Rock Creek Institute History
Rock Creek Institute was first founded in Washington, D.C., in 1977, by Steve Goldman. It grew from an awareness that people’s passions and careers were often poorly aligned, that many people were not finding meaning in their work, and that quality of life and community were eroding as a consequence.
Rock Creek’s original aim was to explore and promote “right livelihood”. It focused on helping people live with more meaning and vitality by finding the work that is most suited to them, by living with purpose, and by building a community of like-minded individuals from widely divergent backgrounds.
Following the poet, Robert Frost, Goldman imagined work as “play for mortal stakes.” He envisioned Rock Creek Institute as a “work tank” or “work laboratory,” in which the ultimate goal is not to “win”—as with a zero-sum game—but to keep the play going—as with an infinite game. The Institute was created to provide the support and stability of a community so that its members could experiment, explore, discover—and fail with abandon.
Mayacamas Ranch
While on retreat at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in 2004, David Levy had an insight about leveraging the power of mind-body medicine by combining it with the awe- and connection-inspiring, purgative force of wild nature. He envisioned a place that could conjure and fuse the free-spirited joy of camp with the purpose-arousing, deep-time wisdom of nature. A place that could unite work and play guided by purpose. A place that could heal communities by becoming a community of healers who inspire care for humanity and the planet.
For over a decade, under the Levy’s stewardship, Mayacamas Ranch became Northern California’s premier destination for nature-based wellness retreats (e.g., yoga and meditation), strategic visioning, and corporate offsites as well as social impact summits and workshops. Over 50,000 guests and 1,000 groups gathered on the land just above the town of Calistoga to deeply reflect, connect, and experience personal and group renewal.
Unfortunately, this special place burned down in the 2017 Tubbs fire, causing widespread devastation to Mayacamas Ranch and the nearby region. Serendipitously, the fire also revealed a path forward with the fortuitous transfer of Rock Creek Institute to David Levy before Steve Goldman passed away in 2021.
Rock Creek Institute Reimagined
Inspired by the idea that we live in a time of extraordinary opportunity, laden with chaos and peril, a revitalized Rock Creek Institute has emerged. It foregrounds nature as the wellspring for a “deep reset” and offers a new platform for creating transformative change, which is positioned to help address the enormous, interconnected problems before humanity by helping us to align our hopes and dreams with our actions.
The new Rock Creek Institute will act as a sangha for budding Wise Ancestors. It will serve as a steward, governing council, convener, and catalyst for bold, disruptive action in service of people and the planet. It will use a variety of physical locations to develop living-learning laboratories, where people can learn, make sense of chaotic times, heal, regenerate, collaborate, rapidly prototype and act with purpose and vision. These physical and spiritual “hubs” will combine the activities of a family office, a “work tank,” a nature preserve, a retreat center, a playground, and a design-venture studio. Leadership and life training, hospitality, and support services will also be provided.
