A Dharma Camping Retreat with Khaydroup Zangmo

Attention Dharma Campers! NEW CAMPSITE! Registration is now open! Last day to register is August 20.

The Venue has been changed due to expected August heat. El Capitan Portola Camp Ground, north of Santa Barbara, is the new location. The site is on a bluff overlooking the Ocean. It will surely be a more comfortable spot to camp in August.

As this is a group site, we need a minimum of 10 registrants. If we do not have 10 registered by August 20^th we will need to cancel the retreat. We will welcome those who live in the area and do not wish to camp to join the retreat during the day/evening. You will still need to register for the retreat and pay the State Park entrance fee each day.

 Please read the following carefully as it contains important information.

We will do our best to integrate the rhythms of tent camping with Dharma practice. We will have two distinct practice periods. The first one begins when we wake up and continues throughout the day until the beginning of the evening meal preparation. During this phase we will be on our own to create our own daily schedule. We will bring our own food for breakfast and lunch, as well as our own books, texts, and practice materials to do whatever Dharma practice we wish to do. Personal practice times can be done either in our own tents or in the outdoor “Meditation Hall” created by shade structures and outdoor carpets. We have a few and you are welcome to bring whatever you have to share, as the more shade we can create the better. We will have to bring our own cushions and chairs as well. During the day we will keep our chatter to a bare minimum, also known as the practice of silence, to preserve an atmosphere of solitude and mutually support a practice environment. During the cooler hours of the day, you may wish to take walk. If so, please go in pairs or in groups for safety.

The second phase of the practice begins with the evening meal preparation. This is the time to relax the discipline of silence to include talk about meal prep, and the experiences of the day, but at the same time to practice mindfulness of speech so as to keep the focus on the present camping experience. The practice here is to train disciplined speech, to filter speech to speak only that which is kind, helpful, true and limited to our current camping experience. We will share four common meals. Preparation of the evening meal will be shared by participants. The number of those who have registered will be divided by four. These four groups will be responsible for one evening meal each: purchasing, preparing, and cleaning up. Groceries and Ice are available for purchase in the near vicinity.

After the evening meal has been cleaned up and we are all ready, we will gather together for the “Evening Circle”, a variation on the practice I call “Dharma Discourse”. Rather than all reading from the same Dharma Source, we can share passages from our current readings and discuss them in the light of our own understanding, insight and practice.