Retreat 101

KCC has a wonderful retreat facility two hours down the Columbia Gorge—but because it has recently been in use by three-year retreatants, many people haven’t had the chance to experience it. In Retreat 101, Sally and Jeff Alworth will introduce attendees to the basics of doing a Buddhist retreat as well as provide an introduction to that remarkable facility and the grounds at Ser Chö Ösel Ling (SCOL).

In this retreat, attendees will receive instructions on beginner practices, receive a gentle introduction to full-day meditation practice, and go on tours of the various physical spaces at SCOL. The function is to introduce attendees to retreat and the facility so they feel inspired to follow up by attending future retreats.

• Sally and Jeff will give instructions about posture, different forms (standing, walking, sitting), supportive contemplations, and methods of calm abiding meditation (Zhinay).
• Attendees will receive instructions about how to use SCOL and do retreat there, including shrine preparation and maintenance, bell-ringing, and chores.
• Attendees will tour all the facilities, including the retreat cloister, the kitchen and food-prep areas, staff quarters, the barn, as well as explore the grounds on unstructured hikes on designated trails throughout the 240-acre property.

KCC’s founder, Kalu Rinpoche, was a legendary practitioner, spending half of his first forty years in cloistered or secluded retreat. Over the course of his lifetime, he encouraged students to deepen their practice through retreat wherever possible. His principle student, Bokar Rinpoche, encouraged KCC to build a permanent place for retreat—a project that resulted in Ser Chö Ösel Ling. It is a rare and precious resource, and Sally and Jeff want to encourage people to feel welcome there and invited to use it.

Sponsor
Kagyu Changchub Chuling (KCC) a Dharma Center in Portland, Oregon, is sponsoring this retreat. KCC was founded in 1976 by the Very Venerable Kalu Rinpoche, one of the eminent meditation masters of modern Tibet and a holder of the Karma Kagyu and Shangpa Kagyu lineages. The mission of KCC is to make the teachings of these lineages accessible for all practitioners, whether they are just beginning to investigate Buddhism or are long-time students.