More on Living Silence Retreat

Silence: While silence can be uncomfortable, it can also be a beautiful opportunity to connect with oneself, the land and (perhaps surprisingly) those with whom one is sharing silence. Unburdening from the need to “keep ourselves together” or present in a certain way - our silence can support an unspoken yet powerful sense of care to emerge in our communal field. While those who doubt their capacity to not talk for a whole weekend are wholeheartedly encouraged to join all of us who gave it a try and realized we could, please weigh this against any current mental health challenges you are experiencing. Contact Joe at 401-241-9051 if you would like support making this evaluation.

Dana: Dana, the Pali/Sanksrit word for Generosity, is the waterway by which Buddhist (and many other) spiritual traditions have flowed down the ages, passed heart to heart, hand to hand, and mouth to ear - to reach us here, today. It is what guides and supports us as we practice. It is what allows these ways of wisdom, these ways of care, to pass on to benefit our children and grandchildren.

This Retreat is held in this spirit of mutual generosity - where this opportunity to learn and practice is offered freely, without a fixed price aside from a modest deposit to cover shared expenses. In turn, at the end of the retreat, participants are asked to offer financially according to their means to support the livelihood of facilitators and organizers.

The practice of Dana asks each of us to take honest account of our resources, to give in the spirit of trust & abundance, and to directly challenge the fear and scarcity in our cultural conditioning that constantly tells us that we have to do it all on our own. Your generosity allows these opportunities to continue, grow & flourish as well as supports others with less financial means to attend. All offerings of Dana are gratefully received and will be used with intention & care.

Joe has personally benefited from this lineage of abundance during his formative years as a young man seeking with few resources and is committed to it’s preservation and continuation.

Food, Lodging & Collective Effort: Your deposit includes two simple & nourishing breakfasts, two hearty lunches (our main meal) and a snack for Saturday evening (fruit, crackers and cheese). 

All meals are vegetarian with accommodations possible for dietary restrictions including vegan, gluten free and dairy free. If your diet is uniquely restrictive, you may need to bring your own provisions to substitute or supplement. You are welcome to bring ‘luxury’ food items such as chocolate, just please bring a modest amount to share with others.

As this is a community-centric retreat we will collectively contribute to maintain a clean space, prepare food, ring bells and do the washing up. Once we are together there will be a sign-up list to ease the flow while in silence. Unstructured offerings of support, particularly with the setup and takedown of the space before/after the retreat are most gratefully received.

Thanks to a generous donation from the community, our lodging will be the beautiful and spacious Deer Hill with ample sleeping space, a dedicated Dharma Hill and the wilds of the Mancos valley just outside our front door.