Tag: retreats

Veteran’s Day Weekend Retreat

Friday, November 8 @ 3:00 pm – Monday, November 11 @ 12:00 pm

We are delighted to invite you to register for the Winter 2024 retreat held at the Quaker Center in Ben Lomond, California (80 miles from the Bay Area). The retreat will take place from Saturday, November 9 – Monday, November 11, with an option to arrive on Friday, November 8 for an additional cost. All retreat meals will be provided by the wonderful chef Tod Nysether.

The theme is “Creativity as Refuge.”

We are excited to share that Maxine Hong Kingston has agreed to lead the writing workshop on Friday, together with Earll Kingston and Wendy Johnson.

NOTE: This retreat is now full. You can still register to be added to the waitlist. We will invite registrants from the waitlist if others are unable to attend.

Registration link: https://forms.gle/agLxDbgBTMajWefu8

Please fill out the information requested in this Google Form. The retreat organizers, Dylan and Melanie, will review all completed registration forms and confirm your waitlist/registration status. When we do, we will send details on payment and lodging. 

We currently estimate costs of $150 per night for dorm room beds and $100 per night for camping/futons. (Camping in your own tent, or sleeping on floor pads, will only be available if we have a sufficient number of people registered — we need to fill the beds first.)

We aspire to create a retreat body that represents the diversity of the many people and communities practicing in the Plum Village lineage, including race/ethnicity, age, and gender. Please be patient with us as we do our best to accommodate your needs and to create the conditions for a supportive and inclusive space.

Our draft health plan is outlined in the registration form, but here it is for ready reference:

1. We will request everyone to rapid test negative on their day of arrival. 
2. We will leave windows open and run HEPA air filters wherever possible.
3. We will structure activities to make it comfortable to mask at any time and to eat outdoors.
4. We will ask anyone with symptoms to (K)N95 mask, even if rapid testing negative.
5. We will provide a supply of high-quality (K)N95 masks and extra rapid tests.
6. If you test positive at the retreat, we will ask you to leave early or self-isolate, depending on conditions.

$300 – $400 (estimated)

Dylan Tweney

+1 650-315-9607

Quaker Center

Ben Lomond, California 95005 United States + Google Map
831-212-2631
View Venue Website
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21-Day Workout: Sangha Body Building

Dear Respected Thay, Dear Community,

As a community of deeply caring and engaged people, a commonly heard struggle is how to keep stretching our bandwidth to an ever-increasing set of fundamental issues that urgently need attention, wise attention.  Our sangha practice provides a container, energy, support and collaboration to skillfully stretch our bandwidths.

Sugarplum Sangha wants to invite you to partake of any and all practices for our online offerings to bolster the mahasangha. This is our third 21 day retreat, held from June 7-28.

We chose the name during lighter times, “21 day workout: Sangha Body Building”.  In this moment, it seems so light hearted.  Our offering is to be able to go deep and maintain our grasp on joy/happiness, holding those in our two hands.

Continue reading “21-Day Workout: Sangha Body Building”
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Homeward Bound: Virtual Retreat May 22-25

an online Retreat with Sugarplum Sangha

May 22 – 25
online and at home
suggested donation: $25 -$100

Co-creating a retreat at home over Memorial Weekend and connecting with friends on the path in new and creative ways. In this online retreat, we’ll enjoy:

  • Core Plum Village practices including: sitting, walking, working and eating meditation.
  • Live dharma talks on bringing meditation to life at home and cultivating resilience to adversity
  • Dharma Sharing to learn from and support each other
  • Chanting and songs to enjoy voices in unison and touch deep aspiration
  • Interplay and art to share our insight creatively and spontaneously
  • Beginning Anew Bingo – a fun game to nourish relationships
  • Five Mindfulness Trainings Adventure to explore and embody the Bodhisattva path

The retreat will be a combination of practicing together online and going forth right away into our homes to apply what we learn to living with kindness and freedom during this time of social distancing. The practices are facilitated by Plum Village Dharma Teachers, Order of Interbeing members, and experienced Sugarplum Sangha practitioners.

For more information, see https://www.sugarplumsangha.org/homeward-info