A Home for Transformational Learning
Please note: our Heartland campus will be closed for programming Friday, March 27 - Friday, April 3.
All public trails remain open - You are Welcome - come for a walk, a hike, a wander.
Welcome
Since 1972, the Whidbey Institute has nourished, inspired, grown and changed people. We welcome you to your 2026 journey with us.
Experience Us
Come see us. Walk the land. Sink in. Feel yourself again as part of a larger whole. We believe that the well-being of each of us is deeply connected to the well-being of all living things in this living world.
Get Inspired
Join a program, be a part of our community events. Learn, grow, be inspired. Have fun, meet others, step into your sense of belonging with us.
What people are saying…
“i loved this event. it's the second forest walk i've attended- tho this one was much bigger!!
Larry does a wonderful job of sharing and facilitating. even as someone who does a LOT of walks in the woods, connecting, i learned new things. how lovely to share the forest with others in quiet contemplation and listening with a host who authentically loves and appreciates his surroundings <3
THANKYOU!”
- dee elle
“I just loved the forest meditation walk. The forest steward, Larry, had a beautiful manner and thoughtfully gave us a summary of how he came to work for the Whidbey Institute. He shared his personal story of coming into a place of deep resonance with the forest. He invited us to use our senses, one at a time, to experience the forest. It was very respectfully done and without judgment. I think we all felt held in the container of the woods, and I think we all made some discoveries that morning that were impactful. At least, I came away with that sensation.
I will definitely come again for another forest meditation walk, and I hope future walks are planned! Thanks so much for this opportunity.”
- Deb S
“Hi Friends!
You have an amazing place. I found it to be extremely clean, have all the modern amenities but also adhering to the older style of decor and architecture. I stayed in the Farmhouse. I so enjoyed making my own fire and relaxing in the evenings and wee hours of the morning when up on "east coast time".
I eat plant based so VERY MUCH appreciated the food. I overate and gained 2 lbs!
— Rebecca M. Hoelsken“It’s no small thing to take on the responsibility of feeding a retreat community, where meals are not just nourishment, but part of the experience. Stepping into the Whibdey Institute kitchen meant filling some very big shoes — and well-loved pots!
Eliza and her team cooked up new, delicious recipes for us with the same commitment to delicious, nourishing, and thoughtful meals that attend to the varied dietary needs of everyone in our group.
We can’t wait to try more of her delicious meals!”
— Kristi Chester Vance Voices
of Whidbey Institute
Featured Post
“Perhaps your place loves having you there. It misses you when you are away and in its secret way rejoices when you return. Could it be possible that a landscape might have a deep friendship with you? That it could sense your prescence and feel the care you extend toward it?”
— John O'DonohueUpcoming No-Cost and Low-Cost Events at Whidbey Institute
Ayurvedic Yoga + Meditation
Tuesdays, 10-11 am at Storyhouse
by donation/bring a mat
a guided practice to quiet your mind
For more information & to RSVP contact: JAMESCHRISTIAN32@GMAIL.COM
Monthly Forest Experience -
April date coming soon!
10am - 11:30am
This is a free event
Hosted by Whidbey Institute Forest Steward Larry Rohan
Additional questions? Please email info@whidbeyinstitute.org
Dark and Tender - A Film by the Chronically Undertouched (CUT) Project
Saturday, September 19
in Thomas Berry Hall
This is a free and/or by donation event.
with ‘Dark and Tender’ Producer Ben Wilson
Film Screening, followed by Q & A & Song Circle
The Power of You – Teen Retreat
June 24 - 27, 2026
In a world full of noise and expectations, this is a time for teens to tune into themselves. The Power of You retreat invites teens ages 15-19 to step into their own power through a mindfulness-based approach.
“Thank you for the Dana Lyons concert. It was outstanding and inspirational in a way we need right now. Please pass on to him that his honesty, perspective, and courage were an incredible source of inspiration for me.”
— Ann Linnea