Join us for our first Hurley House meditation retreat!
From July 25-28, we will host a special compassion meditation retreat led by beloved teacher and American Tibetan Buddhist nun Lama Lekshe to support us in raising funds to continue the renovation of the house.
The retreat will be an opportunity to study and practice compassion in various ways. Each day will have a theme. Friday will be centered on compassion more broadly, with an introduction to the topic and meditation teachings. Saturday, we will focus on compassion as relates to death and the experience of dying. (See schedule below.)
The retreat will include introduction to breath meditation, training in the ancient Tibetan Buddhist compassion practice of tonglen, plus opportunities to connect and a smoke ritual to honor those we have harmed in this life.
Note: Lama Lekshe was originally scheduled to join in-person. Due to a terminal illness in her family, she will be joining by Zoom instead, so that she can fulfill her role as a hospice caretaker for her family member. Her experience will be a part of our retreat discussion. Thomas Walker, a palliative care chaplain in New York City, will be present to lead meditation instruction and support discussion.
All levels welcome, and no meditation experience necessary. Food and lodging provided.
All of the usual Hurley House goodness will also be available, including nutritious food, the hot tub, sauna, and forests. Spots are limited!
About Lama Lekshe
Lama Lekshe has 40 years of training in the Tibetan Buddhist lineage of Shangpa Kagyu. In 2018, she completed a traditional, fully cloistered retreat of three years, three months and three days and then took up a year of residency and service in a Zen monastery before settling in Portland, Oregon where she serves as Resident Teacher for the Dekeling Meditation Community. Lekshe is a mother of two grown adults and is retired from a career in post-secondary education and curriculum development.
Schedule
Thursday — Welcome
7-9pm — Arrival
Friday — Compassion
7am — Yoga (optional)
8am — Breakfast
9am — Opening Circle
10am — Teaching & Meditation: Breath Meditation (Thomas Walker)
Noon — Lunch
2pm — Teaching & Meditation: Compassion (Lama Lekshe)
5pm — Discussion
6pm — Dinner
7pm — Daily closing ritual
Evening — Hot Tub, Sauna, & Fire
Saturday — Compassion & Death
7am — Yoga (optional)
8am — Breakfast
9am — Teaching & Meditation: Compassion and Death (Lama Lekshe)
Noon — Lunch
2pm — Practice discussion
3pm — Meditation
6pm — Dinner
7pm — Daily closing ritual
Evening — Sauna, Dinner, & Fire
Sunday
7am — Yoga (optional)
8am — Breakfast
9am — Discussion: Carrying the practice forward
10am — Meditation
Noon — Lunch
1pm — Closing Circle
2pm — Depart
Costs
The retreat is donation-based. All proceeds from the retreat will go to continuing the renovation of the Hurley House.
Base donation: $250
Suggested donation: $500
Support donation: $750
Super donation: $1000
A note about the sliding scale
This is a very special opportunity to work with a highly regarded teacher of deep practice in an extra intimate environment. We know it's tough out there financially right now, and we wish to keep events at HH accessible. This is why we have a sliding scale. That said, these events this summer are how we find out if and how HH can be a financially viable thing and continue the renovation. If you wish to see this community space continue and more events like this happen in it, please give as much as you can.