This program is offered freely in the spirit of generosity, supported in part by Dharma Gates and the broader donor community. Intended for participants ages 18–35.
To ensure participant commitment and attendance, a $100 registration deposit is required and can be refunded upon completion of the full program. To receive a refund after completing the program, please contact Dharma Gates at team@dharma-gates.org.There is a $100 cancellation fee. If you are waitlisted and we cannot offer you a spot, we will refund you at the start of the retreat.
The world is not a problem to be solved; it is a living being to which we belong. The world is part of our own self, and we are a part of its suffering wholeness. Until we go to the root of our image of separateness, there can be no healing. And the deepest part of our separateness from creation lies in our forgetfulness of its sacred nature, which is also our own sacred nature. —–Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
To be human invites an opening and an intimacy with life. And yet… in these times to be open and sensitive is to meet the magnitude of harm being done to our world. It is also to be open to the wonder and beauty of life on this Earth. The Buddha Dharma has always been dedicated to attending to how we create–and also alleviate–the harm within our personal and collective lives.
This retreat offers a space to pause and listen deeply. As Bayo Akomolafe has said, “The times are urgent, let us slow down.” We are asked to listen to how we are called to meet this life. This time of churning and upheaval is not simply a challenge to overcome, it is also an invitation that calls upon us to meet this life with new eyes, inquiring into our heart’s deepest calling and the meaning of human life collectively.
Emphasizing ease, non-striving, and spaciousness, we will offer contemplative, relational, and land-based practices that support us in recognizing the natural capacity and inclination of the human heart-mind to be awake. The Buddha’s teaching on the four foundations of mindfulness will be offered as a support for our coming close to life. Being awake to this life means we come closer to the whole of this life, both the welcome and the unwelcome. How we meet this is what transforms how our life is experienced and how we respond.
Program Format: This retreat will include silent awareness practice, relational practice through small group sharing, guided meditations, ecodharma reflections, and land-based practice.
Camping Option: If you would like to camp, please select the "Commuter" option and note in the Comments section that you plan to camp. Before choosing to camp, keep in mind that heat, rain, and ticks/mosquitoes are aspects of the camping experience. If you'd like to be on the waitlist for a room, there is a checkbox. All meals are included, and campers have access to restrooms and showers. Please bring your own gear.
Cancellation Policy: Our usual cancellation policy does not apply to this program. This program is offered freely in the spirit of generosity, supported in part by Dharma Gates and the broader donor community. To ensure participant commitment and attendance, a $100 registration deposit is required and can be refunded only after you complete the program. There is a $100 cancellation fee. If you would like a refund, please reach out to Dharma Gates at team@dharma-gates.org.