The Bosie Spring Retreat
April 28–May 4, 2013

Retreat Details, Conditions, and Policies

Last updated: February 6, 2013

Overall Rereat Schedule

This year there is a single retreat duration option available for the full one week (3 PM on Sunday, April 28 through 3 PM on Saturday, May 4, 2013). Retreatants will need to attend all sessions to participate in the retreat. In other words, 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

The retreat center is located at: 3607 W Overland Rd Boise, ID 83705.

If you need to book a flight, train, or bus, to get to the retreat, please contact the retreat director about ground transportation from the airport, train terminal, or bus station.

What is Included

The fee includes:

1 amazing week of Dharmic experiences

The fee does not include:

Transportation to and from the retreat center.
Living arrangements and food. Room and board are up to the retreatant and are not part of the costs paid in your fee. The fee only covers the teachings. If you need help finding a hotel or other living arrangements, please contact AlejAndro (retreat director) at the Boise Dharma Center (BDC). 208-585-7868 or boisedharmacenter@gmail.com

The Food

There will be a daily potluck lunch, so bring food to share if you want to participate. You can also bring your own food and not participate in the potluck. You should plan to eat your breakfast and dinner outside of the retreat hours.

Please coordinate with the Retreat Director.

Accommodations

You will be responsible for arranging your own accomodations. Boise has a wide variety of accommodations available including hotels, vacation rentals, B&Bs, hostels, and RV parks. Click one of the links below to search for accommodations that suit your needs.

When searching online, you can use the 83705 zip code of the retreat center to find the closest accommodations, or check the map to see how far it is from the retreat center which is located at: 3607 W Overland Rd Boise, ID 83705.

Hotels

Search on these sites for hotel rooms:
Hotels.com
Orbitz.com
Priceline.com

Vacation Rentals

Search on these sites for vacation rentals:
www.vacationrentals.com
www.vrbo.com

Hostels

Search on these sites for hostels:
Hostelworld.com
Hostelcat.com

Bed and Breakfasts

Search on these sites for B&Bs:
Airbnb.com
Bedandbreakfast.com

RV Parks

If you're driving your RV to the retreat, then there are some RV parks you can explore.

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.

What to Bring

Below is a suggested packing list. Plan for the weather to be both warm and dry and damp and cool. Rain is possible any day of the year in this part of Oregon. Please bring appropriate sleeping gear, clothing, and shoes.

Computer (with charger) OR Notebook and pens
Sleeping bag OR sheets and blankets
Pillow and pillow case
Tent and poles (if you are tent camping)
Headlamp OR flashlight (with extra batteries)
Toiletries
Water bottle – covered water is the only drink allowed in the shrine
Ritual objects i.e., your bell and dorje, drum (a puja table will be provided)
Copy of The Buddha Path practice book (you can purchase a copy at the retreat)
Sitting cushion or chair of choice (some chairs and cushions are avaiable on site)
Lap blanket (to keep knees warm for long sittings in the shrine)
Cool clothing for daytime
Warm clothing for evenings
Water-proof shoes or boots
Hiking shoes
Plenty of socks and underwear
Rain coat, umbrella, or poncho
Coat appropriate to the season
Enough changes of clothes to get you through the retreat
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 reccommend 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 pharmecutical that can influence your mental state (including but not limited to anti-depressant, 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 April 21, 2013. 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 April 21, 2013 and receive a refund of 100% of any fees you have paid. There will be no refunds after April 21, 2013.

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.

Dana Donations

Retreat costs do not include any payment or donation to the guiding teacher. Any donation to the teacher or to the hosting organization that you would like to make should be prepared outside of your payment for the cost of this event.

The Buddhist teachings during the retreat are free, but note that within Dzogchen Buddhist tradition, the teacher does not charge the organizers for the teaching services, and therefore individual donations by retreatants 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. This offering to the teacher by the individual student is often referred to using the Sanskrit term dana.

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.

If you have any questions about anything, don’t hesitate to contact the retreat director or assistant retreat director.

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.