institute of Theosophy, this retreat is mindfully curated to offer a total departure from digital saturation and daily stressors.
Set within the peaceful, forested surroundings of Krotona’s 118-acre campus, Ojai Herbal Retreat: Roots of Renewal features a sequence of workshops, a Chumash blessing, and catered vegetarian lunch designed to provide a comprehensive experience of relaxation and rejuvenation.
“We are living through exceptionally demanding times, and people are feeling the weight of it,” says Kaufer, who is in his 50th year of leading nature education “herb walks” in the region. “That’s why the Ojai Herbal Retreat: Roots of Renewal is designed as a sanctuary. From the forested trails of Krotona to the specific sequence of workshops, every element—even the food delivery—is orchestrated so participants can simply show up and let the day of herbal healing take over.”
A Journey Through Four Rotating Sessions: Participants will rotate through four immersive workshops led by renowned regional experts:
- Creative Rituals for Everyday Beauty: Herbalist, acupuncturist, and artist Jiling Lin guides a session on nature journaling and abstract art, using Mama Earth’s generative brilliance to nurture intuition and explore adaptable rituals for everyday beauty.
- Grounding Through Touch: Clinical herbalist Emily Watson of Artemisia Academy leads a hands-on workshop in the art of self-massage. Participants will create their own take-home 1 oz herbal massage oil infused with choice botanicals to integrate into their daily practice.
- Rest, Reset, and Restore: Registered herbalist Carol Wade of Ojai School of Herbal Studies addresses the “demanding times” by helping participants create individual sleep pillows filled with aromatic herbs and exploring tools that reset healthy biorhythms and reclaim optimal health.
- Meet the Global Plant Community: Retreat Director Lanny Kaufer, author of Medicinal Herbs of California, leads a sensory walking tour of the Krotona grounds, connecting participants to a landscape of majestic deodar cedars from the Himalayas and the lemon eucalyptus of Australia.
The day begins at 9:00 AM with a Chumash Opening Blessing by Elder Patrick Tumamait, grounding the retreat in the ancestral wisdom of the land.
Community Support: The Ojai Herbal Retreat: Roots of Renewal is made possible through the generous support of our 2026 sponsors: HerbRally, The Farmer and the Cook, Papa Lennon’s, Artemisia Academy, Earth Island Herbs, Teeccino, Mountain Rose Herbs, Ventura’s Water Store, and Ema’s Herbs.
Registration Information: The all-inclusive retreat includes vegetarian lunch options. An Early Bird discount for Ojai Herbal Retreat: Roots of Renewal is available until April 30. Due to the intimate nature of the workshops, space is limited.
For more information or to register, visit OjaiHerbal.org or email info@ojaiherbal.org.
