Quarterly Retreat: Silence as Practice

Led By: 
Julia King Tamang
Location: 
SCOL, Goldendale, WA
Date: 
May 27 2011 6:00pm - May 29 2011 1:00pm

This retreat exactly follows the conventions and formats of the Refuge as Practice Retreat

Father Thomas Merton said in solitude he discovered that it was not words that interrupted his silence, it was the urge to speak. Such a subtle discovery requires commitment and skill with the use of silence; a daring experiment in a world of noise. What is the practice of silence and why does it appear in the tool box of nearly every spiritual tradition, including Buddhism? What happens when we forgo words--and all the other ways of speaking--and dwell in what's left? On this retreat we'll experiment with written, guided practices while we immerse ourselves in mindful silence. After an introduction Friday evening, we will maintain complete silence until a question and answer and debrief Sunday late-morning. Be prepared and committed to forgo talking, note-writing and non-verbal communication to the best of your ability once you retire on Friday night. Gain skills to use silence as a gentle, but disciplined container for your practice. Beginning and advanced students alike will find concrete tools for integrating silence into retreat and life off the cushion.

 

Schedule

Begins Friday, May 27th at 6 PM, with dinner. Please plan to attend the first session at 7:30 PM in the shrine room, punctually.
Ends Sunday, May 29th, after lunch and end-of-retreat chores to help return the cloister to order. Please plan to leave the land around 3 PM.
Daily chore and 1 hour of work practice
Interviews are available
 

 Cost

 

Dorm /Cabin

Tent

Off- Site

 Non Member

$175

$155

$135

PledgingMember

   $150

$130

$120

Ordained Sangha

$120

$100

$90

 

Click here for Online Registration

 

Scholarships 

A limited number of scholarships (up to 50% of the retreat cost) are available for individuals with serious financial constraints. Preference is given to KCC members of at least three months. The number of scholarships available depends entirely on donations to the Scholarship Fund. For those who can afford it, please consider contributing to the Scholarship Fund so that others who are less financially fortunate are able to attend KCC retreats.

 

To apply for a scholarship, please review the scholarship policy http://www.kcc.org/about-kcc/governance/policies-procedures/Scholarship%20Committee%20Guidelines and include a letter briefly stating your financial circumstances, the amount you are requesting and your history as a practitioner with your completed registration form and deposit.

 

 

Accommodations

 

The north wing has six detached cabins and two attached to the main building. Each cabin can sleep two people. Two dorm style rooms inside the main building sleep three to six people. There are beds and mattresses but no bedding. You will need to bring your own bedding. The mattresses are hard and depending on your preference, you may want to bring extra blankets or foam for a softer bed. There are no singles available.

Camping
Designated camping areas offer some shade. Please bring all your own equipment and bedding.

Shrine Room
Please bring all your own sitting gear, including zabutons, cushions and pecha (meditation text) tables. If you need special accommodations for sitting in the shrine room, please inform the Registrar.

Chores

Retreatants will be asked to participate in a small daily chore (for example, helping in the kitchen, cleaning, etc.), as well as helping out with final clean-up at the end of the retreat. No chores will interfere with attending scheduled meditation sessions.

 

Sponsor

Kagyu Changchub Chuling (KCC), a Dharma Center in Portland, Oregon, is sponsoring this retreat. KCC was founded in 1976 by the Very Venerable Kalu Rinpoche, one of the eminent meditation masters of modern Tibet and a holder of the Karma Kagyu and Shangpa Kagyu lineages. The mission of KCC is to make the teachings of these lineages accessible for all practitioners, whether they are just beginning to investigate Buddhism or are long-time students.