SCOL offers self-guided individual retreat space when group retreats are not in session.
Buddhism, and specifically the Kagyu lineage, has a long and inspiring history of examples of individuals who have engaged in periods of intensive solo meditation practice. Being able to devote more time to meditation away from our habitually busy usual environs can be very inspiring and nurturing. Individual retreats can be a weekend of practice or last a month or longer.
Sitting with oneself in solitude can be powerful and is the perfect opportunity for obstacles and intense emotional states to arise. Therefore, it is not for everyone. The staff and teaching resources at SCOL are limited at this time, and there is a high likelihood that a retreatant will have little or no human interaction during their stay. For the comfort and safety of retreatants and those around them, we are requesting applicants fill out an application before registering for solitary retreat. You will also need to provide the information of a teacher who can be an on-call resource during your retreat. Once the application has been approved, a link will be sent to complete the registration process.
Individual Retreat Application
Accommodations
SCOL has 16 small cabins for individual retreatants with shared bathroom, shower, and kitchenette/dining areas. Four cabins are ADA accessible. We have one self-contained cabin with bathroom, shower, and kitchenette.
Each small cabin is furnished with the following (or similar):
Meals
SCOL does not provide meals for those on individual retreat. There is a small, shared kitchen in each of the cloister dining areas where retreatants can store and cook food. SCOL staff can shop once per week for those on longer retreats.
Contact Us:
Can I bring candles and incense for the altar?
No, we do not allow any item with a flame or ember due to extreme fire danger.