Yeshe Tsogyal Retreat Information

April 30th – May 3rd 2005 at the Padmasambhava Peace Institute

INFORMATION

We are delighted to welcome you to the Padmasambhava Peace Institute for the Yeshe Tsogyal Retreat led by His Eminence Namkha Drimed Rinpoche.

Please take the time to read through the following information before arriving for the retreat. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us on (707) 632 5629 or email atiling@hotmail.com.

Registration

Registration is required on arrival for all participants. Please ensure that you allow enough time to drive to PPI, register and settle in BEFORE the retreat starts at 9.30am on Saturday 30th April. At registration you will receive your receipt for payment, job assignment and be asked to read and sign a liability release form.

The registration office is in the right-hand building as you enter the main camp area.

Driving to PPI

Note that driving times are about one hour from Santa Rosa, and two-and-a-half hours to three hours from San Francisco. If you need directions along the way, most locals know PPI as ‘Black Mountain Preserve’ or ‘the old prison’. Note that mobile phones tend not to work for the last 30 minutes or so of the drive up. Gas stations can be found in Santa Rosa and Guerneville, but not Cazadero.

Most direct route: Take Highway 101 to the River Road/Mark West Springs Road exit (just north of the city of Santa Rosa). Go west on River Road to Guerneville. In Guerneville, River Road turns into Highway 116 West. Continue on Highway 116 West to Cazadero Highway. Look for the sign which will point right and say “Cazadero”. (Note: you will pass Old Cazadero Road. It is not recommended). Turn right on Cazadero Highway to the town of Cazadero. Cazadero Highway becomes Fort Ross Road as you leave the town of Cazadero. Stay to the left when you get to the stop sign at the end of town. You will be going uphill. Approximately 7-8 miles of winding road from the stop sign is the entrance to Black Mountain Preserve. There is a large wooden sign on the left, and a mailbox with “PPI’ on the right. It is a sharp left turn in to the property. Prayer flags are flying. The address is 23125 Fort Ross Road, Cazadero, CA 95421. Stay on this winding road all the way down to an open gate which has prayer flags – drive through this and continue on until you reach the main buildings.

Scenic route: Mapquest suggests the route along the coast through the town of Jenner, which takes about 15 minutes longer but has beautiful views of the coast.

Caution: We strongly urge everyone to drive slowly on and around the property as there are many wild animals who cross the roads freely and unsuspectingly, and in the camp itself we have young children. Speeds of 20mph on the access road and 5mph at the camp are advised. Thank you for your co-operation.

Accommodation

Accommodation at PPI is in clean, comfortable, heated dormitories with single beds. A small number of semi-private shared rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis according to payment received. Screens are provided for some areas also. Toilets and showers are located down the corridor from the dorms. You need to provide your own bedding (ie sleeping bag and/or blankets, sheets if desired, and a pillow, as well as towels. Please note that temperatures at PPI drop considerably at night.

Camping is not allowed anywhere on the PPI property or on our neighbors’ property.

If you wish to stay outside PPI overnight, guesthouses and hotels are located in Guerneville and Occidental, 30-40 minutes away, and details of these are available on the Internet.

Job Assignments

The success of this event is possible because of the dedication of the volunteer staff and the conscientiousness of guests.  Work assignments are shared by event participants and your prompt and careful attention to your task will keep things running smoothly. Please consult the job list when you arrive. If you have any queries about your assignments please check with a co-coordinator.

Child Care

Children are most welcome at PPI, but we ask that parents who bring their children take full responsibility for their welfare. Children must have adult supervision at all times. They are welcome in the shrine room as long as they sit quietly. This also applies when the shrine room is not occupied, as it is a sacred place of practice. If your child becomes uncomfortable, please take care of him or her outside of the shrine room.

Fire hazard

PPI is located in an area of high fire risk, whatever the current weather conditions, and we ask for everyone’s assistance in keeping the land safe. Fires, candles, and incense are never permitted except under the clear direction of PPI staff.  Smoking is strictly forbidden at all times.

General safety

The property is home to many species of wildlife, and we respect their right to a safe and happy existence. At the same time we request visitors take responsibility for avoiding unwanted encounters with creatures such as rattlesnakes. Please stick to marked trails and avoid disturbing areas that may be an animal’s habitat.

There are several sections of the buildings which contain dangerous machinery or equipment – please ensure that you and any children you are supervising observe all ‘Keep out’ signs.

Restrictions

The use of cigarettes and recreational drugs is not permitted at any time. Also, please do not bring meat or alcoholic drinks onto the property.

Telecommunications

Cell phones do not work at PPI or in much of the surrounding area. A calling card can be used for making calls on the land-line during office hours if necessary. However, to minimize disruption to the retreat, we ask that only urgent calls be made. Our telephone number (707) 632 5629 can be given to friends and relatives as an emergency contact.

Laundry

Laundry facilities will not be available during this retreat.

Lotus Light Store

The store stocks practice items, sadhanas, photos, books, gifts, cards, CDs, thangkas and other art work, a selection of clothing including chubas, snacks, basic toiletries and items such as flashlights. Opening hours will be posted during the event. We accept cash, checks and credit cards. Due to the limited amount of cash held in the store, however, please ensure you bring enough change for offerings you wish to make during the event.

List of things to bring

CUSHION FOR THE SHRINE ROOM! (Chairs and small tables are available for those unable to sit on the floor)

Dharma texts (the Yeshe Tsogyal text is available for sale in the Lotus Light store at PPI, as are a number of other standard texts). For those wishing to join PPI's daily puja at 6am, please also bring: Wrathful Guru, Red Tara, Riwo Sangchod, Essence of Ongoing Yoga, Chod concise feast, concise Vajrakilaya, Galaxy)

Any medication, toiletries or towels you will need

Sleeping bag/bedding, pillow

Flashlight

Ear-plugs if you are disturbed by snoring

Warm comfortable clothing (layers work best)

Rain gear including suitable shoes for wet weather - Cazadero can get very wet

Hat/sun hat

Shower slippers (bathroom floors can get cold)

Sun glasses

Food

All meals at PPI are vegetarian. Tsogs include generous servings of meat, but other than that, meat is not eaten on the property. Food is prepared and eaten in the large kitchen/dining area in the center of PPI. Snacks and food are NOT allowed in the dormitories at any time. Please note that there is no refrigeration space available for individual retreatants’ use; however a table is set aside in the dining hall for people to leave their food items, boxed/bagged and clearly labeled.

Food/medical issues

If you have a serious food allergy or medical condition we should know about, please email jmmurphy@olympus.net as soon as possible.

Offerings

During this retreat extensive offerings will be made toward tsogs and butterlamps. Tsog is a most profound method of purification and for gaining realization. Offering tsog and butterlamps are said to be two of the most effective ways for accumulating merit through generosity. Forms for making offerings will be available at registration and throughout the retreat. All dedications will be read during the pujas.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE OFFERINGS

It is customary at the end of a retreat to make offerings to all the lamas as well as to the participating monks, nuns and chopons (shrine attendants). An offering can also be made after an empowerment. Traditional Tibetan offering scarves can be purchased at the Lotus Light store, and envelopes for monetary offerings will be provided. Please bring enough cash in the denominations you need, as the store only has a very limited amount of change it can provide for offerings.

Daily schedule

Note that times are subject to change! Apart from Saturday when the retreat begins with the empowerment at 9.30am, the daily schedule will be as follows:

Breakfast 7.30, practice 8.30 - noon with a short break, lunch 12.30, practice and tsog 2.30-6 with a short break, dinner 6pm, practice 7.30-9.30.

The teaching on the text Tsogyal gyi zhulen will take place on Monday.

The retreat is expected to end around 5pm on Tuesday May 3rd

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If this information does not answer all your questions, please contact us as soon as possible by phone or email as detailed above, and we will do our best to help. We look forward to welcoming you to PPI for this auspicious occasion!

This page was last updated on April 25, 2005