Tibetan Buddhism, like all great philosophies and world religions, aims to help us realize our deepest potential as human beings. All beings want to be happy and to be free from suffeirng, but for the most part, when we try to achieve these things, we often cause suffering for ourselves and others.

 

Buddhism is a carefully constructed curriculum whose emphasis is a concrete methodology to overcome suffering--and to find lasting peace and joy. To accomplish this, a student of Buddhism uses many tools including meditation, study and contemplation to lead us to spiritual awakening. There are many forms of Buddhism, but in the Tibetan tradition, there is great emphasis on working towards one's own awakening by foscuing on bringing benefit to others through acts of wisdom and compassion.

 

One of the advanced practice (or training) opportunities in Buddhism is long retreat. Long retreat can refer to practice done over months, years or decades. In this recent article, KCC Associate Teacher Bill Spangle elequently describes the long retreat and its relevance to life today. In this short piece, KCC Board Member Allan Pollock adds his thoughts on long retreat.

 

In this blog post, dentist and writer Andrew Holecek reflects on his relationship to his own long rereat.

 

In this three-year, three-month retreat I will join other practionters from KCC and elsewhere in a fully cloistered period of practice spanning more than three years, during which time we will practice more than 12,000 hours, from 3:30 AM to 9:00 PM, seven days a week. While such intensity of effort might seem unusual, remember that artists, scholars, and professionals like doctors may also train in this way.

 

I hope these things help you understand the long retreat a little more. Please be sure to read the the FAQ (frequently asked questions) page, too. If you have more questions, contact me.