[LGBTQIA+] Belonging and Thriving: Being Your Own Good Friend

Please join us for a place of refuge, with a focus on belonging, self-compassion and mindfulness. We will cultivate our capacity to be our own good friends. We’ll experience meditation, music, movement, silence, community discussions and more. Learn and practice foundational skills to bring awareness and warmth to ourselves and others. Compassion and self-compassion involve responding to difficult moments with kindness, empathy and understanding so that we soothe and comfort ourselves and others when we’re hurting… Being both mindful and compassionate leads to greater ease and well-being in our daily lives.

We belong here. We belong on the planet. We are staking our claims. In so many ways we’re thriving! We are examples of that, even when we’re exhausted. We can remind each other, and we can deepen our self-friendship.

We will have an ancestor, transcestor, and compassion altar you can contribute to. Please feel free to bring photos, small mementos and/or gather small items from the land.

This retreat welcomes all self-identified LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, and beyond) persons for an opportunity to engage in supportive practices that encourage nurturing, healing and connection to self and others. We will bring together periods of silence and inner practice with teachings on cultivating mindfulness and compassion. New and seasoned practitioners are welcome. Invite your friends to sign up!

We no longer require COVID-19 vaccinations to attend our programs, but do still require testing. We require all registered participants to present negative results from a Covid test performed in the 3 days prior to the start of your retreat AND that you consent to being tested upon your arrival at Southern Dharma. Any rapid antigen test is acceptable for testing, including over-the-counter at-home tests.

Thank you for your understanding as we work to ensure the safety of our staff, teachers, retreatants, and larger community!

Check-in from 4-6pm; Early arrivals may be accommodated – email registrar@southerndharma.org to request.

Departures will take place by 2:00pm on the last day of retreat. Please make sure that you can attend the full program before registering.

For our 2023 retreats, three fee tiers are offered. Please choose the option that best fits your ability to give in this time. Any amount paid above the Base rate is a tax deductible contribution to Southern Dharma Retreat Center. Your confirmation email is your receipt for tax purposes.

We are deeply grateful for your support.

Note that registration fees do not include dana for the teacher(s). In the Buddhist tradition the teachings are offered freely and teachers are not paid for their offerings. They rely on dana contributions from students. Similarly, Southern Dharma keeps registration fees low to ensure the Dharma is accessible to all. Fees cover only a fraction of Southern Dharma’s operating expenses. We appreciate your practice of generosity to continue the dissemination of the Dharma.

Housing and all meals are included in the program fee. We are currently offering six housing options:

1. Bed in Lodge, shared double room (2nd floor)
2. Bed in Lodge, dorm with privacy partitions (3rd floor)
3. Unheated kuti (single cabin, outdoor bathroom)
4. Heated kuti (single cabin, outdoor bathroom)
5. Canvas Tent (furnished, outdoor bathroom)
6. Basic Tent Platform

Please use the appropriate field in the registration process to let us know your preferences in regards to housing, if any, and also specify if you insist on or prefer being housed with others of the same gender. All housing options are priced the same except for the Basic Tent Platform.

Southern Dharma is now offering 50% scholarship awards for BIPOC and Young Adults, in addition to those with financial need. Indicate your interest in a Southern Dharma in-house scholarship during the registration process.

This program is also eligible for Hemera Contemplative Fellowships. Please note that you must apply for the Fellowship prior to registering for any program. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.