Marigold Center for Contemplative Practice

There is something tangible and irreplaceable about having conducive spaces in which to gather, to move, and to explore the depth and terrain of being. Amidst the busyness of daily life, it’s easy to push aside our wondering about the mysteries of life and death, of how to love, and how to be truly well. However, these pursuits are a sustaining and priceless refuge that are worthy of investment, time, and intention at every stage of life.

The Contemplative Studies Initiative at OSU has been creating opportunities for gathering, learning, and practice for 10 years. We are opening the doors to our new public studio space, Marigold: The OSU Center for Contemplative Practice. Marigold will host a range of fee-based and by-donation weekly practice sessions, classes, workshops, retreats, lectures, and more that marry the clarity of academic study and the wisdom of embodied practice. You'll be able to find yoga classes, meditations, relaxation sessions and MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), in addition to programming centered on some of the world's great religious, spiritual and wisdom traditions, including Sufism/Islam, Buddhism, Christian contemplative prayer, Indigenous ways of knowing, Chinese philosophies and others. CSI’s operating expenses are largely funded by the generosity of donors. As we build a center of gravity for contemplative practice and community, we ask for your support to meet three pressing needs:

1. Future programming and staff time: Opening the studio has been a stretch and a labor of love, with generous hands taking part (contractors, employees and volunteers), giving a little extra when and where they can. Our initial aim is to raise funds to keep our organization running by way of professional and student employee staff time as they further current programming, craft new offerings and continue to serve the campus and Corvallis communities. 

2. Finishing the build-out of the studio: We are creating a refuge, a natural and simple space for those who seek much-needed restoration, embodiment, stillness, and insight. Help us acquire the remaining essentials to be comfortably equipped for classes, such as yoga bolsters, yoga mats, blocks, storage and similar items. For example, one set, including a mat, a bolster, set of blocks, and strap will cost about $150.

3. Access: We have received a generous grant from The Women's Giving Circle to support undergraduate participation in our programs, however, we’re looking to raise matching funds to offer program scholarships to graduate students and community members who may not otherwise be able to attend. We endeavor to keep fees as accessible as possible while also sustaining the organization; providing scholarships furthers this mission and means the world to recipients!

If CSI programs have been meaningful to you, or you’d like to see this work deepen and thrive, please consider contributing to this vision of community, refuge, and practice that will ripple out in countless seen and unseen ways. Many hands make light work and absolutely every dollar counts!