Retreats & Events
Buddhist and Christian 5-Day Silent Meditation Retreat
Pacific Center for Spiritual Formation has sponsored this Buddhist and Christian 5-Day Meditation Retreat for over 25 years. This retreat is ideal for those who wish to deepen their daily practice, to discover their own integration of meditation across traditions, and to experience the benefits of spiritual practice in community.
We are delighted to have this special retreat at Ben Lomond Quaker Center for the second year. The retreat will again be available in two formats:
In person: You can attend this retreat in person, joining other retreat participants in silent meals, “energy-gift” meditation, and practicing contemplative prayer and spacious awareness among the California Redwoods, plus other practices for daily life (practices on aging/impermanence, interbeing/nature). Energy Gift is an offering of generosity to the retreat center in the form of one hour of work meditation: washing windows, gardening, weeding, trail maintenance, etc. You are welcome to bring a set of working clothes” for energy gift meditation.
On Line via zoom: You can attend this retreat on line if you are unable to attend in person. Ben Lomond Quaker Center has strong Wi-Fi access and can transmit the retreat online at the same time as it is offered in person. Our intention is to make it possible for all participants to see and hear the meditation instructions and to practice with the full retreat community while accessing the retreat online in your personal space at home. We will not be recording this retreat. We will provide suggestions to help you set up your home retreat space and to collaborate with those who live with you to support your retreat in ways that fit your living situation.
DATES: July 2 –7, 2023. (You may arrive after 4 pm at Ben Lomond. We will begin at 5:00 PM online; the retreat will end after lunch/and room-cleaning, approximately 2:00 PM).
LOCATION: Ben Lomond Quaker Center, Ben Lomond, CA in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
REGISTRATION: To register for either IN-PERSON or ONLINE, send an email with the NAME, EMAIL, PHONE, and ADDRESS of each attendee to Susan Murphy.
This retreat is offered in the Buddhist practice of dana, in the spirit of generosity. No one will be turned away because of inability to pay. Please give for this retreat based on your own circumstances and as the spirit leads. We invite those who can pay the full cost to do so, and those who cannot, to pay what you are able. We are deeply grateful for your generosity which helps us pay our bills.
FULL COST: In-person participation is $625, and includes lodging, meals, tuition, tech support. On-line participation is $150, and includes on-line tech support and materials.
Checks should be made out and mailed to: Pacific Center for Spiritual Formation, 1819 Polk Street, Box 441, San Francisco, CA 94109.
Additional retreat information will be sent closer to the retreat dates to all who register including retreat schedule and a questionnaire for you to complete about your needs for this year’s retreat.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Susan Murphy.
LEADERS: Susan Murphy and Rod Dugliss. Biographical information about the leaders is available at http://www.pacificcentersf.org/about