Strong Heart, Clear Mind

In a time of instability, polarization, and rapid change, our world needs grounded and courageous human beings. This retreat is an invitation to become one.

Many young people are asking deeper questions: How do I live with integrity? How do I stay steady without closing my heart? How do I build a life that truly serves?

This retreat is an invitation to begin answering those questions for yourself, from the depths of your own being.

Guided by Bhante Rāhula and rooted in the earliest teachings of Theravāda Buddhism, we will train in the Buddha’s path: ethical integrity (sīla), steady presence (samādhi), and liberating wisdom (paññā).

At Dharma Gates, meditation practice is not about stepping away from the world. It is about strengthening your capacity to show up to it. During this retreat we will explore how the Noble Eightfold Path supports courageous relationships, meaningful work, and wise engagement in a complex time.

A central pillar of this retreat is spiritual friendship — kalyāṇa-mittatā — which the Buddha called “the whole of the holy life.” We practice together. We grow together. In silence, in dialogue, and in shared commitment, saṅgha (community) becomes both refuge and training ground. This retreat is designed especially for young adults (age 18-35) seeking depth, direction, and community rooted in the Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha.

Held at the wonderful Serenity Ridge Retreat Center in Virginia — surrounded by rolling hills, forest trails, and vast skies — the land itself becomes a training ground for steadiness and renewal.

You will leave clearer, stronger, and more rooted in purpose — ready to show up to your relationships, your work, and your commitments with wisdom and heart.

Retreat Structure

The retreat will include:

• Silent sitting meditation

• Walking meditation

• Dharma talks

• Q&A with Bhante Rāhula

• Personal practice interviews

• Loving-kindness (mettā) meditation

• Time for rest and reflection

Practice will unfold in a supportive container that balances silence, instruction, and community.

About Bhante Rāhula

Since 2004, Bhante has received meditation guidance from Sayadaw U Tejaniya. For 6 years, he studied the Suttas and Abhidhamma with Sayadaw Dr. Ukkamsacara in Macau. In 2019, he completed a course on Buddhist scriptures from Harvard University. Bhante trained for 2 years at the Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary in Malaysia under the guidance of Ven. Ariyadhammika, where he also led some retreats and facilitated Dhamma activities for the local community.

For the past 8 years, Bhante has offered continuous weekly courses on the anatomy of the mind, teaching in both English and Spanish to students from over 15 countries. Since 2023, he has embarked on Dhamma tours across South and North America, conducting retreats and giving talks in Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Chile, the United States, and Brazil.

He is also actively involved in support programs for individuals seeking to free themselves from drug and alcohol addiction, as well as leading educational campaigns for children and adolescents to prevent this great problem affecting that part of the world. Bhante also contributes by teaching and collaborating with various universities, hospitals, and palliative care centers.

Bhante is currently building the Mexican Buddhist Center (Paññābhūmi), introducing and propagating the Buddha’s teachings in Latin America. With his practical way of applying ancient wisdom in modern settings, Bhante Rāhula continues to inspire and guide many through the Dhamma.

.

Approximate Daily Schedule

6:00 am – Mindful Wakeup
6:30 am – Meditation & Chanting
7:30 am – Breakfast
8:30 am – Group Meditation & Dharma Talk
10:00 am – Sitting & Walking Meditation
11:40 am – Lunch & Rest
1:30 pm – Walking meditation
2:00 pm – Group meditation
3:00 pm – Personal practice (Sitting & Walking Meditation), Practice Interviews with Bhante
5:00 pm – Juice and tea
6:00 pm – Group Q&A with Bhante
7:40 pm – Cultivation of Loving Kindness (Mettā)
8:00 pm – Group Meditation
9:00 pm – Rest

Noble Silence

During this retreat we will be practicing in Noble Silence. When the whole group enters into Noble Silence we offer each other and ourselves the gift of being with our experience as it is.  This practice supports the mind in settling. Noble Silence includes no unnecessary talking, including social courtesy like saying “good morning” or “excuse me”, no reading or writing unless a teacher specifically encourages you to do so, and no tech use.

Technology & Safety

You will be strongly encouraged to give up your phone for the week, you may choose to either hand it in to the retreat managers or keep your phone in your room turned off. Upon being accepted to this retreat, you will receive emergency phone numbers that we ask you to share with your loved ones so that you will not need to be monitoring your own messages. A retreat manager will be present throughout the entirety of the retreat to support the group. If at any point during the retreat you are feeling ill, are injured, or are in distress please speak with a retreat manager.

Who This Retreat Is For

This retreat is open to both newer and experienced meditators who feel called to deepen their practice in silence. Participants should feel reasonably comfortable with meditation and with spending time quietly with themselves.

Getting There

Serenity Ridge Retreat Center is located in the quiet countryside of Shipman, Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The center is about 1 hour south of Charlottesville and roughly 2.5–3 hours from Washington, DC.

Because the retreat center is in a rural area, the final portion of the journey involves smaller country roads. Detailed driving directions will be sent after registration.

Driving

Most participants will find it easiest to arrive by car. The retreat center is accessible by highway from Charlottesville, Richmond, Washington, DC, and other cities in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Flights & Trains

If you are flying, the closest airport is Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO), about 1 hour from the retreat center. Other options include:

• Richmond International Airport (RIC) — about 2 hours

• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) — about 3 hours

For those traveling by train, Amtrak service to Charlottesville is another convenient option. From Charlottesville, participants can continue by carpool or rideshare.

Rideshares & Carpools

To make travel easier and reduce our collective carbon footprint, we will help coordinate rideshares and carpools, particularly from Charlottesville, Washington DC, and nearby cities. Upon registration, you will receive a shared document where you can offer or request rides.

Dana & Financial Information

This retreat is freely offered in the spirit of generosity. To support participant commitment and attendance, there is a $50 registration deposit, which can be refunded upon completion of the full program. Participants are encouraged to practice dāna (generosity) to support the teachers and Dharma Gates.

Food & Dietary Information

All meals will be nourishing vegan food prepared by the retreat kitchen team. If you have dietary restrictions, please indicate them in your registration form and we will do our best to accommodate them. Breakfast and lunch will be the main meals of the day. In accordance with the Vinaya, the traditional monastic code followed by Theravāda Buddhist monks, Bhante Rāhula does not eat solid food after noon and instead takes juice in the evening. To support practicing together in a way that honors the monastic tradition, dinner during the retreat will be light.

Practicing with a Monastic

Practicing alongside a monastic (an ordained Theravāda monk in this case) offers a rare opportunity to experience the living traditions of the Buddha’s teachings.

Theravāda Monastics follow the Vinaya, a code of conduct that shapes how they live and practice. During the retreat there may be small ways the schedule or logistics reflect these traditions, such as meal timing or seating arrangements.

Retreat managers will offer simple guidance as needed. No prior knowledge of Buddhist customs is required—just a spirit of respect, curiosity, and kindness.

What to Bring

A detailed packing list will be sent 1-2 weeks before the retreat.

Modest Dress

Because this retreat will be practiced with a Buddhist monastic, we ask all participants to dress modestly for the duration of the retreat as a sign of respect for the tradition.

This includes:

• Keeping shoulders and knees covered

• Wearing loose-fitting clothing

• Avoiding tight-fitting clothing, including yoga pants or leggings worn alone

Comfortable, simple clothing that allows for ease of movement in meditation and daily activities is encouraged. If you have any questions or concerns around clothing, please reach out to us at offerings@dharma-gates.org

What’s the deal with the age range?

Do I have to be a Buddhist?