Retreats in Canada
Each Ontogony retreat is a transformative journey that weaves together timeless wisdom and contemporary practices to support profound self-discovery, healing, and awakening. Guided by Carlos de León, our retreats offer a safe, compassionate, and supportive environment for deep inner exploration, meaningful learning, personal growth, and empowerment.
Our retreats are hosted at Loon Lake, British Columbia, in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, within the University of British Columbia's Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. This serene setting sits on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie) First Nation.
Just 90 minutes from downtown Vancouver, Loon Lake is often described as one of the Lower Mainland's best-kept secrets. Surrounded by towering cedar and fir forests, pristine waters, abundant wildlife, and scenic walking trails, it offers an ideal sanctuary for reflection, restoration, and transformation.
Loon Lake Accommodations
Koerner Lodge
Enjoy comfortable shared accommodations featuring single beds and a private ensuite bathroom.
All meals and WiFi access are included throughout your stay.
The dining area and teaching room are in the same building, creating an accessible, immersive retreat experience.
Set in a peaceful lakeside location, the retreat offers an ideal environment for rest, reflection, and renewal.
Johnson Yew
Enjoy comfortable shared accommodations with two single beds in each room. Shared bathrooms include private showers, toilets, and sinks, offering comfort and convenience. Lounges, fireplaces, and community spaces support practice, reflection, and relaxation.
All meals are included, with WiFi available throughout your stay.
The accommodations are a 2–4-minute walk from the main building, providing easy access to teaching, dining, and retreat activities in a peaceful natural setting.
Pan Abode
Enjoy comfortable shared accommodations with two single beds in each room. Shared bathrooms include private showers, toilets, and sinks, offering comfort and convenience. Lounges, fireplaces, and community spaces support practice, reflection, and relaxation.
All meals are included, with WiFi available throughout your stay.
The accommodations are a 4–5-minute walk from the main building, providing easy access to teaching, dining, and retreat activities in a peaceful natural setting.
Loon Lake Special Features
Loon Lake offers amenities that support your well-being throughout your stay. Guests can unwind in the Finnish sauna, enjoy canoeing on the lake, or explore the forest walking trails.
Whether you seek quiet reflection, gentle movement, or restorative time in nature, these experiences offer meaningful opportunities to rest, integrate, and reconnect with yourself.
Ontogony Retreat Support
Guest Concierge Services
From the moment you register until you arrive at Loon Lake, our team is here to support every step of your retreat journey. Whether you have questions, need assistance planning your travels, or would appreciate a personal connection before the retreat begins, we are committed to helping you arrive feeling informed, relaxed, and ready for a meaningful experience.
Personal Meet & Greet
Schedule a complimentary online Meet & Greet with our Retreat Coordinator to ask questions, review accommodations and retreat logistics, and learn what to expect before your arrival.
Vancouver Shuttle Service
For your convenience, we offer shuttle transportation between our designated Vancouver pickup location at West 16th Avenue & Macdonald Street and Loon Lake Lodge & Retreat Centre. This service provides a comfortable and stress-free way to begin and conclude your retreat experience.
International Travel Support
Travelling from outside Canada? We're happy to help you prepare for your journey by providing guidance on recommended airports, transportation options, accommodations before or after the retreat, and general travel planning. Please note that all international guests are responsible for ensuring they meet Canada's entry requirements, including obtaining a valid passport and, where applicable, a Visitor Visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
Travelling from Mexico? Entry requirements may vary depending on your circumstances and method of travel. We recommend verifying your eligibility and required documentation before registering and making travel arrangements.
2027 Upcoming Retreats
Transformation flourishes in an environment of presence, simplicity, and genuine human connection. Our retreats are intentionally intimate, creating a space where each participant is seen, supported, and invited into a deeper relationship with themselves and the teachings.
Join Carlos de León for an immersive retreat experience where wisdom is not only shared but lived. Surrounded by the beauty and stillness of nature, discover the clarity, compassion, and inner freedom that emerge when learning becomes direct experience.
Embodied Shadow Retreat (Year One): Essential Principles of Transformation
Explore the foundations of shadow work and conscious transformation through this 6-day residential immersion with Carlos de León. Integrating Qigong (Energy), Meditation (Awareness), and Ontogonic Body-Mind Therapy (Clarity), this retreat supports deeper self-understanding, compassion, presence, and the integration of unconscious patterns.
Jan 31 thorugh Feb 5, 2027
Dharma Retreat (Year Two): Tools for Inner Clarity
Deepen your Dharma journey through this 6-day residential retreat exploring emotional patterns, body-mind dynamics, cognitive reframing, and the symbolic language of dreams. Through experiential practices and direct teachings, refine your understanding, strengthen your practice, and receive empowerments that cannot be transmitted online.
May 23 through 28, 2027
