Youth Retreats Offered by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship

Buddhist Peace Fellowship Teen Retreat
(for ages 15-19)

1. Dates and Places
2. Retreat Description
3. Registration
4. Cost and Scholarships

"These Teen Retreats offer a profound opportunity for youth meditation practice and the exploration of how to live our lives with kindness and wisdom. These retreats are a 'don't miss!' for any teen interested in experiencing meditation and mindfulness practices, truthful/heartfelt communication, wonderful mentors, safe community, great food, and a time to relax and reflect on the mysteries and truths of our lives."

-Heather Sundberg, Family/Teen Program, Spirit Rock.
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Follow these links to receive email notification of upcoming BPF Youth Program events, to find other resources for teens interested in meditation, and to check out our online forum.
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1. Dates and Places for Retreats

2007 October Teen Weekend
5 PM October 5th to 2 PM 8th (3 nights)
Site to be determined
Teachers: Tempel Smith and Others
To register please email: teen.reg.oct@bpf.org

2008 New Years' Teen Retreat
4 PM December 28th, '06 to 2 PM January 2nd '08 (5 nights)
Land of Medicine Buddha
Santa Cruz, California
Teachers: Pascal Auclair, Spring Washam, and Heather Sundberg
Registration to begin October 1st. Please email: teen.reg.ny@bpf.org

2008 April Dana Teen Weekend
Dates: To be announced (2 nights)
Hidden Villa
Los Altos, California (near San Jose)
Teachers: Tempel Smith and Heather Sundberg
To register please email: teen.reg.april@bpf.org

2008 June Teen Retreat
4 PM June 15th to 2 PM June 21st (6 nights)
Padmasambhava Peace Institute
Cazadero, California (west of Santa Rosa)
Teachers: Tempel Smith, Spring Washam, and Pascal Auclair
Registration to begin March 1st. Please email: teen.reg.june@bpf.org

2. Retreat Description
These retreats are an opportunity for teenagers to explore Mindfulness practice through guided periods of silent sitting and walking meditation, small group discussions, creative activities, and unstructured free time. Besides learning the formal meditation practices there are also times to go for walks, play music, tell stories, and enjoy a bonfire on the last night. Since meditation practice may be new to some teens each period of sitting meditation will be limited to half an hour.
"These retreats are a wonderful opportunity for any teen serious about deepening his or her meditation practice."
-James Baraz, Spirit Rock.

Typical Daily Schedule :

6:30am . . . Wake Up
7:00 . . . . . Sitting Meditation
7:30 . . . . . Breakfast
8:00 . . . . . Dana Jobs (work and cleaning practice)
8:30 . . . . . Free Time (music playing, walks, swimming pool, etc.)
9:15 . . . . . Sitting Meditation
9:45 . . . . . Meditation Q & A
10:00 . . . . Walking Meditation
10:30 . . . . Sitting Meditation
11:00 . . . . Walking Meditation
11:30 . . . . Discussion Groups (smaller groups divided by age)
12:30pm . . Lunch
1:00 . . . . . Free Time
2:15 . . . . . Mindful Movement (yoga, chi gong, stretching, etc.)
3:00 . . . . . Sitting Meditation
3:30 . . . . . Workshops (writing, painting, nature walks, etc.)
5:00 . . . . . Dinner
5:30 . . . . . Free Time
6:30 . . . . . Metta Sitting (Love/Friendship meditation)
7:00 . . . . . Metta Walk
7:30 . . . . . Dharma Talk
8:30 . . . . . Discussion Groups
9:30 . . . . . Sitting Meditation
10:00 . . . . Bed Prep
10:30pm . . Lights out
Blue times are talking
Black times are silent

Teachers:

Tempel Smith has been practicing Insight and Metta meditation since the 1989 including a year as a fully ordained monk in Burma. He is the founder of BASE House, a collective of socially engage Dharma practitioners. He is currently organizes the Young Adult programs at the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and is in teacher training at Spirit Rock. Tempel has been leading retreats for adults and youth for ten years.

Spring Washam is the Executive Director of the Mind Body Awareness Project, an organization that teaches meditation and yoga to at-risk youth. She has been practicing insight meditation since 1996 with several renowned teachers. She is a graduate of the SRMC Community Dharma Leaders program and is a member of the diversity council. She also teaches classes and day long retreats for people of color throughout the bay area.

Marvin Belzer has practiced vipassana since 1982, studying primarily with Sayadaw U Pandita since 1986. He teaches philosophy and meditation at Bowling Green University in Ohio, and has helped develop the Teen Retreat from its beginning 15 years ago.

Heather Sundberg is the Spirit Rock Family/Teen Program teacher and manager. Having practiced meditation for 12 years and attended numerous extended retreat periods, she has taught meditation and dharma to teens, children, and families since 1999.

Diana Winston, author of Wide Awake! A Buddhist Guide for Teenagers, is the founder of the BASE program. She has been practicing Insight meditation since 1988 including a year ordained as a Theravadin nun. She is currently in the Teachers' Training program with Jack Kornfield at Spirit Rock.

Additionally, facilitators will be available to support teens whenever needed. Meals are vegetarian and are prepared with tastes and preferences of young people in mind.

This retreat is also endorsed by the Land of Medicine Buddha, Insight Meditation Center, San Francisco Zen Center, Spirit Rock, Jack Kornfield, James Baraz and Gil Fronsdal.

3. To Receive and Application
To receive an application form email the address above connected with that retreat.

4. Cost and Scholarships
The total cost of the 6-day retreats are $395 - $295 sliding scale. A $100 deposit is needed when the application is sent in, though only send in $25 with the application if you are applying for a full scholarship.
We have three ways to help those teens with greater financial limitations. The first is a payment plan where the retreat can be paid for over many months. The second is a partial scholarship each teen can apply for. The third is a small grant to any teens whom have worked or volunteered in a progressive non-profit agency in the last 6 months. Please call or email us for more information concerning financial support.
Follow these links to receive email notification of upcoming BPF Youth Program events, to find other resources for teens interested in meditation, and to check out our online forum.

http://www.bpf.org/html/current_projects//teenprogram/teenretreat.html