Dear Participant,

Greetings from Karmê Chöling! We are delighted that you will be joining us for Enlightened Society Assembly, February 4-19^th, directed by Ashe Acharya John Rockwell and Acharya Eve Rosenthal.  Please read this letter carefully for information regarding the program and your visit to Karmê Chöling.        

Soon after you arrive, we will conduct the Warrior Exchange. Beginning Enlightened Society Assembly with a dharma exchange is a way to rouse prajna and also know the ground from where we start. There will be one day at the beginning to prepare for the exchange, so please plan to be as prepared as possible before you arrive.

Arrival and Departure

Enlightened Society Assembly begins on the evening of February 4^th and ends the morning of February 19^th  (the 19^th is a travel day- there are no scheduled events and you are free to depart at anytime).

Please plan to arrive by 5:00 pm on your arrival day so you can register and settle in before dinner at 6:30 pm, followed by an orientation at 7:30 pm.

What you will need during Enlightened Society Assembly:

• Ruling Your World, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
• Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche
• Great Eastern Sun, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche
• Uplifted dress: In order to create a celebratory and rich environment, clothing should be uplifted but, in general, not formal. Dress for talks could be more formal; wearing a coat and tie or nice slacks and blouse. Dharma pins and other symbolism can also be helpful in creating a sacred environment.
• Outdoor wear: a warm coat, hat, gloves, and boots or shoes suitable for snowy/icy conditions. 
•  Ice walkers/Yak Traks are very useful to have since conditions can be icy.
• Easy to slip on indoor shoes
• Dorje Kasung: please bring uniform No5B and No6B: both Gesar Arm and General Service Shield Pins, if you have them.
• White dress shirt, khaki pants or your closest approximation for Protector Practice, a service practice that helps to protect and reinforce the dharma container (this doesn’t apply to Dorje Kasung).
• Closed water bottle container for the shrine room.
• A flashlight.
• Bedding: towels and facecloths are provided for dorm beds and private rooms. If you are sleeping in the shrine room, bring a pillow and sleeping bag (or twin sheets and blankets), towels and a facecloth.
• Money: It is helpful to bring cash for any purchases you might need to make and quarters for our coin-operated laundry facilities.  Karmê Chöling does not cash personal checks.  We have a small store stocked with necessities such as toothpaste, chocolate, sweatshirts and phone cards.  The store is open most days, 12:30pm-2pm.

ROTA

If you have working experience with Western calligraphy, ikebana, shrinekeeping, audio-visual recording, food preparation, marketing/social media, data entry, manual labor/working outside or any other skills you think may be helpful to the program mandala or Karmê Chöling, please send an email to krobinson@karmecholing.org with a short message. We will take your information into account as we complete the Rota planning.

Vow Ceremonies

During Enlightened Society Assembly you will have the opportunity to take the Shambhala Vow, the Enlightened Society Vow, and the Refuge or Bodhisattva Vow. No gift is asked for Refuge Vow.  A  gift is traditionally offered for the Bodhisattva Vow. It can be something personally valuable as a gesture of generosity and overcoming attachment, and cash gifts are also acceptable.  Please let us know if you have already taken the Shambhala Vow or Enlightened Society Vow. Additionally if you are considering taking any of these vows during Enlightened Society Assembly, please discuss this with your local Meditation Instructor before you come.

Health

It is very important that you let the Enlightened Society Assembly Staff know of any medical conditions-either psychological or physical- that may need attention or support while attending the program. You will have the opportunity at registration to indicate any medications you are taking. Please ensure that you have enough medication for the duration of your stay. It is imperative that medication dosages are not altered without your physician's approval.  Please also notify us in advance of any severe restrictions to your diet that we should know about.  For those of you who have extreme diet restrictions, we will provide storage space for supplemental foods you may want to bring.

Electronic Devices

Karmê Chöling offers you a reprieve from your usual routines and habitual entertainment.  Computers, iPhones and use of other small personal digital devices diminish your retreat experience.  There is a computer on site for limited use.  We invite you to enjoy the relaxation of being unwired during your program.

Teaching Gift

It is customary to offer a monetary gift to the program directors for offering the teachings.  The exceptional teachers who are leading Enlightened Society Assembly have devoted their lives to practice and study in order to help students' progress along the path.  Any amount you feel inspired to offer will be shared between Acharya Rockwell and Acharya Rosenthal. This may be paid at the time of registration or later, using cash, check, or credit card.

Payment

If you have not yet put down a deposit, please do so now.

The KCL payment policy had recently changed.  If you are able, we request that  the balance of payment for Enlightened Society Assembly be made two weeks prior to the start date of the program.  If you need to establish a payment plan, please arrange this two weeks prior to arrival.  Please don't wait until arrival day to arrange your payment plans and discounts.  We are no longer accepting scholarship applications. If you have any questions please call the Front Desk at 802-633-2384 to discuss payment options.

A materials fee of $45 will also be collected with your tuition and accommodations payment.  Please take note that this amount has increased slightly from what was originally posted on Karme Chöling's website and listed in your acceptance letter. 

Refund and Cancellation Policy 

• Deposits and payments are refundable up to two weeks prior to the program start date, minus a $25 cancellation fee.
• After the two-week deadline, Karmê Chöling will deduct a $25 cancellation fee and retain the rest of your deposit as credit towards another program. Any payments over the deposit will be refunded.
• No refunds or credits are given for cancellations on or after arrival day.

If you have any additional questions about these policies, please contact registration at registration@karmecholing.org.

Travel

Click here to access our Transportation Web Page.  
Click here for information on our new ride board page!
If you need assistance with your travel arrangements, please contact our reception desk at 802 633-2384 or e-mail reception@karmecholing.org. 

If you have additional questions about the program, please feel free to contact either of us at krobinson@karmecholing

We look forward to seeing you soon!   

Very truly yours,

Kim Robinson
Program Coordinator
krobinson@karmecholing.org
802-633-2384 x130