The Buddha’s instructions to meditators often included encouragement to go sit in nature: at the base of a tree, a cave, or a hut in the forest. Just as in the Buddha’s time, seclusion in nature is a tremendous support for our practice, and gives us a powerful opportunity to connect with our primary benefactor—the Earth. Join us for a special camping retreat where we will tune into our capacity to be held by the land and open our senses to the ways that nature is at once all around us and within us.
On this three-night retreat, we will practice immersed in the ponderosa forests of the San Juan National Forest. Together we will slow down, quiet the mind, and rest in the support of wild nature. There will be plenty of time for guided periods of sitting and walking meditation, dharma talks, contemplative time by the river, and opportunities for practice discussions in small groups. Outside of the structured times for discussion and reflection, we will practice in noble silence together.
This retreat will take place at the secluded Blanco River Group Campground, just outside of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Vegetarian meals will be provided and gluten-free and vegan options are available. Participants will bring their own camping shelter and gear—tents, camper, sleeping bags, etc. and be prepared to camp for the duration of the retreat.
As part of meditation practice and in service to fellow retreatants, each participant will sign up for a “yogi job,” such as tending to a hand-washing station, cleaning up after a meal, building a campfire (if conditions permit) or heating up hot water for tea.
You do not need meditation retreat or camping experience to join this retreat. We hope to make this as accessible as possible, so please let us know if there are barriers to your attendance, for example borrowing camping equipment.
Registration for this retreat is on a first-come, first-served basis and spaces are limited.
FEES: The cost of this retreat is on a two-part sliding scale. Your retreat fee of $235, $210, $185, or scholarships of $160 or $135 covers group costs, including the campground fee, all meals and snacks, support for the cook, the leaders' travel expenses, a possible event tent in the case of precipitation, and small supplies. In keeping with our 2,600-year-old tradition, the teachers are not compensated directly but rather share the teachings freely. In turn, you are invited into the practice of dana, or generosity, a “gift economy” system that has been alive since the time of the Buddha. At the end of the retreat, you are invited to make a donation to support the teachers in continuing their valuable work. If you seek a range to consider, donations for similar retreats have varied from small amounts to many hundreds. Donations in any amount whatsoever are gratefully received, and the practice of generosity is always elective.
DATES: Camping Retreat Weekend arrival is between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 and departure is after 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 11, 2025.
LOCATION: The Blanco River Group Campground is 15 miles south of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It is a spacious, secluded standalone group site situated on the Blanco River about 4 miles off Highway 84.
QUESTIONS: Please contact the registrar, Laura, with any questions at
cmVnaXN0cmFyMiB8IGR1cmFuZ29kaGFybWEgISBvcmc= or 970-426-8983.
REFUND POLICY: Cancellations on or before April 7: full refund
Cancellations between April 8-23: 50% refund
Cancellations on or after April 24 (two weeks away): no refunds
ABOUT CHRIS BENITEZ: Chris has been practicing meditation since 2012. He has participated in numerous meditation retreats in the Theravada and Zen traditions, including a month-long retreat at Spirit Rock. Chris is a co-founder of Misfit Sangha, an Albuquerque-based Buddhist community that meets regularly in the city’s International District. Chris was previously a member of the Spiritual Friends Facilitators group at Albuquerque Insight Meditation Community and has taught at various dharma centers in the Southwest and the Southeast, where he grew up. Chris regularly leads daylong retreats and outdoor camping retreats in Colorado and Southern Utah. Chris is a graduate of the Counseling Program at the University of New Mexico. As a Latino, a person in long-term recovery, and a previously incarcerated person, Chris’s passion is making the practices of mindfulness, loving kindness, and nature-based therapy available to people in underserved communities in New Mexico.
ABOUT JULIANA SLOANE: Juliana first encountered the Dharma as a teenager, along with many of the beauties and challenges of practice. This led her to academic study of religion and gender, and ultimately, to pursue deeper practice and training in the Dharma. Over the years, Juliana has participated in Buddhist Chaplaincy training with the Sati Center, spent many years teaching with Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Family Program, and co-founded a weekly sitting group for those who identify as women. Juliana participated in the sixth iteration of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leader Program in 2019 and completed this training with an 11-month Dharma Mentoring Program with Erin Treat and Pamela Weiss. Today, Juliana lives in Santa Fe, NM and works one-on-one with individuals as dharma mentor, hypnotherapist, and coach.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:
https://www.durangodharmacenter.org/events/#!event/register/2025/5/8/being-held-by-nature-a-weekend-camping-retreat-with-chris-benitez-juliana-sloane
Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Pagosa Springs, Health & Wellness events in Pagosa Springs.
