2015 Abhayagiri Thanksgiving Retreat Registration (Closed)

2015 Abhayagiri Thanksgiving Retreat Registration (Closed)

Retreat registration is closed. This post is left here for informational purposes.

Registration for the Abhayagiri Thanksgiving Monastic retreat will close on July 31. Here is the original retreat announcement:

Abhayagiri Monastery in Redwood Valley, California and the Sanghapala Foundation invite you to join Luang Por Pasanno and the Abhayagiri Community for a 10-day retreat over the Thanksgiving holiday, November 20-29 at the Angela Center in Santa Rosa, California.

We will create a monastery environment during our time together, and we offer you this opportunity to explore the Dhamma in a setting that differs somewhat from a typical meditation retreat. We will all live the monastery life, following the Eight Precepts, taking only what is offered, and attempting to reflect on our every activity as part of our practice. This will include noble silence, morning and evening chanting, sitting and walking meditation, a work period, and daily Dhamma talks and teachings.

The retreat will be held from Friday afternoon, November 20th, through mid-day Sunday, November 29, 2015, in the Ursula Hall at the Angela Center in Santa Rosa, California. The closest airports are Santa Rosa, Oakland and San Francisco, with shuttles available to Santa Rosa.

Because of the length of this retreat and the adherence to the Eight Precepts, you must previously have sat at least one five-day meditation retreat. Retreatants are requested to attend the entire retreat, from the opening taking of the Precepts on Friday evening to the closing ceremony on Sunday morning.

The facility is wheelchair accessible. We are unable to accommodate special dietary or environmental needs. We will eat a light breakfast and, in keeping with this monastic tradition, the daily meal (vegetarian) is eaten before noon; there is no evening meal or use of kitchen. Incense and candles are used at the morning and evening chanting periods.

The retreat will be offered solely on dana (freewill donations); there is no set fee.

Due to the popularity of this retreat, registration is via lottery and a deposit is required for registration. (For those who attend the retreat or are on the waiting list, or who cancel by October 25th, the deposit can be refunded upon request or it can be offered as a freewill donation to Abhayagiri Monastery. The deposit cannot be refunded to those who cancel after October 25th.)

Out of respect for others, please register only when you can make a clear and wholehearted commitment to attend.

Retreat registration is closed. This post is left here for informational purposes.

To register for the retreat, print out the pdf registration form and mail it along with the $100 deposit check to Paul Friedlander, 722 Prospect Avenue, Oakland 94610. There is no email registration this year.

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