ASPIRE TO INSPIRE Thursday through Sunday August 10-13, 2017 Estes Park, Colorado Welcome Message from Our Camp Director... Dear Monastic Sangha, Dear Parents, Dear Brothers and Sisters, The 2015 Retreat of Awakening was the best summer camp for a first-time camp-goer monk like me. It continues to inspire me until this day! I had so much fun learning from other campers and being exposed to my true self. This year marks an important milestone for our organization as this is our fifth year hosting the retreat. We have an exciting theme for you this year, ASPIRE TO INSPIRE. I always believe that each one of us is a source of inspiration for one another. In us, we have a Bodhicitta seed, a spontaneous wish to always inspire us to help all sentient beings with great compassion. I still remember this inspirational story from my freshman year in high school. My homeroom teacher told us that no matter how small our actions are, if we have an aspiration to uplift each other, whether it is giving a smile or spending a little time with someone, they all have a beautiful influence on another. Back in the day, when an ice cream sundae costed much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. How much is an ice cream sundae? 50 cents, replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. How much is a dish of plain ice cream? he inquired. Some people were now waiting for a table and the waitress was a bit impatient. 35 cents, she said brusquely. The little boy again counted the coins. I ll have the plain ice cream, he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed. When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were 15 cents her tip. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows them like a never-departing shadow. The Buddha
Our attitude has great power because it determines most of our experience each and every day of our life. People with positive attitudes lift the energy and spirits of others, inspiring them with encouraging words or actions. There is actually unlimited space in our compassionate hearts! The endless caring and power of unconditional love are the ingredients that will nurture our Bodhicitta seed. True happiness and true love come only from giving. At the 2017 Retreat of Awakening, we encourage you to seek your dreams and never give up. Give yourself some room to give and receive inspiration and the magical beauty of life. We can inspire each other to find the true values that are worth aiming for. That s our goal for this camp! With the beautiful Rocky Mountains and wonderful friends around us, let there be no fears to keep us from reaching deep into our heart to embrace the light and beauty of life. After all, you can be your own inspirational story that helps other people find true happiness inside themselves and feel harmonious with the world. My enthusiastic staff and I cannot wait to meet each and every one of you at Estes Park in Colorado on August 10 th, 2017. We will all have a wonderful time practicing Living in the Moment as we celebrate our 5 th year anniversary together. Let s get ready to ASPIRE TO INSPIRE each other! Kind regards, Quang Phap 2017 ROA Camp Director The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller Together, We Walk Suffering is our unwanted shadow. Happiness seems impossible to find because our current possessions could never be enough to satisfy our greed. That is our commonality, dissatisfaction. Fortunately, we still have faith in ourselves, in our good friends, and life a life full of self-confidence and dreams. This year marks the 5 th Anniversary of the Retreat of Awakening. We will be walking alongside each other in Mindfulness at this beautiful atmosphere and will provide one another peacefulness from within. Nature will refresh our youthfulness and bring us happiness. In such environment, our greatest inspiration will transpire. Invite your friends and family so they can share with you the experiences that the Retreat of Awakening offers. Leaving the chaotic city life behind to enjoy the peacefulness and relaxation is a great gift to your body and mind. True happiness cannot be borrowed or given. It is something one must be determined to seek and to personally experience. I look forward to meeting you at this meaningful retreat. May we all come with a beautiful smile to share with one another. May we, together, find happiness and peace. Thich Tu Luc Hayward, CA
What I hope to gain at the I hope to relieve my stress from this past year and to learn how to be a more productive and efficient member of society. I would like to refocus my life on what is important and to not get caught up in the negative moments. Karen Nguyễn University of Houston I'm hoping to learn more about meditation, remain calm, have patience and how to harmonize with new people. I hope to gain a lot of new friends, a new sense of myself, and bettering myself more and more. Juliet Trần Louisiana State University I hope to learn on how to live a more fulfilling life and appreciate the friends and family that surround me. I have never attended a Retreat of Awakening before, but I hope to gain a lot by keeping an open mind and an open heart. Stella Huỳnh University of Oklahoma I am hoping to learn ways to balance my life, school, and work. I also hope to understand the meaning of being completely free from our daily social life for just a few days and to connect to each and everyone at this retreat but also spread the love. I am also hoping to learn how it is important to keep mindfulness practice in my life. There is a lot more to learn than what I have said, but anything is better than nothing at all! (: David Lê College of Dupage I am hoping to take-away many wonderful memories from a weekend retreat that will last a lifetime. The previous camps have been very important on my process of growth and development as a young man. Happiness is here and now and it is important for me to cherish those wonderful but rare moments that only come once in a lifetime. I have enjoyed the presence of the Sangha. The monks have made me appreciate being a Buddhist in a world that will challenge those views. Being a full-time student, I rarely get the moment to practice my beliefs and I really appreciate this retreat on helping me accomplish exactly that. Tommy Phong Trần University of Texas at Arlington I'm hoping to take away different techniques of keeping and maintaining mindfulness. Andy Nguyễn University of Texas at Arlington I hope to learn to reflect more on myself, the things I say, and my every day actions. I hope to come home more mature, open minded, and more loving. In last year s Retreat of Awakening, I learned to hold a positive attitude in any situation. I also learned that material things don't matter as much as people say it does and that open-mindedness allows people to work together. Kyra Phạm University of the Incarnate Word My first retreat was last year in 2016. I am actually not from a Buddhist background, but I learned many new things that gave me a new fresh perspective. One of the biggest things was meditation. In addition, I made many new unforgettable friends. I look forward to reuniting with them and making many more this upcoming retreat. Nora Trần University of Texas at Arlington
Thursday August 10, 2017 Registration / Check-in (4:00 pm) Collaborative Joy Living in Mindfulness Getting to Know You (icebreaker activities) Friday August 11, 2017 Opening Ceremony Keynote Session - Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional Meet the Sangha Retreat of Awakening Bonanza Saturday August 12, 2017 Operation Gratitude (community service project) Keynote Session - Meditation, Mantra, and Prayer Retreat of Awakening Jubilee Be a Ripple 5 th Year Celebration Sunday August 13, 2017 Questival Team Challenge Reflections & Closing Ceremony Adjourn (2:00 pm) KEY EVENTS In addition to these Key Events, daily activities include: Reflective Meditation, Nature Walks, and Being in the Moment (enjoying the various amenities available at the campsite such as rock-wall climbing, zipline, archery, yoga, tai-chi, roller skating, and other team sports) Feel free to bring along your bicycle as the facility has nice bike trails 2017 Keynote Speaker Timber Hawkeye is the bestselling author of Buddhist Boot Camp and Faithfully Religionless. He is a frequent public speaker, discussing ways to implement the teachings into our daily lives so we can be at peace with the world (both within and around us). He offers a secular and non-sectarian approach with the intention to awaken, enlighten, enrich and inspire. His practice is dedicated to exploring the difference between feelings and emotions, the disparity between truths and facts, and the countless benefits of mindful living. Buddhist Boot Camp and Faithfully Religionless offer mindfulness-enhancing techniques to lead a simple and uncomplicated life with happiness at your fingertips. Find out more about Timber Hawkeye at http://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/
High Altitude Sickness Estes Park Center has an altitude over 7,500 feet. People who are not used to living in high altitude are at risk of developing high altitude sickness due to lack of oxygen. It can occur in anyone despite their fitness, from athletes to people with lung disease. Symptoms include: headache, nausea, dizziness, short of breath, fatigue, waking up in the middle of the night and not sleeping well. It is important to let our staff know immediately if you develop these symptoms. To prepare for a safe retreat, please take caution when planning for your trip: Read up on High Altitude Sickness Exercise to optimize your fitness Ask your doctor for a prescription of Diamox to bring along Get adequate sleep on the night before travel Hydrate and drink plenty of liquids on your day of travel to Colorado If you are driving, take many rest stops as you drive up to high elevation to allow your body to acclimate Take it easy on the first 1-2 days at high altitude Avoid overeating on the day of travel, and first 1-2 days Preliminary treatment as you are driving up to high altitude: Stay hydrated Take Ibuprofen or Advil with food Important Reminders LIST TO PACK Clothing Casual clothing (please be mindful of clothing choice as you will be in the presence of the Monastic Sangha) Athletic shoes or sneakers Flip-flops to wear inside the cabins Bathing suit/trunks ** No bikinis please Hat** Rain poncho (in case of rain)** light jacket Toiletries Shampoo/Conditioner & Body wash Comb or Brush Toothbrush & toothpaste (welcome bag item) Extra bath towel Miscellaneous Items Sunscreen and lip balm Flashlight Water bottle** Personal medication Money to buy camp souvenirs Earbuds/headset (for Vietnamese translations in the general sessions) Yoga mat (for yoga classes) NOTE: Bath towels, bed linens, blankets, and pillows will be provided by the camp facility. ** To lighten your luggage, we will have these items available at the Retreat of Awakening s gift shop. Your purchase and donation will help offset the cost of hosting the annual retreat Address to YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Center: 2515 Tunnel Road Estes Park, CO 80511 (1.5 hour northwest of Denver International Airport) Estes Park Shuttle Service: Discounted rates are provided on our website for shuttle service to the retreat center (https://www.retreatofawakening.org/register-2017-camp- 2/travel) Retreat of Awakening emergency contact information: Call/Text: (405) 237-8281 Email: info@retreatofawakening.org And bring an OPEN MIND & POSITIVE ATTITUDE!!
To our Sponsors and Supporters of the 2017 Retreat of Awakening Bao An Buddhist Temple (FL) Compassion Meditation Center (CA) Tam Bao Meditation Center (LA) Vietnam Temple (MA) Viet Nam Buddhist Center (TX) Compassionate Dharma Cloud Monastery (CO) 3iLaw (CO) Ailien Dang (CA) An & Thuong Truong (OK) Anh Huynh (CO) Bao Phan (TX) Chris Wong & Christine Huynh (TX) Crystal Vân Anh Phi (TX) Dai Ho (AL) Dieu Phan Chiropractic and Nutritional Health Center (CO) Family Orthopedics and Rehabilitation (TX) HCP Pharmacy (TX) Hue Lam (TX) Kate Dussault (WA) Katy Tran (TX) Lai Hoang & Friends (CO) Lily Mai (TX) Loan Cao (TX) Ly Nguyen - Eye Florida (FL) My Thuan Truong (FL) Muc Michelle Nguyen (FL) Neng Log (CO) Nga Nguyen (NM) Nga Pham (OK) Sao Tran (CO) Sean Lam & Anna Le (VA) Sung Nguyen (VA) Tami Phan - Perfect Vision Assoc. (TX) Thanh Thao Ton (TX) Thoa Bui (IL) Thon Holyer (CO) Thuan Huynh (TX) Thuy Huynh (TX) Trang Huynh (TX) Tuan & Hoang-Van Nguyen (MI) Victoria Pham (MS)