Join Dharma Teachers Peggy Rowe, EdD, Larry Ward, PhD, Viviane Ephraimson-Abt, MsEd, and the Colorado Sanghas for a retreat sponsored by the Colorado Community for Mindful Living.

Let's face it, things are messy now. Many of us are being challenged to experience our inner freedom. How do we transform our bodies and minds so that we can experience more grace and ease in this present moment? This retreat will focus on experiencing and embodying the stabilizing elements of earth, air, fire and water. Our vibrant community practice will help our hearts to be indestructible.

We will enjoy sitting meditation, indoor walking meditation, outdoor activities (weather permitting), dharma talks, dharma discussion, eating meditation, total relaxation, and mindful movement.  We will have time for silence, mindful creativity, singing, and community circles. We will have silent meals and practice in silence the entire morning.  

Drs. Peggy Rowe Ward and Larry Ward are senior dharma teachers in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Larry is the author of America's Racial Karma and Peggy of Making Friends with Time. They have co-authored Love's Garden.   Viviane Ephraimson-Abt, MsEd, is a dharma teacher living in Colorado and a founder of several Thich Nhat Hanh sanghas.  

CHECK-IN is on Thursday, November 10, 2022 from 3:00-5:00 pm. The retreat will begin with dinner on Thursday and end before lunch on Monday, November 14, 2022.  To create safety and continuity on the retreat, PLEASE PLAN TO PARTICIPATE THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE RETREAT.  If this is unavoidable, please inform us ahead of time.  We know how hard it is to fit retreats into work schedules, but we ask for no arrivals later than 6:00 PM Thursday, November 10th. 

A WELCOMING COMMUNITY: To provide a welcoming and nourishing atmosphere for everyone, we will offer some guidelines at the beginning of the retreat to help deepen everyone's experience.  Refrain from wearing scents or oils during the retreat.    

MEALS: All meals will be vegan. Snacks will not be provided.  Please bring any between-meal snacks you may wish to have.  If you have other dietary needs please tell us in the box below.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND COST: Your registration cost includes your lodging and all meals from Thursday dinner through Monday breakfast. Registration fees vary based on type of room selected and are calculated per person, not per room. Please note that rooms are in cabins, and the meditation hall will not be in the same building as these rooms. Movement between cabins, meditation hall and dining hall will require outside walks.  Each cabin contains two restrooms (including shower) that will be shared with other cabin residents.

Payment may be made by credit card.  For people without credit cards, please contact Paul McClure (pj.mcclure@gmail.com or 970-407-1492) to make alternate arrangements.

Double occupancy with shared restroom (2 beds): $441 per person (SOLD OUT)
Larger bedroom with 4-6 beds, shared restroom: $321 per person
Commuter participant (includes all meals and program, without sleeping space): $236 per person

SCHOLARSHIPS: This retreat is able to offer scholarships based on registration donations. Consider donating to the scholarship fund if you are able. For those needing financial support, ask your local community/sangha first. To apply for funding from retreat donations contact Paul McClure pj.mcclure@gmail.com for an application. Scholarship recipients will be given a scholarship recipient code for registration.

DANA, PRACTICING GENEROSITY- Our teachers follow a long tradition of offering the Buddha’s teachings without charge because these teachings are priceless. Retreatants offer a donation or “dana”, as a thank you and continuing this practice of generosity. Consider donating according to what feels comfortable and beneficial for you. Giving in this way is intended to be supportive for collective wellbeing. You can offer dana on-site (cash, credit cards, checks). You also may want to offer a donation to the La Foret staff and retreat center.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Please register before October 14 to help our planning. Registration will remain open until October 26 or until registration is full, whichever comes first.

 WE EXPECT THIS RETREAT TO FILL COMPLETELY.  EARLY REGISTRATION IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED!  

REFUND POLICY: Because we must pay for accommodations reserved, no refunds are possible, unless you are able to arrange for someone else to pay for and use the space you reserved.  Exceptions may be made to allow compliance with the COVID policy which would require people who test positive or who are symptomatic for COVID to stay home from the retreat.  

COVID POLICY: As of mid-August, the COVID risk in much of Colorado, including Colorado Springs, is low to moderate, but this could easily change.
Retreatants are asked to be mindful of the potential spread of the COVID virus. We ask that all retreatants be up to date on COVID vaccinations and boosters at least two weeks before the retreat starts.  Because additional booster vaccines may become available before the beginning of the retreat, we ask that participants receive additional boosters as needed and as appropriate before the retreat. We will also require participants to demonstrate either negative PCR test taken on November 9 or 10 OR negative antigen test (rapid test) taken on Thursday, November 10.  Registration will require proof of vaccination (photo of vaccination card).  Please bring photograph or written documentation of negative test results to the retreat.  We ask that people who are symptomatic or who test positive for COVID not attend the retreat.  Because COVID itself changes rapidly, these policies are subject to change.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact mindfulnessretreat2022@gmail.com.

 

Children are welcome!  

To help keep kids safe, parents/caregivers are expected to supervise their child/children at all times while on retreat.

For young children who are unable to be in the dharma hall quietly and listen, color or rest, we do ask accompanying adults to work cooperatively to hold activites such as yoga, mindful walks, and guided meditation.  This is not a formal childrens program or a daycare.  People who bring small kids will miss some of the dharma talks and dharma sharing sessions to help facilitate with the kids. This is a beautiful opportunity to build sangha among young families and introduce the practice to the littles. 

Please fill out the box below to tell us about your family.  

Please Note! Children 6 years old and younger may attend without additional charge.

Children 7 years and over must be registered as regular attendees and pay full retreat fee. Please complete a separate registration form for each child 7 years old & and over who will be attending.

Peggy and Larry (and the whole sangha) have a commitment to supporting people of color on the bodhisattva/mindfulness path. Do you or any of the people you’re registering identify as a person of color (POC)?

Peggy and Larry (And the whole sangha) are dedicated to providing a space for people of all gender identities at the retreat.  Please tell us how you identify in regard to gender, and the type of lodging that would best suit you.  

This retreat is able to offer scholarships based on registration donations. Consider donating to the scholarship fund if you are able. For those needing financial support, ask your local community/sangha first. To apply for funding from retreat donations contact Paul McClure at pj.mcclure@gmail.com for an application.

(Coupons are for scholarship recipients and will be given to assist registration process for those who are awarded scholarships.)

Rooms are assigned on a space available basis. This means if there is no space in a double, we might ask you to move into a larger 4-6 bed room. We also are unable to honor requests for singles because of the room configuration.  People who would like to have single lodging accommodations are invited to make their own reservations in a nearby hotel and join the retreat for all activities as commuters.

COVID POLICY: Retreatants are asked to be mindful of the potential spread of COVID virus. We ask that all retreatants be up to date on COVID vaccinations and boosters prior to 2 weeks before retreat start. Because additional booster vaccines may become available before the beginning of the retreat, we ask that participants receive additional boosters as needed and as appropriate before the reteat. We will also require participants to demonstrate either negative PCR test taken on November 9 or 10 OR negative antigen test (rapid test) taken on Thursday, November 10. Registration will require proof of vaccination (photo of vaccination card). Please bring photograph or written documentaion of negative test results to the retreat. We ask that people who are symptomatic or who test positive for COVID not attend the retreat.  Because COVID itself changes rapidly, these policies are subject to change.  

If you are unable to upload a photograph of your evidence of vaccination card, please photocopy it and mail it to Mindfulness Retreat, c/o Bev Tuel, P. O. Box 201464, Denver, Colorado 80220.  Please clearly print your name, email address, and phone number on the photocopy.  Vaccination proof must be received no later than October 31, 2022.