Spring TFO Retreat at Dharmadhara

'It seems to me that we can regard the whole Spiritual Path as consisting of five great Stages.  One just intensifies one's effort in those five directions all the time. Then one simply can’t go wrong'.

Come and explore the five aspects of Sangharakshita’s system of spiritual life (integration, positive emotion, spiritual death and rebirth, and receptivity) and how to put them into practice.

Team: Aryadrishti, Dayanandi, Padmatara, Taraprabha

This is an in-person retreat with limited spaces for women* who have requested ordination in the Triratna Buddhist Order. 

*The Triratna Buddhist movement has a long, rich history of offering women-only practice spaces. At the same time, we welcome participation from a diversity of gender identities, including trans women and those who identify as non-binary. We ask all participants to be open to this broader definition of a women-centered space. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch.

We strive to make all our retreats affordable regardless of financial circumstances.

Sliding Scale Retreat Fees: $700 | $550 | $400

Retreat preparation materials will be shared with all participants in February 2023.

• $700, our actual fee for the retreat. It is for people paying their living expenses, and who can afford occasional or regular leisure expenses such as dining out. 
• $550 for those who are paying their living expenses, though experience a consistent tightness in budget that makes extras like leisure activities or unexpected expenses difficult or impossible.
• $400 for those without an income or with an income low enough that making ends meet is a challenge.
• The Chintamani Fund is available to support those who would like financial assistance for in-person retreat participation.
• We will accept $50 Deposit to hold your place, balance due six weeks prior to the retreat
• If you would prefer to pay by check, please contact us at alokasetu@gmail.com.

Retreat Team costs are covered by our Alokasetu - Bridge of Light - Fund - please consider a one-off or monthly donation to support ordination training team costs in our region.

Dharmadhara Info 

This is an IN-PERSON retreat, no online option.  Please note the dates have (slightly) changed.

The new dates are Thursday May 4 (same as before) through Friday May 12 (changed). Formerly the retreat was May 4 through May 13.

As space is limited, those living in the western region will be given preference for attending this retreat. We are looking for help in organizing transportation, camping gear, and food shopping. If you live in the Bay area and would like to help with any of this, please contact Padmatara3@gmail.com.

Accommodations will be in shared rooms with 2-3 people per room. There are no private rooms available, although plenty of room for camping, which is encouraged. We have mats and camping gear available to borrow.

Health and Safety

While we highly recommend up-to-date FDA-approved vaccines and boosters for COVID-19, this is not currently a requirement for this retreat.

There is a requirement to take a home/antigen test before leaving for the retreat (and the day the retreat begins if these are different). Please bring extra tests with you so that an additional test can be taken on day 4 of the retreat, and/or if symptoms occur.

Food and Work Periods

All food is vegan, with eggs and dairy options on the side. To simplify cooking and cleaning in silence we have a cook to organize lunch and dinner, and everyone on the retreat chooses a task that they can do every day - either preparing breakfast, chopping vegetables, or cleaning dishes. If you have a preference please let us know in advance. There is also a clean up session that we all share at the end of the retreat.

Accommodations

Dharmadhara is a rustic residence with a very beautiful shrine room, located in Lake County – about 2.5 to 3 hours North of San Francisco. The main building has a kitchen, dining room, sitting room with wood burning stove, 7 small dorms, some with 2 beds, some with 3 beds, 3 indoor toilets and 2 showers. There are no private rooms, but there is plenty of room to camp.

Travel and Carpooling

If you need help organizing a ride please let us know and we will do our best to get you there. If you are driving and can offer rides, please also let us know. Thank you!