Our Community of Retreat Leaders
We are a community of equals that believe the sharing of Divine Love in the spirit of peace, service and humility is our highest purpose.
Each day the retreat leader provides a contemplation practice that guides the day. They are available for one on one meditation guidance or spiritual counseling as well. Sitting with teachers that have practiced for many years deepens everyone's practice. Our intention is to see everyone as an anchor of peace.
We are dedicating our time to support each person, with kindness, understanding and to receive the unique peace of Assisi.
Each day the retreat leader provides a contemplation practice that guides the day. They are available for one on one meditation guidance or spiritual counseling as well. Sitting with teachers that have practiced for many years deepens everyone's practice. Our intention is to see everyone as an anchor of peace.
We are dedicating our time to support each person, with kindness, understanding and to receive the unique peace of Assisi.
Founders & Retreat Leaders
"As awareness rests in the heart, an indescribable joy from within unfolds." Bruce Davis
Bruce Davis PhD
While a graduate student, Bruce met and became an apprentice to a remarkable Shaman who had the gift of entering into and teaching people in their dreams. For four years, Bruce was introduced to many realms and worlds outside normal western thought. These years were to be the beginning of Bruce's quest to understand the potential of psychology and spirituality.
He received his doctorate from Saybrook University. As a spiritual psychologist he teaches the essence of world religions, how psychology and spirituality intertwine offering a more integrated, centered, and fulfilling life. He has taught at JFK University in Pleasant Hill, California and many spiritual centers in the United States, Germany, Austria, France, and Switzerland.
Bruce has been guiding retreats worldwide since 1983. His retreats are based in his deep connection to silence, simplicity and heartfulness. He has a gift for guiding people from the busy-ness of the mind & personality to the home of the quiet heart. He supports people who have had a Near Death Experience NDE or spiritual awakening helping to integrate these experiences into daily life. His primary intention is helping others to develop a meaningful spiritual journey, built out of a life of joy.
In 1975 he wrote the book The Magical Child Within You which has been said to be the first book written on trusting and nurturing the inner child. A few years later he co-authored another best-selling book Hugs & Kisses about loving life, which has been a theme of his work ever since.
Discovering the heart of awareness including inner peace has been the focus in his retreats. Bruce has taken people to sacred places like Assisi, Italy where participants discover the sacredness within themselves. For twelve years Bruce and Ruth (his wife and partner) lived in Assisi, founding the Assisi Retreat Center where people of all backgrounds are welcome to enjoy the simple peace and spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. The Assisi Retreat Center received the official blessing of Pope John Paul II for its ecumenical work. Both CNN and Travel & Leisure Magazine named the Assisi Retreat Center as "One of The Top Ten Meditation Centers in the World." In 2012 he and his wife Ruth, opened Silent Stay Meditation Center in California. It is Bruce's wish to provide a sanctuary for everyone who yearns for inner peace towards finding their own path to a purposeful, joyful life.
Through the years, Bruce studied and lived with spiritual teachers in India, Philippines, Germany and Bali, Indonesia. He and Ruth led a program of taking teenagers from one of America's wealthiest communities into the poorest neighborhood of San Francisco to give food to people living in the streets. This program is still ongoing with the help of Branson School students in Ross, California.
In addition to his books The Magical Child Within You and Hugs and Kisses, Bruce is the author ofThe Heart of Healing, Monastery without Walls ~ Daily Life in the Silence, My Little Flowers, Simple Peace ~ The Inner Life of St Francis of Assisi and The Calling of Joy. His latest book is The Love Letters of St Francis & St Clare of Assisi.
While a graduate student, Bruce met and became an apprentice to a remarkable Shaman who had the gift of entering into and teaching people in their dreams. For four years, Bruce was introduced to many realms and worlds outside normal western thought. These years were to be the beginning of Bruce's quest to understand the potential of psychology and spirituality.
He received his doctorate from Saybrook University. As a spiritual psychologist he teaches the essence of world religions, how psychology and spirituality intertwine offering a more integrated, centered, and fulfilling life. He has taught at JFK University in Pleasant Hill, California and many spiritual centers in the United States, Germany, Austria, France, and Switzerland.
Bruce has been guiding retreats worldwide since 1983. His retreats are based in his deep connection to silence, simplicity and heartfulness. He has a gift for guiding people from the busy-ness of the mind & personality to the home of the quiet heart. He supports people who have had a Near Death Experience NDE or spiritual awakening helping to integrate these experiences into daily life. His primary intention is helping others to develop a meaningful spiritual journey, built out of a life of joy.
In 1975 he wrote the book The Magical Child Within You which has been said to be the first book written on trusting and nurturing the inner child. A few years later he co-authored another best-selling book Hugs & Kisses about loving life, which has been a theme of his work ever since.
Discovering the heart of awareness including inner peace has been the focus in his retreats. Bruce has taken people to sacred places like Assisi, Italy where participants discover the sacredness within themselves. For twelve years Bruce and Ruth (his wife and partner) lived in Assisi, founding the Assisi Retreat Center where people of all backgrounds are welcome to enjoy the simple peace and spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. The Assisi Retreat Center received the official blessing of Pope John Paul II for its ecumenical work. Both CNN and Travel & Leisure Magazine named the Assisi Retreat Center as "One of The Top Ten Meditation Centers in the World." In 2012 he and his wife Ruth, opened Silent Stay Meditation Center in California. It is Bruce's wish to provide a sanctuary for everyone who yearns for inner peace towards finding their own path to a purposeful, joyful life.
Through the years, Bruce studied and lived with spiritual teachers in India, Philippines, Germany and Bali, Indonesia. He and Ruth led a program of taking teenagers from one of America's wealthiest communities into the poorest neighborhood of San Francisco to give food to people living in the streets. This program is still ongoing with the help of Branson School students in Ross, California.
In addition to his books The Magical Child Within You and Hugs and Kisses, Bruce is the author ofThe Heart of Healing, Monastery without Walls ~ Daily Life in the Silence, My Little Flowers, Simple Peace ~ The Inner Life of St Francis of Assisi and The Calling of Joy. His latest book is The Love Letters of St Francis & St Clare of Assisi.
"A retreat is a time to come home inside yourself, where the mind stops and silence of the heart begins." Ruth Davis
Ruth Davis, Heartfulness Trainer
At age six, Ruth had a spiritual awakening in her first ballet class. Her heart burst open to the divine and joy filled her body. She felt she was dancing to God, as all and everything. Her dance became her devotional practice, which eventually matured into the energetic studies of Yoga, Chi Gung and the movement of consciousness through the body and beyond the body.
Ruth began meditation practice at the age of 16 in 1968 when she embraced Surat Shabd Yoga as her spiritual path. Ten years later she started visiting many holy sites in India including Punjab region, Rishikesh, Hardwar, Varanasi and most recently Chennai. She is a continuing student of Vedic, Tantric wisdom & Mystic Catholicism, with particular connection to the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, the silent saint.
In 2005 she began an energetic study of the MahaVidyas, Wisdom Mothers of Yoga Tantra, while living and teaching in Assisi Italy. From this yearlong contemplation sprung a chi gung style movement practice that helps people embody spiritual teachings.
Concurrently she created a meditation dialogue sequence that guides people to experience their Spiritual Heart the energetic core of our being that is one with the Absolute. This transformational work helps stabilize peace in our daily life.
Even though an avid seeker of the ultimate truth from a young age, she leads a householder life. She raised 2 daughters (with 2 grandchildren) and has owned various restaurants. Business life, family life and spiritual seeking have always been her world view. In 1993 after the death of her first husband she committed to leading Heartfulness silent retreats with her current partner & husband Bruce Davis. She holds certifications in Clinical Hypnotherapy & NLP.
In 2000 Ruth and Bruce founded the Assisi Retreat Center a Temple to the World Religions in the heart of the ancient city of Assisi Italy.
In 2012 she founded Silent Stay Meditation Center in Vacaville, California with her husband Bruce. Having served over 2200 guests a wildfire came through one fateful night in 2020 and burned the center to the ground along with 50 years of their spiritual collections.
But one thing remained..... the peace found in the silence, which can never be taken or destroyed.
At age six, Ruth had a spiritual awakening in her first ballet class. Her heart burst open to the divine and joy filled her body. She felt she was dancing to God, as all and everything. Her dance became her devotional practice, which eventually matured into the energetic studies of Yoga, Chi Gung and the movement of consciousness through the body and beyond the body.
Ruth began meditation practice at the age of 16 in 1968 when she embraced Surat Shabd Yoga as her spiritual path. Ten years later she started visiting many holy sites in India including Punjab region, Rishikesh, Hardwar, Varanasi and most recently Chennai. She is a continuing student of Vedic, Tantric wisdom & Mystic Catholicism, with particular connection to the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, the silent saint.
In 2005 she began an energetic study of the MahaVidyas, Wisdom Mothers of Yoga Tantra, while living and teaching in Assisi Italy. From this yearlong contemplation sprung a chi gung style movement practice that helps people embody spiritual teachings.
Concurrently she created a meditation dialogue sequence that guides people to experience their Spiritual Heart the energetic core of our being that is one with the Absolute. This transformational work helps stabilize peace in our daily life.
Even though an avid seeker of the ultimate truth from a young age, she leads a householder life. She raised 2 daughters (with 2 grandchildren) and has owned various restaurants. Business life, family life and spiritual seeking have always been her world view. In 1993 after the death of her first husband she committed to leading Heartfulness silent retreats with her current partner & husband Bruce Davis. She holds certifications in Clinical Hypnotherapy & NLP.
In 2000 Ruth and Bruce founded the Assisi Retreat Center a Temple to the World Religions in the heart of the ancient city of Assisi Italy.
In 2012 she founded Silent Stay Meditation Center in Vacaville, California with her husband Bruce. Having served over 2200 guests a wildfire came through one fateful night in 2020 and burned the center to the ground along with 50 years of their spiritual collections.
But one thing remained..... the peace found in the silence, which can never be taken or destroyed.
Brenda Brisch - Lead Retreat Leader
Brenda has been lovingly guiding contemplative retreats for over 40 years and has devoted much of her life to spiritual inquiry. After practicing Transcendental Meditation in the 1970’s, she studied Vedanta philosophy and yoga with an Indian monk from Gujarat. She began teaching Hatha Yoga in his school in Chicago shortly thereafter. In 1976, she met her teacher, Swami Muktananda, with whom she traveled widely for many years. She became a monk under his auspices. He instructed her to continue teaching in Europe, India, and the United States. She was the swami in residence in the Paris ashram.
She joined the Assisi Retreat Community of retreat leaders in 2015. Brenda is our lead retreat leader with extensive background in awareness training. She helps people discover their unique pathway to inner peace, and to understand that all of life’s circumstances are a guide to finding the stillness within. She gently guides people into the sweetness & peace St Francis & St Clare inspire. She is a student of the Course in Miracles and Kashmir Shaivism. She brings great wisdom, love and joy to her retreats.
Brenda has been lovingly guiding contemplative retreats for over 40 years and has devoted much of her life to spiritual inquiry. After practicing Transcendental Meditation in the 1970’s, she studied Vedanta philosophy and yoga with an Indian monk from Gujarat. She began teaching Hatha Yoga in his school in Chicago shortly thereafter. In 1976, she met her teacher, Swami Muktananda, with whom she traveled widely for many years. She became a monk under his auspices. He instructed her to continue teaching in Europe, India, and the United States. She was the swami in residence in the Paris ashram.
She joined the Assisi Retreat Community of retreat leaders in 2015. Brenda is our lead retreat leader with extensive background in awareness training. She helps people discover their unique pathway to inner peace, and to understand that all of life’s circumstances are a guide to finding the stillness within. She gently guides people into the sweetness & peace St Francis & St Clare inspire. She is a student of the Course in Miracles and Kashmir Shaivism. She brings great wisdom, love and joy to her retreats.
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Vinod Ravindranathan - Retreat Leader
Vinod has been practicing meditation for over 30 years. In 1994 he was trained in Vipassana at the Wat Ram Poeng monastery in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Although not a buddhist monk, he accomplished the same degree of training. A few years later he earned his Mindfulness Teacher Training from Bangor University. He currently facilitates the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Course in London. In the earlier part of his career, he worked in the corporate world as a lawyer before joining various non-profit organisations including; the UNHCR and Amnesty International Secretariat in London. In Amnesty International he helped people dealing with sexual & gender equality, migrant & refugee rights, compassionate care for drug addicts and animal welfare. Vinod finds joy in sharing the heart practices of St Francis as a guide to inner peace. |
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Liam Murphy - Retreat Leader
Liam entered Saint Charles Seminary in Philidelphia at the age of 18 and was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1990. His parish ministry for 32 years, was working with the Latino community, which led him to serve in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico for 4 years. Here he directed a Summer program for seminarians where they could be immersed in the Puerto Rican culture while also learning Spanish. In 2015, he opened a store-front church in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, Mother of Mercy House, to be a Presence of Peace in an area torn apart by violence, poverty and drugs. In 2022 Liam discerned a call to a more all-inclusive ministry that encourages the development of the mystic in every person. Convinced that SILENCE leads us to our true self and to an ever-increasing awareness of the interconnectedness of all Creation, he seeks ways to accompany those seeking such unity and peace: all hearts beating in unison with each other inside the One Heart. Assisi, the home of peace and inclusive to all, is why he chose to be a part of the Assisi Team bringing love to all. |
Nicole Becker - Retreat Leader
Nicole is known for her authenticity, warmth and depth of presence. With heart filled clarity Nicole reveals the wisdom of the ages.
Her natural compassion and joy create an atmosphere of safety and acceptance that facilitates deep transformation. For nearly 30 years she has been dedicated to the study and practice of Classical Yoga, Eastern philosophies + medicines, and world devotional/mystical traditions.
Nicole is a certified Heartfulness Meditation Teacher with Silent Stay Meditation Center in Santa Barbara California. For the past 12 years she has taught alongside her parents, Ruth and Bruce Davis. She has been leading classes, workshops, trainings and retreats in US and abroad since 2004, and founded Centered in the Heart & Ojas Yoga Center in 2009.
Nicole is known for her authenticity, warmth and depth of presence. With heart filled clarity Nicole reveals the wisdom of the ages.
Her natural compassion and joy create an atmosphere of safety and acceptance that facilitates deep transformation. For nearly 30 years she has been dedicated to the study and practice of Classical Yoga, Eastern philosophies + medicines, and world devotional/mystical traditions.
Nicole is a certified Heartfulness Meditation Teacher with Silent Stay Meditation Center in Santa Barbara California. For the past 12 years she has taught alongside her parents, Ruth and Bruce Davis. She has been leading classes, workshops, trainings and retreats in US and abroad since 2004, and founded Centered in the Heart & Ojas Yoga Center in 2009.
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Robin Klaassen Adinistrative Assistant
Joining her first Yoga and Meditation classes at age nine, Robin has since been interested in the practice of Conscious Being and Spirituality with child-like wonder. Still very much at the beginning of her own spiritual journey, she is devoted to living with her heart first. Robin lovingly handles your registration requests as an administrative assistant, and is there for you to answer any additional questions you might have about traveling, the retreats, or Assisi itself. |
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In Gratitude
In gratitude, we are honored that Brenda, Vinod, Liam, Nicole and Robin are a part of the Assisi Heart Team. Their extensive commitment to spiritual practice, community life, and a heart full journey is a gift to everyone.