2014 Buddha Path Urban Spring Retreat ~
Salt Lake City

Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, 2014

Retreat Details, Conditions, and Policies

This page updated: February 12, 2014

Sean with Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche on March 24, 2000
during Khenpo's first retreat in America.

Overall Retreat Schedule

Because of the sequential nature of the teaching on The Four Immeasurables, it is best to attend both Saturday and Sunday to receive the whole teaching. However, if that is not possible, retreatants may attend Saturday only. Since these teachings are offered as a retreat, retreatants cannot miss any of the sessions and then continue to participate in the remainder of the retreat without special permission. You may leave the retreat early, but you should not enter the retreat with that intention.

Transportation

Please contact the retreat directors to arrange ground transportation from your arrival station if you are using bus or air transportation from out of town. When making your travel plans, please plan your schedule so that you arrive at the retreat center before the listed start time, and plan to depart the retreat center after the listed end time listed above. You are welcome to come earlier or stay after the retreat to help us with preparations and clean-up of the retreat center.

What is Included

The fee includes:

Tuition and fees

The fee does not include:

Lodging
Meals
Transportation to and from the retreat center.
Voluntary donations to the teacher

Food

There are many dining options within walking distance in downtown Salt Lake City.

Accommodations

If you need accommodations, the Wasatch Retreat Center offers sleeping rooms with kitchen use for as little as $68 per night. Please contact the Retreat Directors to reserve a room.

Attendance

We have a rule that students who leave the retreat once it is in progress are not permitted to return to the retreat. Exceptions are sometimes made in cases of emergency or given advance permission of the teacher guiding the retreat. If you can only attend part of the retreat, you'll need to attend from the beginning.

What to Bring

Below is a suggested packing list.

Computer (with charger) OR notebook and pens, sitting cushion, lap blanket, ritual items (bell and dorje, damaru, etc.), a copy of the Buddha Path practice text, extra cash to make offerings to the teacher or contributions to special events.

What NOT to Bring

Below is a list of things not to bring:

Cigarettes, tobacco products, or other smoking materials
Drugs that have not been prescribed to you by your physician
Weapons such as guns
Fireworks
Drinking alcohol for personal consumption (you can bring only if it is an offering for a puja)
Pets

Possession of drugs, cigarettes, personal alcohol, or weapons can be grounds for expulsion from the retreat.

Weather

When packing for the retreat, we recommend that you check the weather forecast to inform your clothing choices.

Health

The retreat provides a healthy environment of good air, good food, enough hours of sleep, and positive activities and effort. Apart from that there are no professional medical facilities within about an hour trip from the retreat center. Retreatants should take care of their own health, bring along any emergency supplies such as antidotes to any life-threatening allergies, and expect to be able to handle the somewhat rigorous teaching and practice schedule of the retreat. If you are taking any type of pharmaceutical that can influence your mental state (including but not limited to antidepressant, diabetes and thyroid medications), we require that you bring an adequate supply for your entire visit here, and that you consistently follow the usage pattern and medical advice prescribed by your physician. You must inform the Event Director of your special medical conditions when you register.

Children

Children are much-beloved, however we have no special program or supervision for children at the retreat. In the past, children have attended these retreats, but have only been able to do so as full, conscious, responsible participants under the immediate supervision of their parents. If you would like to bring children to the retreat, please call the Event Director first before registering and discuss this with us in detail. Anyone less than 18 must have a parent or legal guardian present during the entire retreat. Daycare facilities are currently not available.

Meditation and Sitting Practice

Meditation practice will be incorporated and keyed to the daily teaching subjects, with the goal of moving from a superficial understanding of the Buddha's teachings to a profound and incontrovertible realization of their truth in our present moment thinking. During teaching and meditation sessions you are welcome to sit in a chair, but most people choose to sit on a cushion on the floor. Many people bring their own personal seating, but chairs and cushions are available here for those who unable to bring them.

Daily Retreat Schedule and Sessions

This will be an active retreat with a 24-hour schedule. Everyone is expected to remain in all teaching and practice sessions without creating disturbances, but it’s okay if you need to briefly step out, for example as a result of a bathroom emergency. There are breaks between sessions. The sessions typically last one and a half to two and a half hours each, with up to five sessions per day. There will be about eight to ten hours of scheduled practices and teachings per day. In addition, during break times, Yoga, music, dancing, art, and other Dharma activities may take place.

As part of your daily practice, for an eight hour period, from about 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM you will be required to maintain a vow of silence and not engage in any normal waking activities except using the bathroom. These times may vary from day to day, but the idea is that you will be laying down resting your body for eight hours every night and not unnecessarily disturbing other people.

Additional Requirements

Everyone will be expected to follow the rules of the retreat which are outlined on this page. The rules are subject to revision. Also you must adhere to the schedule of the retreat and unless sick, attend all the scheduled events of the retreat. You may leave the retreat at any time, but you cannot leave the retreat and then return to the retreat.

To attend the retreat one has to be a non-smoker, drug-free, and mentally stable. Possession or use of smoking materials, illegal or mind-altering drugs, or non-prescribed pharmaceuticals are not permitted. You may of course bring with you and ingest any prescribed medication except medicinal marijuana which is not permitted.

There will be no shopping trips, so you should bring any supplies you need with you for the entire duration of the retreat. You should bring with you to the retreat adequate supplies of things like clothing, bedding, toiletries and medicine.

Except for pets belonging at the retreat center, no pets from visiting guests are allowed on property and no pets living in students cars or quarters during the retreat are permitted.

You must have the willingness and commitment to practice with the group during all sessions of the retreat. You should have good enough physical and mental constitution to be able to sit with us for the daily schedule, and a good enough temperament to be able to get along with others.

Payments

Your payment in full is due upon the acceptance of your application and must be paid in full by March 31, 2014. In the event that your application is not approved, any retreat payments you have made will be returned to you in full. Your prompt payment when you register will help us to purchase supplies for the retreat in advance.

Visit the

Payment Options page for more information on how to pay.

Cancellation and Refunds

You may cancel any time prior to March 31, 2014 and receive a refund of 100% of any fees you have paid. There will be no refunds after March 31, 2014.

Scholarships

No scholarships or work-study options are available at this time. However, ordained sangha (Buddhist monks and nuns) can make an application to the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation to attend this event free-of-charge. These applications will be reviewed and applicants informed of availability prior to retreat. We are soliciting donations to help make some limited scholarships available.

Please contact the retreat director if you are able to contribute to the scholarship fund. We aspire to assist diligent students who are have financial need of assistance.

The Generosity Practice of Offering Dana

Offering by the individual student to the teacher or organizers is often referred to using the Sanskrit term dana.

Retreat fees do not include any payment or donation to the teacher. Any donation to the teacher or to the hosting organization that you would like to make should be considered and offered separately from your payment for the fees of this event.

The Buddhist teachings during the retreat are free, but note that within the Dzogchen Buddhist tradition, the teacher does not charge the organizers for the teaching services, and therefore individual donations by retreatants directly to the teacher are always welcomed and needed in order to support the teacher's Dharma activities. This is also a gesture of appreciation, respect, and aspiration for the perpetuation of the teachings. Without teachings, there would be little chance for beings to swiftly realize Buddha.

Q&A

If you have any questions, or are just wondering if this event is for you, you should contact us in advance to discuss. This page will be updated with some of the answers to questions posed, so questions are very much welcomed.

How to Register Today

Reservations are required and are currently being accepted. Everyone is welcome to register by filling out the online registration. We need to process as many applications, and receive deposits, as early as possible in order to properly prepare for the retreat. We hope you can help us with this. Retreatants need to register early order to reserve limited attendance and bed space.