Trekchod Retreat
with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche
December 28, 2024 to January 4, 2025
Save the Dates
Registration opening soon
Event Format
In-Person and Virtual
Recordings will not be available. Teachings must be recieved in real time.
Location
Pema Osel Ling Retreat Center
2013 Eureka Canyon Road
Watsonville, CA 95076
Please read the following information, as it could be helpful before and during your stay.
Directions, Parking and Driving on the Land
You will find directions for getting to Pema Osel Ling by car and public transportation here. If you bring a car, please park inParking Lot A(sign-posted). You may park by the Orchard House or Sangha House only if you are staying there. Please do not park in front of the pond, down by the cabin
area or behind the Sangha House.
Unless you have a physical disability, please do not drive around on the land. If you need to drive to the Shrine Room or Dining Hall, contact the office for a Parking Permit. Please keep onsite driving speed to less than 5 mph.
Arrival and Departure
Your housing assignment, maps and welcome information will be posted at the Information Booth, across from the pond at the entrance to the property. Check-in time is 12:00 pm Thursday, November 23, unless by prior arrangement. Check-out time is 4:00 pm Sunday, November 26.
Accommodations
We currently provide indoor housing with 2 people per room, and some single rooms. Housing is assigned first-come-first-served. Each bed comes complete with sheets, a light comforter and pillow with case. A bath towel is also provided. Rooms and bathhouses are heated. Camping is discouraged
this time of year due to unpredictable weather. We have space to park but no hook-ups for RVs.
Food
We serve vegetarian options at all meals and meat dishes at most lunches. We will have gluten-free meal options but other than this, we apologize for not being able to accommodate individual dietary restrictions or requirements. If you have high protein needs please bring supplemental snacks. There is
limited refrigeration by pre-arrangement. Tea and hot water are available at the Dining Hall at all times. Coffee is available at breakfast.
Thanksgiving dinner is pot-luck, with traditional dishes being prepared by our kitchen. You are welcome to bring something to share or make a contribution if you wish. Dinner at 5:30 will be the first meal of retreat.
What to Bring
●Water and/or hot drink bottles
●Rain gear: umbrellas, rain coat, waterproof clothing and shoes
●Flashlight
●Ear-plugs (if disturbed by noise)
●Comfortable warm- and cool-weather clothing (layers work best)
●Warm clothing, and a light blanket for the Shrine Room (windows will be open)
●Sensible shoes for uneven terrain
●Special chair and cushion, if needed (we provide both in the Shrine Room)
●Prescription medication, especially asthma medication and heart medicines. The nearest
hospital or emergency care clinic is an hour away.
Phones and Computers
Verizon provides the best cell phone service for this area. The phone in the Information Booth can be used to make free local calls. Use your calling card for long distance. WiFi is available at the Dining Hall and the Bookstore, and the password will be available at check in. The only WiFi in the housing
is at the Orchard House (for those staying there only). Please limit your WiFi use to a minimum, especially during sessions.
Work Assignments
We ask everyone to contribute an hour of work each day towards the smooth running of our retreats. These assignments may include changing candles or water bowls, sweeping the shrine room, or preparing and cleaning up for tsok. If physical or other limitations affect your ability to do this, please
let us know beforehand.
Payments and Cancellation Policy
Please review our Payment and Cancellation Policies here. Payment in full or an approved Payment Plan is due prior to the beginning of retreat.
Miscellaneous
●This is a rustic location.Poison-Oakis a plant that induces allergic reactions in most people after contact so please keep to the paths to prevent contact with it.Tick Bites- If you feel a bite, and there is a small black spot on your skin you may have a tick bite. Some ticks carry Lyme disease.
●Wildlife– do not feed or encourage the wildlife. Do not keep food in your room or tent as it will attract ants, skunks, wild pigs, raccoons, etc.
●Smoking, alcohol and recreational drugsare not permitted on the land at any time.
●Candles, fires and incenseare not permitted on the land at all. We are at a high fire risk year-round.
●Petsare not permitted at Pema Osel Ling. If you have a service animal please contact the office.
Dharma Treasures Gift Shop
The store stocks practice items, sadhanas, photos, books, gifts, cards, thangkas and other artwork, a selection of clothing, snacks, basic toiletries and flashlights. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. Contact details: (831) 761-6274; store@vajrayana.org; www.dharmatreasures.com
Offerings
It is traditional for individuals to make an offering to teachers and translators at the end of retreats. Tibetan offering scarves (khatas) can be purchased at the Dharma Treasures store and we provide envelopes for monetary offerings. Please bring enough cash as the bookstore is only able to offer limited cash back on debit purchases, and we do not have an ATM on the land.
Additional Information
*Housing is limited. We urge you to register early for your choice of housing.
*Financial Aid: We do not want finances to be an obstacle to participation and no one will be turned away from the teaching sessions. Please contact office@vajrayana.org if you have special circumstances and are not able to register at one of the suggested levels of donation for streaming.
You are welcome to emailoffice@vajrayana.org or leave a message at (831) 761-6266 with any questions you may have. We hope you enjoy your retreat