Ram Dass Legacy Retreat "Open Your Heart in Paradise" at Napili Kai Beach Resort

Some retreats ask you to travel far from home. This one asks you to travel inward, with the Pacific as company. The Ram Dass Legacy "Open Your Heart in Paradise" Maui retreat gathers pilgrims, truth-seekers, and newcomers to the spiritual path at Napili Kai Beach Resort in Maui, HI, for a wellness retreat shaped by devotion, silence, and service.

Hosted by the Love Serve Remember Foundation and led by Krishna Das and friends, this in-person gathering has welcomed seekers for over 18 years. This year's theme is "Tending the Heart in Troubled Times." If you are looking for a safe space to step away from daily routines, to reflect, meditate, heal, and celebrate, this retreat was made for that.

What to Expect

Krishna Das and friends bring five nights of kirtan to the Aloha Pavilion. Krishna Das also hosts an intimate afternoon live Chai n' Chat session and appears in additional sessions throughout the retreat.

Special guests include Father Gregory Boyle and Mirabai Starr, who join Jack Kornfield, Trudy Goodman, and Annie Lamott to share their insights on compassion, transformation, and the power of love. Their teachings draw on Buddhism, Judaism, the mystics, saints, and the Christ, and they also touch on psychedelics and on grief and loss. Raghu Markus moderates featured sessions and facilitates a Sunday afternoon Be Here Now Network live Mindrolling Podcast.

Alongside these sessions, the program includes:

- Sunrise Silent Sitting Meditation hosted by Rameshwar Das, who co-authored Be Love Now, Polishing the Mirror, and the biography Being Ram Dass with Ram Dass
- Daily Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Durga Stef, open to all levels
- Qigong on the Lahaina Lawn with Joyanna Maria Ananda, a low-impact practice that can be done in a chair, on a mat, or barefoot on the grass
- Stories from the Ramayana with Nina Rao, including the heroics of Hanuman and Sita stories
- Blessings of Aloha with Lei'ohu Ryder and Maydeen 'Īao, sharing ritual, protocol, pule (prayer), and mele (song)
- "Echoes of Stillness" with Arjun, a rhythmic sound journey weaving ceremony, meditation, and energetic healing with world percussion
- Wee Yogis with Jyoti Levy, offering music, movement, and introductory mindfulness practices for toddlers, young children, and their parents

About Krishna Das

Krishna Das, born Jeffrey Kagel in 1947, is a prominent figure in devotional music and kirtan, known for his deep, soulful voice and his ability to connect with audiences through chant. His journey began in New York City in the 1970s, where he was drawn to the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, a revered Indian guru. After a transformative trip to India, where he immersed himself in the practice of bhakti yoga, he returned to the United States with a renewed sense of purpose. He began sharing his experiences and his guru's teachings through music, leading kirtans that blend traditional Indian melodies with Western musical influences.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place at Napili Kai Beach Resort, an unpretentious oceanfront property in upper West Maui, on Napili Bay. The setting offers sunsets, nearby nature walking trails, and ocean swims that include snorkeling with reef fish and turtles. All onsite studio rooms are currently sold out, with wait list applications available beginning September 5th. An off-site full retreat commuter option is available through online registration. For resort inquiries, the venue lists the phone number 888-663-7770.