Pictured: An aerial view of the labyrinth and gazebo at the Lifebridge Sanctuary in Rosendale, NY. Marble Wit is hosting the Radical Sabbatical pilot program at the Lifebridge Sanctuary in October 2026.

For the Professionally Curious:

The pilot Radical Sabbatical is for researchers, thinkers, doers, culture-makers, academics, tech leaders, art leaders — for the professionally curious.

This experimental gathering is those of us who have achieved professional success and want to share our inspiration with others, AND it is for those of us who feel burnt out or spiritually depleted and are in search of inspiration to rekindle our life’s work.

This radical sabbatical is is a grand experiment in how to collaborate better. The unique wisdom, experience, and questions that each of us bring will aid in shaping this Radical Sabbatical and future gatherings. Together, we will envision a new way of gathering together professionally to enrich our work in exploring the universe.

The Radical Sabbatical is an invite-only gathering for 24 individuals — passionate scientists, artists, administrators, culture-makers, mentors, mangers, research stewards and producers — to gather in a tech-minimal, curious, play-filled, professional retreat. The 5 days together is a chance to disengage from the grind of day-to-day work and to reconnect with the delight at the heart of our work. This offering is for those of us who are hungry for more creativity, collaboration, and meaningful innovation.

At the Radical Sabbatical you can expect to spend time in reflection, contemplation, community, collaborative exploration, and sincere conversations.

The professional growth and development you can expect as a participant:

  • Professional development of your core research vision: most of us enter our career in science with a clear sense of our curiosity. The Radical Sabbatical offers the time, space, structure, and, most critically, the community of supportive curious professionals to explore the not-yet-asked question at your current stage in your scientific career. Success may come as an “A-HA!” moment.

  • Professional development of your professional intuition and insight: Learning from the rigorous methods of introspection from each other’s professions of curiosity, each of us can take time at the Radical Sabbatical to develop our own attention to the hard-won intuition of a lifetime exploring not-yet-understood phenomena. Success will be a new recognition of your unique style — what is entirely your own.

  • Professional development of your participation in the group dynamics of collaborative exploration: A key feature of all professions of curiosity is community — from art critiques to salons to peer review to science communication. The dynamics of humans co-laboring are at the living heart of the global endeavors of exploration. At the Radical Sabbatical we will explore our roles in teams in a supportive and experiential way, through presentations of our ideas along with attentive facilitation and self-reflective dialogue. Success may come in a new appreciation of how you contribute to the excitement and energy of a wonderful team experience.

What to Expect

What was the question that ignited your life in professional Seeking? Take a week to re-search alternative ways to re-enliven the heart of your practice within community.

Structure & Emergence

The structure of the week will include dialogue, workshopping, hand-crafting, contact with Nature, meals together, and all the surprises that emerge.

Community & Independence

We will explore the dynamics of an intellectual community to cultivate never-before-considered questions in tension with each of our personal independent pursuits in professions of curiosity.

Facilitation & Exploration

While the activities will be guided by expert facilitators, what will actually happen depends on how you bring your desire to explore what is possible in our co-invented structures of professions of curiosity.

Serious & Fun

This week will be intensive — applying all the rigor and discipline we bring to the precise effort of scientific research — and simultaneously a great playful celebration: like a reunion with all your beloved friends!

Pictured: The light-filled, upper meeting room at the Lifebridge Sanctuary where we will gather together this October.

Experiments in Collaborating

A Typical Full Day, Days Two-Five (October 26-29)

Our days together will emerge based on our curiosities and the ideas generated in relationship to each other. The schedule gives us our scaffold with which to meet and exchange what we love about our work in science/art/culture/craft.

Breakfast

8:00am

Exploration Dialogue

9:30am

Catered Lunch

12:30pm

Creative Workshop

2:00pm

Catered Dinner

6:30pm

Evening Reflection

8:00pm

How to Join

You receive the invitation.

Make a down payment of $375 to secure a spot. (Email Yigit for details)

Full cost per individual is $1875 for a shared room. Private rooms (with shared bathrooms) are $2575 and are limited in number. Costs are all-inclusive of lodging, all meals, and all programming.

Note: If you can afford to pay more it will support our project to offer scholarships.

  • Conversation details

  • You can reserve your spot by making a down payment of $375. Email or text Yigit for details on how.

  • The Sabbatical takes place at the Lifebridge Sanctuary in Rosendale, NY, USA. The nearest international airport is JFK outside New York City. Plan to arrive by the afternoon of Sunday, October 25, 2026 and depart the afternoon of Friday, October 30, 2026.

  • Make your final payments to Yigit (email for info):

    • Full cost shared room ($1875)

    • Full cost private room ($2575)

    If you have made a down payment already, then:

    • Remaining balance payment link ($1500 - $2200, based on room-type).

    You will receive communications to prepare yourself. Both what to pack and how to communicate with the whole cohort before your arrival.

    Email or text Yigit for deets.