Touching the Earth

March 4 – 11, 2023

MEDITATING IN THE DESERT: Again and again the Buddha recommended practice out of doors. Immersed in nature, and in the quiet of our meditation practice, we will open ourselves to the interconnectedness, preciousness, and beauty of our true nature. In this retreat, we'll be encouraged to look out and around, as well as inward, and to delight in what we see.

We will hold this retreat at the Dharma Treasure Retreat Center which is located east of Tucson near Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains, one of Arizona's Sky Island ranges. This is a privately owned retreat center that adjoins National Forest land with access to walking both onsite, and in the adjoining forest. The adjacent forest land is open and is inviting for wandering and exploring.

While the site is isolated and simple, solar showers and a complete kitchen with fresh food contribute to making it an inviting and nurturing place to be. While all practice will be outside, and most will tent, there is also a limited number of indoor sleeping spaces. If an outdoor retreat appeals to you, far from people, without the challenges of backpacking, this may be a retreat for you!

In this era of Covid-19, a camping retreat is uniquely suited to allow for social distancing while still providing a wonderful retreat container. We will create detailed procedures and systems based on latest local regulations, current recommendations, and our experience with other retreats, to allow for a smooth flowing and a safe retreat container.