On-Site Retreats: Participant Information

Reading the entirety of this page is required before arrival.

Questions? Email registrar@southerndharma.org

Note: For time-sensitive communications on the day of your arrival, and for others to contact you in case of emergency while you are on retreat, please make use of our new emergency number: (828)933-3021. DO NOT use our landline NOR send an email to communicate with us time-sensitive information about your arrival the day your retreat starts, and thank you for not using this number for communications unrelated to your arrival or emergencies.

Arrival and Orientation

First-time retreatants at Southern Dharma MUST arrive by 5pm ET on the first night of retreat for mandatory orientation. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Check-in starts at 3:00pm. Returning retreatants may arrive between 3:00pm and 5:30 pm on the first day of the retreat. Dinner will be served at 6. Please note we cannot accommodate arrivals before 3:00pm NOR late arrivals after 5pm for first-retreatants at Southern Dharma, or 6pm for returning retreatants.

The drive up can take longer than you might think due to the curvy mountain roads. Your prompt arrival is very important to the successful start of the retreat.

Use our new ride share coordination sheet to connect with other yogis interested in carpooling. Please do not share this spreadsheet with anyone not attending this retreat.

Directions

Use this address in your Maps app or GPS: 215 Dharma Path, Hot Springs, NC 28743.

Please note that at the end of the paved portion of West Rd. you will proceed up the unpaved portion. Your vehicle will cross a small stream of running water and you will drive a couple miles up the unpaved gravel mountain road before reaching the Center. Maintain forward momentum up the hills!

Covid-19

• Please review and electronically sign our COVID-19 and Safety Community Agreements prior to your arrival.
• Masks are optional throughout the campus.
• We no longer require COVID-19 vaccinations to attend our programs, and no longer require COVID testing to attend retreats. This decision was made after the CDC updated COVID and all respiratory virus recommendations as of March 1, 2024, aligning care and protection strategies for COVID with those of the flu and RSV.
• We require yogis to test for Covid 24-48 hours prior to arrival, and we ask for participants to bring mindfulness to their activity in the days leading up to the retreat out of consideration for our staff, teachers and fellow practitioners. Masks will be optional, though staff reserve the right to ask for any symptomatic participant to test for COVID-19 and / or mask in common spaces. If you become symptomatic from any communicable illness while on site, you may be asked to end your retreat prematurely.
  • We appreciate your understanding as we try to not only protect the health of our on-site staff but also that of the yogis who are here to deepen their practice.

Please Bring:

• Face masks (in case of illness arising during retreat)
• A watch for your use when ringing bells on behalf of the community
  • We have basic wrist watches available for purchase for those who do not have one
• A battery alarm clock if you have one
• Sheets, pillow case, towels (beds are twin-sized, comforters and pillows are provided)
  • Please note there is a $25 service fee to provide linens in the case you are unable to bring your own.
• Work clothes, sturdy boots and garden gloves for those who will be choosing to work outdoors during our daily working meditation
• Many layers of clothing to support comfortable practice and eating in all weather conditions
• Outdoor shoes suitable for rugged terrain
• Indoor shoes or slippers for inside the Lodge
• Hat with a brim
• Sunscreen & bug spray
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Rain gear
• For those who booked a tent platform: a water-repellent tent and all camping gear
• Optional: Personal meditation cushions and/or yoga props
• Optional: Snacks
  • We have fruit, rice cakes, peanut butter, cheese sticks, and hard boiled eggs available
  • Please note there is limited space to store your personal snacks, both shelf-stable and refrigerated items, in the Lodge; no food is permitted in sleeping areas
  • We recommend you not leave any food or food wrappers in cars during retreat. You will be welcome to dispose of any trash when you arrive on campus and make use of the Yogi fridge and snack bins.

Guidelines for Participant Conduct

We ask all guests to abide by the following agreements while in residence:

To practice silence and refrain from unnecessary verbal and nonverbal communication: Yogis are expected to maintain throughout their stay an atmosphere of respect for the silence sustained by participants and teachers. Silence will be maintained in common areas and personal spaces as indicated by the guidelines of specific retreats. Electronic communications and cell phone use are not permitted anywhere on campus, including the grounds.

To refrain from false and harmful speech: Yogis will use words compassionately and sensitively and thus avoid harsh or hurtful language, slander, and gossip. All contributions in retreat sessions are understood to be confidential.

To practice non-harming: Yogis will cultivate an attitude of gentleness and care towards the property, the land, and its inhabitants, including animals, buildings, vehicles, tools, the road, and the forest.

To refrain from taking that which is not freely given: Yogis will accept only that which is freely offered and will not take or borrow that which is not.

To refrain from intimate personal relations: Yogis agree to avoid personal intimacy - physical, affective, conversational, and non-verbal - during retreats.

To abstain from alcohol, drugs, and other intoxicants: Yogis agree to refrain from the use of recreational drugs (including alcohol), other intoxicants, and mind-altering substances which inhibit one's capacities for awareness and truthful experience, and/or which may harm or dull the mind-body. Smoking is not permitted on campus.

To wear non-distracting clothing: Yogis agree to wear clothes which support ease of motion and protection for the body. Wearing clothing that might distract or disrupt the experience of others by communicating messages, making noise, or otherwise attracting attention is to be avoided.

Prohibited Items

• Hair dryers
• Incense and candles
  • Only authorized persons are permitted to light or tend fires.
• Perfumes and scented toiletries
• Alcohol
• Recreational drugs
• Nicotine products
  • Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises.
• Valuables
  • Sleeping areas and rooms at SDRC are not locked. Please do not bring valuables that you are uncomfortable leaving in unlocked areas.
• Technology - laptops, tablets, kindles, smart watches, etc.
• Cellphones - Cell phone use during retreats is not encouraged and in some cases is not permitted, based on teacher direction. Please do not plan to make use of your cell phone while on campus. In most cases, cell phones are collected at the start of retreat or can be locked in your vehicle.
  • You may give out the Center's emergency-only number for emergency contact: (828)933-3021

Dana

Please note that as per the Buddhist tradition Southern Dharma does not pay teachers. We invite guests to practice dana or generosity through voluntary contributions to teachers and to the Center at the end of each retreat. Cash, credit cards and checks are all acceptable forms of payment.

Departure

The retreat ends after lunch on the final retreat day with departures by 2pm. Please plan to attend the entire retreat. Except for emergencies, partial retreat attendance is permitted only by prior agreement with the teacher and Southern Dharma.

Additional Notes

• Southern Dharma does not offer WiFi access to retreatants
• Southern Dharma now offers coffee (both caffeinated and decaffeinated options) in the morning via a drip coffee machine and pour-overs.
• For couples and participants coming with a friend: Please be prepared to enjoy a fully silent, solitary retreat. Our practice of Noble Silence includes all spaces, including the grounds and the bedrooms, and we request that you not engage in any communications (including the writing of notes) outside of formal retreat discussions and Q & A periods. You might consider investing yourself further in the retreat experience by not sitting together at meals and not engaging in any form of non-verbal communication, including eye contact. This will help to support your full participation as well as reduce distractions for our other participants.
• Keep in mind that Southern Dharma is 45-60 minutes from a grocery store or pharmacy
• It can still be cold on the mountain at this time of year! Be prepared to dress warmly.

We look forward to seeing you soon, and please do not hesitate to reach out to registrar@southerndharma.org with any questions!