Monastery Meditation Dharma Retreats & Guest Information Retreats List Giving Photos Contact

 

More information about specific retreats is available by clicking on those dates with links. FAQs Retreat Fees? Typical retreat schedule?

• October 17-19
• November 21-23

Beginners Retreats
General Description

We have found these weekend Beginners retreats to be the best way to begin getting to know the Abbey, as they include a general orientation to training at Shasta Abbey, instruction in the practice of Serene Reflection Meditation, talks on basic Buddhist teachings and on the purpose of Buddhist training, and opportunities to put the Buddhist teachings into practice in daily life.

We ask guests to arrive at 3 pm in time for the 3:30 Orientation on Friday afternoon. The retreats end on Sunday, after the Dharma Talk and mid-day informal tea with the monks and local congregation.

Refuge Retreats
General Description

Refuge Retreats are open to anyone who has either attended an Introductory or Beginners Retreat at Shasta Abbey or has had some experience with Buddhist practice at another temple or retreat center. Each refuge retreat explores a specific theme or aspect of Buddhist practice. Each includes Dharma talks and discussions on putting the teachings into practice in daily life.
Meditation instruction and an orientation to the monastery are available for those who are new to Shasta Abbey.

General Information about Staying at Shasta Abbey

Lay trainees join in the daily schedule of meditation, working meditation, ceremonies and Dharma talks. The monastic schedule provides a balance of formal meditation, working meditation, and ceremonial, which allows the mind of meditation to be cultivated throughout all aspects of daily life.

Lay trainees stay at the Abbey’s guest house, which accommodates about 40 people. It is often necessary during retreats for guests to share a room. All meals are vegetarian (may include dairy and egg). Guests follow and participate in the daily monastic schedule and abide by the monastery rules and guidelines.

 

 


In addition to inviting you to our retreats, we invite you to attend our weekly Sunday festival, ceremony, Dharma talk and informal tea. You need not have previous experience in order to attend on Sunday or for tours. Please call ahead.
Tours of the monastery are available by appointment, and meditation instruction is offered on most Wednesday evenings. If this is your first visit to the Abbey, please call or email in advance.

Lay trainees who have been to retreats at the Abbey may wish to deepen their training by coming for a longer stay. This is an opportunity to set aside the usual engagements of daily life in the world for a time in order to train within the refuge of the monastery.

Residents and long-term visitors follow a schedule that adheres closely to that of the monastic community. Guests are asked to set aside worldly business when staying at the monastery, and to remain on the monastery grounds during their stay except in cases of unexpected necessity.

If you are considering a longer stay, please consult with the Guestmaster by phone, email or letter.

 
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