Silent Meditation Retreat with Thay Doji

Voluntown, CT, USA

SW
Still Waters Retreat
  • Email address verified
24 reviews
Sep 20 - 26, 2019
Group size: 7 - 15
Silent Meditation Retreat with Thay Doji
Voluntown, CT, USA

Still Waters Retreat
  • Email address verified
24 reviews

Sep 20 - 26, 2019
Group size: 7 - 15

About this trip

For the second year, Thay Doji returns to Still Waters for this silent meditation retreat.  Thay Doji was a monk in a Rinzai zen monastery in Japan for 10 years before moving to Plum Village in 1993, where he practiced with Thích Nhất Hạnh and trained other monks for 10 years. Since then he has been teaching in France, Spain, the USA, and other countries.


Last year's guests asked for more time to practice, so we extended this retreat to six nights. Please only book if you can stay the entire time. No discounts provided for early departures. 


Total retreat cost, $800, a $325 savings off the regular retreat rate.  

Includes all lodging, meals, Occupancy and Sales Taxes as required by Connecticut law. 

For people who cannot afford the full $800, scholarship funds are available in various denominations, up to $250 per person, depending upon need.  You may select the scholarship you require by selecting it in the pull-down menu.  Scholarships are made available through the Dojido Association (which is funded by associated sangha members all over the world). 


This silent meditation group will have exclusive use of Still Waters Retreat with the exception of staff and owners. 


Reservation Information

Friday, Sept. 20 – Thursday, Sept 26, 2019

Up to 10 guests in Main House, up to 5 in rustic cottages


Main House, Five bedrooms (accommodations shared): 

First Floor:   Water Bedroom: Two Twin XL beds

Earth Bedroom: Two Twin XL beds

Accessible full bath with accessible shower plus one half-bath


Second Floor:  Sunrise Bedroom: One Queen and one Twin XL bed

   Moon Bedroom: Two Twin XL beds

   Stars Bedroom: Two Twin XL beds

   Two shared full baths


Rustic Cottages:

Twin beds in our rustic pond-side cottages or back room of yoga studio. Shared bathrooms. Limited electricity.  Spaces are first come, first served. 


All beds are made with thoughtfully appointed, comfortable sheets, blankets, and pillow. Each guest is provided with one towel set. Please bring your own eco-friendly toiletries and if you have a favorite pillow, feel free to bring that, too. 


This retreat will have use of the Still Waters Art & Yoga Studio as the Meditation Hall. 


Arrival Date: Friday, September 20 2019, 4:00 PM  Check in

Departure Date: Thursday, September 26, 2019, 1-2 pm Check out


All meals are served family style. We use non-GMO, local and organic ingredients whenever possible. 


Sample menu: 

Breakfast: Veggie-loaded baked eggs, muffins, nut butter & jam, coffee and tea

Lunch: Buddha bowls with salad and grains, delicious dressing, fruit-based dessert

Dinner: Soup and salad, whole-grain bread and butter

Always available: Fresh fruit, coffee and tea


Emergency contact phone is Amy LaBossiere: 860-543-3244.

Cancellation policy

Reservations, Cancellation and Refund Policy: Reservations are first come, first served. We know that plans can go awry. However, we rely on your Reservation Deposit and a cancellation costs us time and money. We are not a hotel chain that can offer same-day cancellations. When you enter into a Rental Agreement with us, you are informed beforehand that our Refund Policy is as follows: If an advanced cancellation is necessary (60 days or more in advance), your reservation deposit and payments may be returned. After this time frame, there will be no refund. Still Waters will refund your money in full in the advance of any cancellation on the venue's part. Once you arrive at Still Waters, No Refunds will be given due to the weather, your change of plans, or an early departure. We are not responsible for acts of god and nature including power outages.

What’s included

  • Meals
    All delicious vegetarian meals included. We do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions with various options when possible. We cannot serve those with Celiac disease.
  • Hiking
    Take a self-guided hike on our fire road in the private woods. See sculptures thoughtfully placed as you commune with nature.
  • All taxes
    Includes CT State Occupancy and Sales Taxes as required by law.

What’s not included

  • Alcohol
    Please refrain from alcohol or any drug use while on retreat.
  • Travel
    We are 30 minutes from Westerly, RI; 1 hour from Hartford, CT; 45 minutes from Providence, RI; 1.5 hours from Boston, MA; and 2.5-3 hours from New York City
  • Insurance
    Personal, medical or trip cancellation insurance

Available Packages

Regular Discounted Retreat Week
$800

Your Organizer


SW
Still Waters Retreat
24 reviews
An artist-owned retreat center with your hosts, Tao and Amy LaBossiere. Still Waters is nestled among 88 acres of conservation forest and a private, 12-acre pond. We offer artfully appointed, rustic and comfortable lodging and retreats for small groups and individuals/couples.

Reviews

This was such an unexpected great trip for me and my boyfriend. We were referred to Stillwater last minute trying to book accommodations for a wedding close by, and it was the best referral I have gotten to date. We had to come in late our first day due to festivities, but we wish we were able to able to spend a full weekend at Tao and Amy's bed & breakfast and retreat center. The two of them were so accommodating to us both. The house as a whole was beautifully rebuilt by Tao and Amy since a fire in 2014, and each room used objects from the first house- including as much wood as possible. They were decorated in a way that made me want to photograph them and put them in a magazine. Before even talking to them about their lives, we knew they had to be artists. The room we stayed in was awesome to the point where I needed to ask about the pillows and bedding. Amy and Tao went out of their way to make breakfast for four guests, as if we were a retreat-sized group, which was so kind of them. We got to meet the other guests over breakfast and try Tao's famous savory corn cakes- something I will try to recreate for years to come. When it was almost time to go, we were lucky to get a tour of the property and cabins from Tao, who has lived here is entire life! Words don't do Stillwater justice, from the space they created, the trails they have for hiking, the accommodations for weddings, retreats, or special events, and the beautiful pond and landscape surrounding the main house. As a found object / mixed media / installation enthusiast myself, it was very exciting to hear and see what went into building pretty much everything at Stillwater. Each cabin on the property was unique, and felt like being in one of Tao's own installations. I could totally see my friends and family coming here for a wedding, retreat, or weekend to hang, and loving every second of the relaxation and environment they would be staying in! Staying here felt like we were truly immersed in something peaceful, artistic, and refreshing. We definitely would like to return for a weekend where we have no plans, as you could spend the entire day relaxing on the property or chatting with Tao and Amy. Thank you again for such a lovely visit and the chance to meet you both. We look forward to seeing you again and sharing word on our time here with friends and family.
By Danielle L for Overnight stay for Danielle Dimond on Oct 04, 2019
As always, Amy and Tao outdid themselves to make our retreat something truly special. Wholesome, delicious food beautifully presented, superb accommodations, and wonderful grounds to enjoy. I loved being out on the kayak and I appreciated the opportunity to create fresh flower arrangements with cuttings from the property. Can't wait to return!
By Julie W for Silent Meditation Retreat with Thay Doji on Sep 30, 2019
TD
we had a wonderful retreat. Thanks to Still Waters, our every need was met, from dietary concerns, cleanliness, comfortable beds and linens, quiet ,. this is by far the best place I have held retreats , both in the USA and Europe. There was very little energy needed for logistical concerns, which offered us as organizers of the retreat, to focus on the nature of the retreat. We will be back! Tom Duva
By Tom D for Silent Meditation Retreat with Thay Doji on Sep 29, 2019
A beautiful location tucked away in the woods in Connecticut Pristine location on a beautiful lake ideal for Kayaking and canoeing The property is very well manicured. With tall majestic evergreens and maples. The cabins are very well maintained, clean and modern. Inn-keepers Amy and Tao are a delight. This was the perfect weekend get away to unplug and recharge. We came from Eastern Long Island, hopped on the Orient Point Ferry and was there in no time. Very conveniently located. We stayed in the main house and took advantage of the meal services and was delighted with every service. Wholesome home cooking made with love. Big portions and great selections. 4 Stars all around. We definitely want to come back in the Autumn to see the foliage colors - I bet its amazing. A truly glorious retreat -
By Christina F for Private Couple's Retreat for Chrissy & John: Deposit only on Sep 10, 2019
KM
My second retreat at Stillwater's Retreat Center and it continues to be a restorative and heart-opening experience. Peaceful environment, comfortable accomodations, excellent meals and great and welcoming hosts in Tao and Amy. Highly recommend this retreat center for established groups of 10-12 people for weekend or weekday retreats.
By Ken M for Befriending Everyday Life: A Buddhist Retreat on Aug 06, 2019
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References

I had the opportunity to co-lead a Buddhist retreat at Still Waters this past weekend. We could not have found a better place for our retreat. The accommodations were wonderful. The grounds were beautiful, but most beautiful and important was the love we all felt from Amy and Tao. They really go beyond being good hosts. I could tell that they cared about what we were trying to achieve at our retreat. Two of the topics of our retreat were love and spiritual friendship. Learning how to love and develop spiritual friendships are very important life lessons. Tao and Amy are fine examples of both.
By Michael G on 29 Jul, 2019
My experience at Still Waters Retreat was beyond words. The atmosphere, the food, the hospitality of Amy and Tao was more than welcoming, it was a graced experience. You can tell that the essence of the fantastic people they are is in every aspect of this home, the food and the grounds. Andrea M.
By Andrea M on 13 May, 2019