Stepping Into Clarity: A New Year's Retreat & Refuge Ceremony

December 31, 2025 - January 1, 2026

Location: KCC Portland Center

Address: 4936 NE Skidmore St, Portland, Oregon 97218, USA

Prices

$151.00 to $300.00 – Sponsorship Level—your generous contribution helps fund scholarships and ensures access for those who otherwise couldn’t attend.
$150.00 – Sustaining Donation—your support keeps these events running and accessible to all.
$1.00 to $149.00 – Supported Level—we welcome everyone, no one is turned away due to financial limitations.

Time: 9:00 AM—3:00 PM
Location: KCC Urban Center and Zoom
Leaders: Lama Eric, Lama Kathleen, Tim Campbell, Erik Fromme, Cynthia Irvine, and David Thornburgh.

Daily schedule:

Wednesday, December 31st:
9-12 Meditation with breaks
12-1:30 Bring-your-own lunch
1:30-3:00 Discussion, meditation, and aspiration prayers

Thursday, January 1st:
9-10:40 Meditation with breaks
11-12 Refuge ceremony
12-1:30 Potluck lunch
1:30-3:00 Discussion, meditation, and aspiration prayers

KCC will continue its long-standing tradition of hosting two days of retreat to purposefully conclude 2025 and intentionally step into 2026. Furthermore, this marks the beginning of KCC’s 50th anniversary year, with special events and programs planned to honor our history, celebrate our community, and envision together the path ahead.

For this retreat, the current Sunday teachers—Lama Kathleen, Tim Campbell, Erik Fromme, Cynthia Irvine and David Thornburgh—will join Lama Eric to lead us in a variety of contemplations, discussion, meditations, and other creative rituals over these two days. We will rejoice in our efforts of the past twelve months, use the occasion to turn away from unhelpful patterns, and create meaningful aspirations for the year to come.

On the morning of January 1st at 11:00 AM, there will be a refuge ceremony. You can come to take refuge without joining the two days of retreat; likewise, you may join the retreat without taking refuge. Formally going for refuge is a declaration of beginning the journey along the Buddhist path. In this brief ceremony, one goes for refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha (the teacher, the teachings, and the exalted community of followers) as supports for one’s awakening. A token amount of hair is cut and a Buddhist name is given. You can hear more about taking refuge in this short video. If you would like to take refuge, please contact Lama Eric.

Come join us for this annual community ritual to move into the new year with dharma friends!

You can join this event in person at KCC or via Zoom. For Zoom, details on how to join will be included in the confirmation email when you register. On the first day, New Year’s Eve, we will all be responsible for our own lunch but will share in a vegetarian and vegan potluck on New Year’s Day.

Category : 5130 Dharma Event