Registration deadline for Marpa course extended to May 8

Early registration discounts for the Marpa Course has been extended till Sunday, May 8th. We would appreciate very much if those who plan to attend would register as soon as they can. We will need to rent tents and  other equipment, as well as prepare camping and parking sites to make this course possible. Early registrations will allow us to make better plans for all rentals, parking, transportation, and catering services. Please help us make the first course on our own land a success!

To register visit:

http://www.diamondway.org/summer2011/

WRC gets a new truck

We want to share good news with you; WRC got a much needed truck as a donation from Gary Upton of Nevada City. It is a Dodge 4 wheel drive with a lumber rack. We will get it mid April after it gets a new clutch. Perfect for our needs and great timing for course preparations.

Thank you Gary!

Registration for the Marpa course is live!

USA Summer 2011 Courses – Website & Registration Live!

We’re happy to announce that the website for USA Summer 2011 courses with Lama Ole Nydahl is live at

http://www.diamondway.org/summer2011/

It is the first time that national courses take place at our own retreat centers: Marpa course at the Western Retreat Center and the 16th Karmapa course at the Heartland Retreat Center.

Both courses provide a great depth into the essence of Diamond Way Buddhism and together represent a new stage in the history of the Lineage in North America.

Please register online and we look forward to seeing you at one or better both courses soon!

We Need Your Help

The WRC teams have been busily preparing for the upcoming Marpa Course. Estimates and budgets are being finalized, and various course details are being updated to ensure we have all the resources, food, and supplies we need for a great course. The teams have put in a lot of organizational detail, and the wild and undeveloped state of our beautiful retreat land has been put into much consideration in the process.

The teams are working hard to make sure we provide the best food and accommodations possible. The course will have healthy organic catering, plenty of shelter from the sun and lots of water to ensure that everyone who comes can be as comfortable as possible on the land. To prepare for the course on the land, the teams are planning to also develop an outdoor shade structure and platform, which we will also be able to use even after the course.

We are still in need of more helping hands! There is much site development and construction to be done to prepare the land for the course, and Sangha friends from all over will be coming out throughout the month of May to help with construction and development projects. For anyone interested in volunteering, please contact Morgan at drmorcancamp@gmail.com. Specifically needed are construction skills and labor for clearing campsites, erecting meditation tents, and building platforms. However, if you can work in any other capacity, such as cooking, cleaning and light physical work, we will also greatly appreciate supporting help as well. We will need the most help during the last two weeks of May, so please try to free your schedules during this time.

We are also greatly in need of tools, supplies and construction materials to support our development projects and for course build-up. Specifically needed are donations for tools (hammers, nails, saws, picks, etc.), lumber, and generators. If you have any tools that you would like to donate, e-mail Eugene at eugene@diamondway.org

Visit to the Land and Marpa Course Planning Meeting – March 20th, 2011

It has been decided by the majority of the WRC team to move the WRC site visit to Sunday March 20th and have the Marpa Course planning meeting on the land. The proposed meeting time at the WRC is noon. Car Pool, if needed, will be leaving at 9 AM from the San Francisco center. Contact sanfrancisco@dimaondway.org to arrange a ride. If you would like to join in San Juan Bautista contact Eugene at eugenetrak@yahoo.com. Everyone who plans to attend should arrive promptly since we have a lot to accomplish.

The following is on the agenda:
1. Site Mapping for the course lay-out
2. Site mapping for intermediate use structures such as shade area, etc.
3. Willow Springs Grower’s Meeting:  We need to send a few representatives to the Mission Ridge annual planning meeting at Whitney’s house.There will be a discussion about the possibility of setting up a community garden that we would all help build and plant. Mission Ridge Ranch will fund the project out of either the Water Fund or Road Maintenance Fund. Whit has a plan to buy, plant, and set up an irrigation system for all of the parcels as a community development. We will need to discuss which trees and plants are suitable for growing on our land.

Marpa Course Planning Meeting

A big thanks to all who attended the WRC planning meeting for the upcoming meditation course with Lama Ole in June 2011. Preceeded by a weekend meditation retreat, approximately 30 people gathered in the SF Center living room and via conference call on Sunday January 16th.

Together we followed a structured approach to planning and implementing the course. We formed many teams for completion of critical event tasks. The immediate assignment for each team is to research and develop preliminary budgets for discussion at our next planning meeting.  Each team has a lead coordinator that can be contacted if you are interested in helping or getting involved! Please join the fun!

Next planning meeting will take place on February 5th at 12:30pm. Those who would like to join by Skype or telephone conferencing please E-mail Morgan at drmorgancamp@gmail.com.

LIST OF TEAMS AND CONTACT INFO:
Permits & Insurance – David and Ron
Camping & Gompa – David and Morgan
Lama Service – Nicole
Parking & Road Maintenance – Richard
Registration & Info – Gosia
Food – Morgan
Land Infrastructure Planning – Sascha
Sanitary – Roland
Fundraising & PR – Eugene and Hope
Cafe & Bar – San Diego Sangha
First Aid – Simone
Airstream Makeover – David