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Celebratory Retreats

We offer three Refuge Retreats, and these are open to anyone who has attended an Introductory or Beginners Retreat at Shasta Abbey or who has had some experience with Buddhist practice at another temple or retreat center.
Each refuge retreat explores a specific theme or aspect of Buddhist practice. Each includes Dharma talks and discussions on putting the teachings into practice in daily life.
Meditation instruction and an orientation to the monastery are available for those who are new to Shasta Abbey.

     
Wesak Celebratory Retreat
February 8-10
 

 

The Festival of Buddha’s Parinirvana, or entry into Eternal Meditation at death, is the focal point for the theme of this retreat, which centers on how death and dying are viewed in Buddhism, how we deal with it and how one may prepare for it.

     
September 26-28
 


Bhaisajyaguru is the Buddha of Healing, and this retreat focuses on matters of illness, spiritual as well as physical, and how the medicine of the Dharma can help us to relieve our suffering and find true peace. We venerate Bhaisajyaguru at the beautiful Vigil and Festival ceremonies as part of this retreat.

 
 
   
     
 
 
 
October 30-November 2
 
 

This Refuge retreat centers on the teaching of the Festival of the Feeding of the Hungry Ghosts, which includes looking at how to convert craving within ourselves. During the ceremony we offer the food of the Dharma to those who have died under painful or difficult circumstances. We prepare an altar with many kinds of food, representing our offering of unconditional love, kindness, and merit. Talks discuss how we can convert suffering and craving through the practice of unconditional acceptance and of the Dharma.
We end the retreat with the Festival of our Founder, celebrating the life and teaching of the Very Reverend Keido Chisan Koho who, as the Transmission Master of Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett, is honored as the Founder of Shasta Abbey.

 
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