RETREAT DESCRIPTION
THIS RETREAT WILL OPEN FOR REGISTRATION ON SATURDAY, MARCH 26 AT 7:00 PM. A LOTTERY WILL BE DRAWN ON THURSDAY, MARCH 31 AT 8:00 AM WHICH WILL INCLUDE ALL REGISTRATIONS RECEIVED IN OUR OFFICE BY THAT TIME.
Often we talk about our everyday difficulties as the problems and limitations to awakening. We wait until we are able to go on retreat to surrender and connect to a deeper stillness only to lose connection with it within days, or sometimes hours, after leaving the retreat center. In reality, we do not awaken outside of our difficulties nor in spite of them. We awaken within the difficulties and challenges of our everyday life experiences. What if the difficulties you go through in life had a nobler purpose? What would your practice look like if you knew you could only find liberation of the mind within the naturally arising causes and conditions of an ordinary life? What if suffering truly was the key to freedom?
This is the gift of the Four Noble Truths. They are more than intellectual truths. They are the foundation of our practice. The more we work with them, the more we can see them as the key, the map, the guideposts, to happiness and joy. This retreat will explore the above questions and more around the Four Noble Truths.
The retreat will be held in Noble Silence with dharma talks and practice meetings with the teachers. We will practice both sitting and walking meditation with instructions each day.
All experience levels are welcome.
Partial attendance is not offered on this retreat. Additionally, please consider attending this retreat only if your current life circumstances allow you to engage in an important modern renunciation practice of staying offline and off phone/text during the entire course of the retreat (some exceptions related to pressing family situations may be granted.)
CURRENT COVID-19/PUBLIC HEALTH PROTOCOLS:
Cloud Mountain continues to take endemic covid-19 seriously as a public health risk in the retreat environment. Masking and rapid testing requirements are in place.
Please follow this link for UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT OUR COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
SCHOLARSHIP INFO
Scholarship funds are available on all retreats to assist those with financial challenges. For more information, read the Scholarship section of our overview information.
RETREAT COST
Generosity Tier : $450 plus dana offerings to teacher(s) and staff
Base Tier : $400 plus dana offerings to teacher(s) and staff
Subsidized Tier : $350 plus dana offerings to teacher(s) and staff
Following in the Buddhist tradition, none of your registration fee will go to the teacher(s). Please consider offering teacher dāna at the event to support their livelihood. (Dāna is a term for generosity, or freely offered giving. You can find more information about this way of offering the teachings and the "economy of gifts" on our Donation page.)