Weekend Retreat: Santee State Park Retreat | June 14-16

The Supreme Good Heart

The Power of Love to Transform our World

Santee State Park Weekend Retreat

June 14 – 16

Each of us has the potential for a peaceful, loving heart all the time. By applying simple methods taught by Buddha, we can improve our good heart and experience more harmonious relationships, greater joy and happiness.

In this weekend retreat, we will enjoy a tranquil environment and the opportunity to meditate on love with like-minded people.

Developing our supreme good heart in meditation is extraordinarily rewarding and meaningful. Experience for yourself how our supreme good heart is the power to transform our world.

Everyone welcome.

On line registration is closed.

A retreat is a wonderful opportunity to take a meaningful break from our daily lives in order to learn, reflect and meditate to make powerful changes in our hearts and lives.

On this retreat we will have silence in the mornings until lunch, with an option for those who wish to remain silent all day. Others may enjoy sharing thoughts and insights with a community of like-minded spiritual practitioners.

This retreat is suitable for beginners and advanced meditators alike.

About the Teacher

Kelsang Jangchen is a Buddhist nun and the Resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center South Carolina. She has been a student of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso for 20 years. Jangchen teaches with warmth and compassion, offering practical methods to help people experience more peace and happiness in their daily lives.

Venue

Santee State Park sits along Lake Marion with stunning views and hiking trails galore.

The park is home to a variety of wildlife including osprey, deer, woodpeckers, and foxes and contains a number of beautiful cypress trees.

The retreat sessions and group meals will be help in the beautiful Village Round community building.

Comfortable chairs and some meditation cushions will be available. If you have your own meditation cushion that you wish to bring, please feel free to do so.

Address

251 State Park Rd, Santee, SC 29142

Accommodations

Participants will be staying in the cabins at the state park. Like a standard hotel room, cabins will include fresh linens and towels, along with a small living area and kitchenette. All cabins have two bedrooms with either a queen or double bed. A Futon is also available in the living area. Each cabin will be shared with other participants, with a shared bathroom, kitchen and a living room.

Please be aware that rooms are limited and available on a first-come, first serve basis, so early registration is recommended.

The rooms are expected to sell out. Should the rooms sell out, you can still attend the retreat itself but will have to make your own accommodation arrangements.

Retreat Schedule and Format

Sessions will generally include a preliminary guided meditation, short prayers, an introductory teaching to the meditation, and a longer guided meditation. Some sessions will include Q&A or discussion.

During the retreat, we encourage you to maintain silence from the mornings through lunchtime as a method to quiet the mind and get the most out of each session.

Friday, June 14

8 – 9 pm Teaching and meditation

Saturday, June 15

9 – 10:15 am Teaching and meditation

11:15 – 12:30 pm Teaching and meditation

1pm Lunch

2:30 – 4 pm Discussion with Q & A and meditation

5:30 pm Dinner

7:00 – 8:15 pm Teaching and meditation

Sunday, June 16

9 – 10:15 am Teaching and meditation

11:15 – 12:30 pm Teaching and meditation

1 – 1:45pm Powa

Costs (per person):

Full Event with Accommodation:

Single Room $285
Futon Bed $185

Note: For couples sharing a single room, one registers with accommodations and the other “Entire Retreat” no accommodations.

Without Accommodation:

Entire Retreat $150
Saturday only $110

Deposit & Cancellation for Accommodation:

A 25% deposit will hold your space (the deposit is non-refundable; please contact us if you need to cancel and there’s financial hardship)
Balance due by June 6 (non-refundable after this date unless we are able to re-sell accommodation)

Address

251 State Park Rd, Santee, SC 29142

What to Bring

Breakfast: We will be providing vegetarian lunch and dinner on Saturday (meals are included in the pricing). Please bring your own breakfast foods; a refrigerator is available. If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know.

Layers of clothing: With a large group, it is almost impossible to find a temperature that everyone agrees upon! We will try to make the meditation room as comfortable as possible, but it’s still a good idea for you to come with layers of clothing so that you can adjust as you need to. This also holds true for socks as we will not be wearing shoes inside the meditation room.

Comfortable walking clothes: We encourage you to enjoy some fresh air and the lovely trails and lake during your stay.

Dharma books: You may wish to refer to your favorite Dharma books during the course of the retreat.

Meditation cushion: If you have your own meditation cushion that you would like to use, we suggest you bring it with you. We will also be providing chairs and some cushions. We will not have enough cushions for every participant, however.

What NOT to Bring

Cell Phones: For the purpose of developing deeper concentration in your mind, we encourage you to take a break from cellphone use. It’s ok to bring your cell phone and check in with your family from time to time. However, we advise keeping your cell phone usage to a minimum and we specifically request that you do not bring it to retreat sessions with you. This will prevent the awkwardness of having your phone go off in the middle of a meditation session.

Music: During the retreat, it is a good idea to refrain from listening to music. For the sake of your own concentration and the sake of others’, please do not listen to music, even on headphones, while at the retreat.

Pets: Sorry, but due to pet allergies, you will need to leave your animals at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this meditation retreat suitable for beginners?

Yes, absolutely!

Should I bring my own meditation cushion?

If you have a meditation cushion that you like to use, you are more than welcome to bring it with you. We will providing some meditation cushions but we will not have enough for all participants. We will also have comfortable chairs for everyone.

Is there a dress code?

No, you can wear whatever is comfortable for you.

Do I have to be a Buddhist to attend?

No, everyone is welcome and everyone can benefit from these meditations whether they are Buddhist or not.

The Supreme Good Heart

The Power of Love to Transform our World

Santee State Park Weekend Retreat

About the Teacher

Venue

Address

Accommodations

Retreat Schedule and Format

Costs (per person):

Full Event with Accommodation:

Without Accommodation:

Deposit & Cancellation for Accommodation:

Address

What to Bring

What NOT to Bring

Frequently Asked Questions

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