Calendar of Retreats

Information about Personal Retreats
Contact Us

Personal Retreats are available for people who already have a background in self-reflective spiritual practice. Otherwise we recommend that you first attend one of our scheduled retreats. If that is not possible and you would still like to come to Manzanita Village for a personal retreat please contact us to discuss details with one of the resident teachers. Personal Retreats are a time for solitary meditation and reflection. There is no regular schedule at non-retreat times. People on personal retreats should be prepared to set their own schedule and take care of their own food needs, .

HERMITAGE
There is a single room hermitage of straw-bale construction with a solar powered light system, set slightly apart from the main buildings, available for individuals retreats. It can accommodate one or two people. It has an open view of the Vallé of San José, the chaparral slopes and mountains beyond (Mesa Grande, Aqua Tibia and Palomar), giving you a immediate sense of the power of the land here—an ideal spot for a personal retreat.

The hermitage is behind a small ridge, secluded from the main buildings, some three minutes walk away.

We also have single/double room accommodation in one of the main buildings when the hermitage is occupied.
Visitors have use of the zendo (meditation hall), dojo (for yoga, movement etc.), and the library.
There are trails for walking.


WHAT TO BRING
* Bedding: a sleeping bag + sheet (to cover mattress), or sheets and blankets.
* Sleeping pillow
* Towel
* Flashlight
* Shoes that slip on and off easily
* Hiking shoes or boots
* Loose comfortable clothing
* Blanket or shawl for early morning meditation
* Hat for strong summer sun
* Sun-block
* Warm clothes for winter and early morning and nights.
(Please note: shorts and tank tops are not appropriate for use in the zendo)

We do not allow dogs or other pets

FOOD
Personal Retreats are self-catered. A kitchen in the main building is available for you to prepare your own food.
We provide staples: bread, grain, soy milk, tea, spices etc.
We do not provide usually provide fresh fruit or vegetables.
There is no need to bring bottled water. We have our own well.

RATES per person
$45 per night, ($20 for members of Ordinary Dharma)
$175/week + 10-15 hours work or $250 with no work obligation
$400/month + 10-15 hours work per week or $600 with no work obligation
$50 non-refundable deposit is required
balance of payment is due on arrival
We are not a public facility, so personal retreats are not available to the general public.
If you are not a member of Ordinary Dharma, part of your registration fee will be applied to temporary membership.

AVAILABILITY
The hermitage is available at times when there are no scheduled retreats or other events.
Please contact us with the dates when you would like to come.
760-782-9223
e-mail manzanita@ordinarydharma.org

REGISTRATION
Advanced registration and payment is required in advance
http://www.manzanitavillage.org/resources/content_registration.html

DIRECTIONS
http://www.manzanitavillage.org/retreats/fr_directions.html

The human heart is a cortex (like the solar plexus, the sacrum, or the brain). Like the brain it has synapses and neural pathways. It has intelligence. We have all learned how beneficial relaxation is. It strengthens the immune system, and enhances our overall well-being in many ways. However, when the intelligence of the heart is awakened - to love and generosity, to our capacity for empathy, understanding, and compassion - the results are many times more than that of mere relaxation. Love is not just the cultivation of affection for what we are already drawn to. It is without boundary. And its effects are likewise without limit, for ourselves, as well as for those around us. Our work here is to awaken the intelligence of the heart, to awaken to what is possible, to freedom, to life.