The Karma Institute
At the Willow Springs Lodge and Retreat Center
Living Good Karma in the Modern World
Workshops & Retreats
Weekend programs, week-long builds, and the retreat calendar. See what's next.
Lodging at Willow Springs
Rooms for retreat groups. Individual stays through HipCamp. The whole property for family gatherings.
Come By for a Conversation
Book a call with Mark or be a voice on the show. Two ways in, one front door.
Weigh In Live this week
On Episode 01 · Heather Made 34 Phone Calls
This Episode's Question
Who's someone you've never met but would thank if you could? What did they do?
Write it out. I read every one. Honest replies show up in future episodes.
Willow Springs
The Property
Willow Springs Lodge & Retreat Center — eighteen acres in the Sierra foothills outside Nevada City, California. The lodge you arrive at, the pavilion where we eat in summer, the cabin in the woods, the studio where we record.
29085 State Highway 49 · Nevada City, California 95959
Book lodging at Willow Springs Lodge →
Happening Here
Programs & Calendar
Three programs, and what's coming up on the calendar.
Programs
Hands-on Stay-Work cohorts in alternative home construction, co-taught with Sierra College. Hempcrete, metal roofing, off-grid basics.
Learn the craft of podcasting, video, and commentary. Interns co-produce Living Good Karma episodes and contribute to the Institute's media archive.
Wellness, personal growth, and civic practice. Weekend and week-long programs through the year. Writers, walkers, yoga, grief circles.
What's next
Come by for a conversation.
Advisory & Coaching
Schedule a call with me.
Fifteen minutes on the phone. Free. Bring whatever's on your mind and we'll talk it through.
- Single sessions, packages, or in-person at Willow Springs
- Lodge stays can be paired on request
- If it's a fit, we keep going
Be a Voice on the Show
Record an episode with us.
Bring a story or a question. We talk. If it feels right, we record.
- A 15-minute intro chat before any recording
- We figure out together what fits
- Recording happens on your schedule, at Willow Springs or online
Support
Keep it Going
Become a member
Studio access during recording. Lodging and workshop discounts. Your seat is held.
Volunteer
Come for a build week. Help with a retreat. We put volunteers up on the property.
Commission a retreat
Bring your team, your family, or your board. We do custom programs on request.
A Letter
From Mark
My mother was Karma Cullimore Hughes.
The daughter of two Mormon missionaries. An extraordinary mother. She earned her name every day she was alive.
I named this place for her.
The Karma Institute sits on the grounds of Willow Springs Lodge & Retreat Center — eighteen acres in the Sierra foothills near Nevada City. A lodge. A pavilion. A studio. A road that goes up into the trees.
We bought the land in 2019. For the first few years we worked quietly. Retreats. Workshops. Long conversations with ordinary people working through complicated lives.
This year, we're opening the door.
A podcast. A program for building fire-safe homes. Room for retreat groups and HipCamp stays. Opinions. A seat at the table, if you want one.
Come see.
— Mark
Fiscal Sponsor
Creative Visions
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting creative activists who raise awareness of critical issues. Donations to the Karma Institute are made through Creative Visions and are tax-deductible.