Vision

Having our own retreat center would allow us the flexibility to provide a variety of residential programs:

• Weekend retreats for beginners or working householders
• Week-long or longer retreats offered by Gil Fronsdal and guest teachers
• Study retreats in partnership with the Sati Center
• Opportunities for long-term individual practice
• Short-term residence for visiting teachers and monastics
• Opportunities for teacher training

We believe that a small, local, intimate center will enable us to sustain our commitment to a dana and volunteer-based culture, while offering us a unique way to deepen our practice.

We anticipate that the retreat center's operations will be supported, as our retreats are now, by a combination of dana from retreatants and support from the wider community. Ideally, an endowment would fund the ongoing expenses of the retreat center in perpetuity. This would allow us to primarily focus on providing retreatants the opportunity to practice deeply in a retreat environment.

By locating the retreat center near IMC, it will make it easier for our teacher, Gil Fronsdal, to lead retreats there while continuing his participation at IMC. The proximity will also make it easier for volunteers to serve at retreats. This will provide not only cost benefits, but an opportunity for service and for deepening our connections with each other.