Dharma Treasure

EXPECTATIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS: 

• Adherence to the ethical guidelines 
• A commitment to use all activities of the day as opportunities for practice
• Maintenance of silence if you choose to commit to noble silence
• Sustained and continuous practice
• A commitment to being fully at the retreat, with no outside activities
• Completion of a daily work meditation
• Participation in scheduled interviews should you be having them
• Participation in the retreat schedule that you have created

NOBLE SILENCE: 

Noble silence is a practice not just of refraining from verbal speech AND internal speech, but also restraining our desires to communicate with notes and our eyes and body language as well.  The intention behind noble silence is a beautiful one: to allow you to go deeper into your internal practice by lessening our constant external communicating, and to allow others who may be sharing the land in retreat with us to have the silent retreat they desire.  There is a note system for communicating your needs to your retreat hosts, and of course, in case of real need anyone can speak to anyone.

The practice of right speech, as an alternative, is permissible, like work retreats and longer stay.

COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD 

The experience of being on retreat is a rare opportunity for silence and solitude.  All personal and business obligations should therefore be taken care of prior to arrival, to the extent possible.

WORK MEDITATION 

As part of your intensive retreat practice, you will be asked to engage in mindful work practice. The work will consist of 4 hour a day at tasks such as landscaping, cleaning, gardening, etc.  This work meditation, a form of service, is also vital: it enables us to maintain relatively low retreat fees, and it allows you the opportunity to practice mindfulness in daily activities.  If you have a particular skill you would like to offer, please let us know!