Dzogchen Summer Retreat 2009
Saturday, June 6 to Saturday, June 27, 2009

Retreat Details and Policies

Last updated: March 16, 2009

Arrival

This year’s Summer Retreat will have a formal commencement time of 4:00 PM on Saturday, June 6. All participants should plan their arrival at Dzogchen Retreat Center (DRC) at least an hour prior to the commencement in order to have time to settle into their accommodations as well as to prepare a practice space in the shrine room. Attendance at the opening ceremonies and at all the teaching and practice sessions is mandatory for all participants.

Transportation

If you will be traveling by air, flights directly to Eugene will be the best option for simplifying your journey. Eugene Airport (EUG) is a full service international airport located approximately 50 minutes drive-time from the DRC. It is served by five air carriers: US Airways, Horizon Air, Delta Airlines, United Express, and Allegiant Air. It is possible that you may wish to fly into Portland International Airport (PDX) which is located about a three hour drive from the DRC, but then you'll need to take a more active role in arranging the ground transportation and associated expenses will be higher.

If you need to arrange for a ride from one of the airports, please contact the Retreat Director well in advance of your travels.

The Retreat Director can also provide you with detailed directions and maps for driving to the DRC.

The Retreat Environs

The Summer Retreat will be held in its entirety at the Dzogchen Retreat Center USA. The 160-acre retreat land is blessed with many varieties of fauna and flora, forests, meadows, hills, walking trails, a river, two creeks, two ponds, and inspiring vistas. In short, participants will enjoy a secluded, natural environment that provides an essential support for dedicated Dharma practice.

The month of June in this area has average daily highs of about 75°F (24°C) and lows of about 49°F (9°C), but the record high is 104°F (40°C) and the record low is 33°F (1°C). Therefore, bring layered clothing. Summertime precipitation is usually negligible, but the weather can be unpredictable, so you are encouraged to pack some light rain gear such as an umbrella or a hooded rain jacket. Before you leave for the retreat, you can check the 10-day forecast or review the historic averages.

Retreat Center Facilities

The DRC facilities are rustic with a “Wild-West Town” look. We have numerous buildings including all the necessary facilities for holding retreats such as a gonpa, a shrine tent, fire puja area, kitchen, dining room, hot showers with sinks and toilets, laundry room, meeting spaces, as well as our own utility systems including recycling, garbage collection, septic, power, telephone, Internet access, etc.

Accommodations

The DRC has dormitory-style rooms in place for sleeping, studying, and storage of personal items. These rooms are designed as group spaces and furnished with single-sized mattresses. Please, plan for and bring your own pillow, sheets, blankets and/or sleeping bag. It is permissible for couples or families to stay together, but private accommodations are generally limited to your own tent or RV. Some cabins may be available. Storage space is limited, so please keep personal items to an efficient minimum.

For those who would like to bring their own equipment and camp during their stay, there will be space provided in a designated area.

Note that absolutely no food is to be kept in tents or rooms, in order to avoid attracting wildlife. The DRC at present does not have serious problems with scavengers, and a “no food” policy in your sleeping quarters will help us to keep it that way.

Food

The cost of the retreat includes three buffet-style meals and snacks during tea time each day, excluding opening and closing days, on which, respectively, only dinner, and only breakfast and lunch, will be included in the retreat registration fee. If you are there for extra meals on those days, or on additional days before and/or after the retreat, the fees for those meals will be $10 for one meal or $20 for more than one meal in a day. The food will be primarily vegetarian, although not necessarily vegan. Sangha money from collected retreat fees will not be used to purchase meat. However, it is permissible for individuals to donate funds specifically to purchase meat that will be shared with the other retreatants. Tea and water will always be available.

Retreatants with special dietary needs should make note of this on the online registration form, and are welcome to discuss this with the Retreat Director. In particular, please mention any food allergies.

Daily Schedule

The daily schedule of the Summer Retreat will be demanding and activity filled. All participants are expected to attend the entirety of all practice and teaching sessions, allowing only for quick trips to the bathroom if necessary. Sessions typically last from one-and-a-half to two-and-half-hours, with up to five sessions in a day, interspersed with short breaks and meal times. Plan on eight to ten hours per day of scheduled formal sessions. Spontaneous Dharma activities such as music, dancing, singing, art, and yoga may also be offered.

As part of traditional retreat practice, all participants will take a vow of silence and non-activity during the eight hours allotted for sleep. In order to maintain the ability to concentrate and properly receive the daily teachings it is vital that everyone adhere to this vow. This means during sleeping hours, everyone should be only resting or sleeping and should refrain from any activity such as talking, moving around, reading or even engaging in any Dharma practices other than relaxing.

Attendance

All participants, without exception, will be expected to reside at the DRC for the duration of the retreat. In addition, if the continuity of an individual's retreat is broken by failure to attend all the sessions or by leaving the retreat grounds, they will not be allowed to re-enter the retreat. This rule is strictly enforced, since missing sessions affects the mandala of positive thinking and wisdom that is generated by each individual's effort and practice.

Honoring the Shrine Room

The Buddhist Shrine Room is a holy environment that is created with the sole purpose of providing a powerful support for the arising and increasing of positive thinking and pure intention. Therefore our treatment of, as well as our conduct while in the shrine room, should be in accordance with this purpose. Please strive to keep your area within the shrine room tidy and clean and be respectful of others’ space and practice tools making a point not to step over sacred items or other practitioners. Especially avoid harsh speech, and do not bring drinks into the shrine room in containers without lids. Only hot water or cold water may be brought into the shrine room in closed containers.

During the retreat we will all be taking turns caring for and arranging offerings on the shrine. This will be accomplished using a team system and provides an excellent opportunity to increase our merit. The details of this duty will be provided once the retreat is underway.

Additionally, everyone is encouraged to contribute to the dedicated fund that will be used to purchase shrine offerings such as fruit, rice, flowers, water, and wine. During your stay, please speak with the Retreat Director at an appropriate time regarding donations.

Group Prayers

You may engage the Sangha, on a donation basis, to pray for yourself, your teachers, your family members, friends, or anyone for that matter. Common prayers are for the happiness, health and longevity of loved ones. Please write down the objects of your prayers and type of prayer requested, place in an envelope with your donation and give this to the Retreat Director at any time during the retreat. The retreat director will announce the prayer during an evening practice. All donations for living persons are pooled and then divided equally among the Sangha members who helped pray during the prayer sessions.

Personal Items to Bring

NOTE: Retreatants will not be allowed to leave the retreat environs to pick up
supplies. Please make sure you have an adequate supply of personal items
for the duration of your retreat.

The Buddha Path practice text (you can borrow or purchase one at the retreat, or order a copy now)
Meditation cushion or equivalent.
Dharma tools such as bell and dorje, ritual drum, mala, etc. (the DRC can loan you a bell, dorje and drum during the retreat)
A cloth or blanket to cover the knees during sessions (helps with circulation).
A sealed drinking cup or bottle to bring hot or cold water into the shrine room
Acoustic and/or electric musical instruments.
Notebook(s) and multiple writing utensils.
Laptops (Internet access will be available on a limited basis).
Any and all needed prescription medications.
Over-the-counter medicines and supplements (including aspirin, vitamins, etc).
Sunscreen, mosquito repellent, poison oak ointments, etc.
Clothing for hot, summer days.
A sun hat or cap.
Sunglasses.
Swimsuit and beach towel (we have a sandy swimming area along the river).
Clothing for cold nights.
A stocking cap.
Rain gear and/or an umbrella.
Hiking/walking shoes.
Indoor slippers.
Toiletries, washcloths, and towels.
Flip-flops for the shower.
A small backpack.
A headlamp (more practical than a flashlight)
A watch and an alarm clock.
A camera.
Batteries and rechargers for your electronic devices.
Dana (offering) for teachers.
Shrine offerings & decorations.
Extra money for offerings, incidentals, and possibly Dharma items/tools.

Additional Items for Camping

Tent with rainfly and ground cloth.
Sleeping bag.
Sleeping pad(s) and/or a cot.
Camp chair.
Nylon sacks or equivalent for organizing items.
Small broom and dustpan.

What to Leave Behind

Pets.
Weapons and firearms.
Fireworks.
Drinking alcohol.
Illegal drugs. This includes intentionally misusing over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Cigarettes and Tobacco. Smoking destroys the health and proper functioning of the body as well as a person's ability to increase their merit and wisdom through Dharma practice. For the benefit of all sentient beings, the entire DRC property is a no-smoking environment.

Health-Related Issues

The Summer Retreat will afford participants a healthy environment with ample good food, sleep and beneficial activities. Retreatants should be aware that the nearest medical facilities are about an hour drive from the DRC. Therefore, everyone should take care and be mindful of their health. In general, retreatants should be healthy enough to maintain the demanding retreat schedule. Please bring along appropriate medications for any pre-existing physical conditions. The DRC is located in an area of Oregon that can be hard on those with allergies, so plan accordingly.

If you are taking any kind of pharmaceutical that can influence your mental state (including but not limited to anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, diabetes medications, and/or thyroid medications) you will be required to bring an adequate supply for your entire stay, and to consistently follow the usage pattern and medical advice prescribed by your physician. Please inform the Retreat Director of your special medical conditions when you register. This information will be kept confidential and is gathered only to provide the retreat staff with the knowledge to appropriately respond in the event of an emergency.

Bees and other stinging insects may be present. Peanuts or other common allergens will be served in some foods. Therefore, if you or your companions have life-threatening allergies, you are required to bring Epi-Pens or other such emergency treatments.

Child Care

The DRC will not be able to provide staff for child care during the Summer Retreat. Parents will be responsible for arranging for the care and special needs of children who are too young to participate in the daily teaching and study schedule. If you are bringing along a nanny or caregiver for your child who will not be in the retreat sessions, they will be expected to pay the standard $20/day that all volunteers pay to stay at the retreat center. This covers the cost of that person's food, lodging, and utilities. Please contact the Internship Director with any questions or concerns on this topic. Although children aged 0-5 are allowed at the retreat center for free, you will be required to fund the purchase any special foods. We request you purchase any such items as special baby foods or diapers prior to your arrival at the retreat center and bring an adequate supply with you.

Meditation Cushions and Chairs

The Retreat Director encourages everyone to bring their own meditation cushion or equivalent unless unreasonable. This will ensure that you will have the most suitable and comfortable seating arrangement possible. The DRC does have a collection of various cushions for those unable to bring their own. For those who have a physical condition that makes sitting on a cushion for long periods detrimental, a simple chair will be made available.

Dana (Offerings to the Teacher)

Making a traditional offering to our teachers at the beginning and end of a retreat is an auspicious and powerful means to generating merit, the power of positive thinking. Such offerings, of course, are in no way meant as payment for teachings. By giving something that we ourselves value, we are thereby strengthening the thinking that Dharma is more desirable than any material object we could ever possess.

Additionally, it important to note that Khenpo Choga Rinpoche never receives any monetary compensation from the organizers of the public teachings and retreats which he so kindly leads.

Accordingly, if you would like to contribute to the traditional Sangha offering at the start of the retreat please speak with the Retreat Director. At the end of your retreat there will be ample opportunity to make a personal offering.

Cancellations and Refunds

You may cancel any time prior to May 30, 2009 and receive a refund of 100% of any fees you have paid. Students who cancel after May 30, 2009, will not be eligible for refunds.

Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns about the above information or about the Dzogchen Summer Retreat in general please direct them to:

Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation
William Ivanoff, Director, Dzogchen Summer Retreat
Email: william.ivanoff@gmail.com
541-337-6256

If you have trouble reaching William, you may also contact:
Kunzang, Assistant Director, Dzogchen Summer Retreat
Email: kunzang108@gmail.com
619-817-8255 - Dzogchen Retreat Center