Aranna Gato - a cave retreat

"Gone to the wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw.’

Discover your own dwelling, maybe under a root of a tree, in a cave or on a big flat rock. You are invited to come down from the mountain daily for a simple food offering, and maybe check in about your practice, before you return back into nature for more meditation and contemplation.

Prerequisites

This is an advanced retreat for experienced meditators that are comfortable with nature and are in moderate to good physical shape. The environment is potentially dangerous: mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and scorpions are not uncommon. You are expected to practice eight precepts and at least one dhutanga practice.

Example Schedule

4:00 am Morning meditation

6:30 am Sunrise, optional food offerings, and check-in at basecamp

8:00 am Sit, walk, climb. Contemplate vultures.

5:00 pm Optional tea

7:00 pm Sunset

About the retreat spotter

Henrik A. Norberg has meditated in the mountains of Sri Lanka, the jungle of Thailand, and led forest monks on Tudong in the Mountains of Norway. He has meditated since the late 90’s, and is a certified TMI teacher, and is mostly practicing in traditional samadhi practices.

Enrollment

The retreat is only open for 8 yogis, with a minimum enrollment of 4.

Cost

Sliding scale $500 - $1000 to register.

If you need transportation to and from the Tucson airport, there is a $200 roundtrip fee, which can be shared with other retreatants. Payment and arrangements must be made directly through Dharma Treasure, and are not included in retreat registration.

You will need to bring your own tent and sleeping bag. A limited number may be available from Dharma Treasure if needed - contact retreats@dharmatreasure.org to make arrangements.

All dana and proceeds after expenses will be donated to Dharma Treasure Retreat Center.