photo: Michael Wood

SOLITARY RETREAT

Historically, retreat practice has been central in the practice lineages of the Kagyü and Nyingma. As Milarepa has sung:
The kindness of the father guru is repaid by practice.
Lord guru, please keep me in your kind heart.
Grant your blessings so that this lowly one may keep to retreat.


In his early days of teaching in North American, the Vidyadhara placed considerable emphasis on individual shamatha retreats. This was often a student's first exposure to extended shamatha practice. Retreat cabins were built at all the practice centers, and regular retreat practice was encouraged. This was before the establishment of the dathün and weekthün (month and week long group retreats) and the introduction of vajrayana practices.

Over time, the dathün and weekthün replaced retreat practice as most students' first introduction to intensive practice. However, the dathün was not designed to replace the solitary retreat, but to provide a powerful and supportive group situation to enter new students into intensive practice. At this point, dathün is required before doing a retreat.

Solitary retreats are still highly encouraged for shamatha students, as well as for ngöndro and sadhana practitioners. In the new Buddhist curriculum, a 7 day solitary retreat is one of the requirements for Vajrayana Seminary, and for some vajrayana practices, extensive retreat is necessary. It is also extremely important that teachers and meditation instructors have a regular retreat practice to deepen their understanding. Though retreat is not required on the Shambhala Training path, many students have found it very powerful to do Shambhala practices such as stroke and Werma in retreat. In any case, whether required or not, retreat can be one of the most powerful and inspiring experiences that practitioners can have.

It is best to do a retreat at a practice center offering guidance as well as dedicated retreat cabins in beautiful locations. Visits by an experienced retreat master are included. In-house retreats at major practice centers are another option.


EXTENDED RETREATS

Some centers can accommodate experienced retreatants who would like to do a longer solitary retreat of several months or longer. Other centers have a limit of one month or so for retreats.

Three Year Retreat
One unique retreat is the traditional three year retreat, which is an advanced vajrayana retreat of practicing both by oneself and with a group. This retreat takes place at Gampo Abbey in its three year retreat center, Söpa Chöling (Dharma Place of Patience), which is a separate building isolated by a fence.

The retreat practices are based on the Karma Kagyu (Kamtsang) tradition, and all participants take temporary ordination for the duration of each segment. The segments are one year in, one year out. In this way two groups of 16 people alternate in participating in the retreat which takes a total of six years.

To enter the retreat one must complete the vajrayana preparatory (ngöndro) and deity practices.

SHAMBHALA RETREAT CENTRES IN NORTH AMERICA

Solitary and in-house retreats:

Solitary retreats only:

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