Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training), MBA
Residential Retreat Teacher in Training
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith, MBA, (she+), brings over 25 years of meditation practice and spiritual studies to her livelihood as a spiritual teacher and leader. She is a dedicated lay practitioner of the Dharma and has spent the last five years undertaking contemporary Upasika vows and living as a lay renunciate. She enjoys scholarly programs and has completed East Bay Meditation Center’s Commit to Dharma Program (C2D3), Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s (SRMC) Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP6), East Bay Meditation Center’s two-year Spiritual Teacher and Leadership training and certification through the Mindfulness Training Institute. Ramona Lisa is honored to be in the 2025-2028 cohort of the Insight Meditation Society/Spirit Rock Teacher Training Program. Ramona Lisa is a 2023 Dharma Relief 2 Fellow and a certified Indigenous Focusing Oriented Therapy (IFOT) Practitioner. Ramona Lisa is a free spirit who creatively weaves together real life experiences into her Dharma interpretation using earth-based practices, authenticity, kindness, humor, music, and joy! When not teaching, she is likely meditating, sitting in long, silent retreat practice, or enjoying time with her adult daughter, family, friends, and Dharma buddies!
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training)'s Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
September 27 - October 2, 2026 | Sunday - Friday | 5 nights
The Dharma of Nature: Nature as Refuge, Teacher, Beloved
Spaces Still Available! Through guided nature-based meditations, together we will cultivate embodied mindfulness, deepen our connection to the earth, and awaken to the profound wisdom found in nature. Explore teachings on impermanence, interconnection, and letting go while opening to joy, awe, and inner stillness. This retreat offers a powerful refuge—nourishing the spirit, supporting resilience, and inspiring heartfelt presence in the midst of our changing world.
Mark Coleman
Victoria Cary
Kirsten Rudestam
Lissa Edmond (Teacher in Training)
Fernmarie Rodriguez (Teacher in Training)
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training)
Retreat | On-Land
October 21 - October 25, 2026 | Wednesday - Sunday | 4 nights
Taking the Sacred Journey Through Grief to Heal the Heart
Spaces Still Available! Grief is not sequestered to the loss of loved ones—it traverses beyond physical death and seeps into disappointments in relationships, the loss of dreams, ancestral anguish, and unnamed disappearances. Understanding the personal nature of grief and the tenderness of being with a broken heart, we will create a container that honors all individuals who are moving through their sorrow. We will practice silent meditation indoors and in nature and there will be Dharma talks, meetings with teachers, and embodiment practices.
Carol Cano
JD Doyle
Renda Dionne Madrigal
Kimber Simpkins-Nuccio
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training)
Retreat | On-Land
January 5 - January 11, 2027 | Tuesday - Monday | 6 nights
Winter Insight Meditation Retreat
Registration Open.The Buddha’s teachings and meditation practices remind us of the ever-present possibility of waking up to a sense of well-being, presence, and true nature that does not depend on circumstances. This silent Insight Meditation (vipassanā) retreat is designed for both new and experienced meditators, and will include systematic instructions in vipassanā meditation following the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. The retreat will also include lovingkindness meditation, meetings with teachers, and evening talks highlighting the central teachings of the Buddha and their practical application to our lives.
Howard Cohn
Erin Treat
Leslie Booker
Teresa Todoroff (Movement Teacher)
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training)
Retreat | On-Land
June 30 - July 6, 2027 | Wednesday - Tuesday | 6 nights
Rooted in Love: Heart Qualities and the Living Elements - Annual BIPOC Retreat
For those who identify as BIPOC. Registration Open. You are welcome here, exactly as you are. This retreat for BIPOC practitioners of all levels weaves together the brahmavihāras—mettā (lovingkindness), karuṇā (compassion), muditā (joy), and upekkhā (equanimity)—with the wisdom of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space. Each element illuminates a quality of the heart. Together they become a living pathway to freedom—a practice for the whole of life. Come rest, open, and grow deep roots, aligning with the living elements of connection.
Noliwe Alexander
bruni dávila
Pawan Bareja
Solwazi Johnson
Kimi Mojica (Movement Teacher)
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training)
Gina LaRoche (Teacher in Training)
Ronya Fakhoury Banks (Teacher in Training)
Upcoming Drop-Ins
Drop-in | Online
Sunday, September 20 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
BIPOC Voices: Weekly Sunday Saṅgha
For those who identify as BIPOC.
The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Sangha is a weekly gathering for BIPOC practitioners that provides a safe place to meditate and explore the Dharma. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training)
Drop-in | Online
Sunday, October 18 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
BIPOC Voices: Weekly Sunday Saṅgha
For those who identify as BIPOC.
The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Sangha is a weekly gathering for BIPOC practitioners that provides a safe place to meditate and explore the Dharma. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome.
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training)