Reconnect to the Real: John Vervaeke, Guy Sengstock, and Kyle Koch Announce the Whistler Retreat

Reconnect to the Real: John Vervaeke, Guy Sengstock, and Kyle Koch Announce the Whistler Retreat

May 21, 2026 · 1h 5m

About this episode

John Vervaeke, Guy Sengstock, and Kyle Koch discuss their upcoming retreat focused on reconnecting with reality through ancient practices.

Why is the modern world making us lose our "taste for the real," and can ancient practices like animal tracking and Socratic dialogue actually save our personhood from the "virtual matrix" of AI? John Vervaeke, Guy Sengstock, and Kyle Koch announce their second "Reconnecting to the Real" retreat and outline what each will teach: Kyle offers nature-connection practices such as tracking and bird language to cultivate belonging; Guy brings Circling Method relational practices to deepen listening, communication, and group connection; John brings reconstructed Socratic practices including dialogos, dialectic, imaginal reflection, and a two-hour Socratic salon for questions. They describe the retreat as a non-vacation "pilgrimage" meant to transfer skills back into everyday life amid increasing virtual mediation and AI-driven risks of losing the "taste for the real." Logistics: Aug 31–Sept 4 in Whistler, British Columbia at Brû Creek Lodge, with lodging and meals included, costing $3,995 USD, and limited spots remaining with many returning participants. Guy Sengstock Co-founder of The Circling Method: He has spent 30 years developing this relational practice to transform peer-to-peer…

People in this episode

Host: John Vervaeke

Guests: Guy Sengstock, Kyle Koch

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Brû Creek Lodge

Places: Whistler, British Columbia

More episodes of Dr. John Vervaeke

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Dr. John Vervaeke podcast page.