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In order to make spiritual progress during the retreat, yogis need to have faith, effort, and perseverance. Faith in the teacher and in the method will inspire yogis to practice. Faith alone is not sufficient, however. Yogis also need effort and perseverance to progress along the spiritual path leading to enlightenment and emancipation. Therefore, faith, effort, and perseverance are indispensable qualities for yogis during the retreat.

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For the retreat to be smooth and fruitful, all yogis are required to observe all the retreat rules and regulations. They may seem demanding but they are created for the benefit of all participating yogis who are ready to practice wholeheartedly.

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They are as follows:

1. Practice seriously. Yogis are expected to practice wholeheartedly following closely the instructions given by TMC’s meditation teachers. During the retreat, upon seeing yogis not mindfully focusing on their practice such as walking fast, wandering, talking, not following the schedule, etc., the meditation teacher(s) or the retreat coordinator(s) will kindly remind them to mindfully concentrate on their practice.

2. Take eight precepts with two meals a day, breakfast at 6 A.M. and lunch at 11 A.M. Except for water which can be taken in the room and at the corridor of the meditation hall, please eat or drink only in the dining hall at the meal times and refreshment time as stated in the retreat schedule. Yogis are responsible for cleaning their cups, the rest will be taken care of by the center. Yogis are not supposed to keep food in their rooms or water inside the meditation hall.

3. Yogis take food prepared by the center. Since there are many yogis, there is no customized food. If yogis cannot tolerate the center-prepared food, they should not participate in the retreat.

4. Observe noble silence at all times. Talk only when really necessary such as during the interview or during the question-and-answer session about meditation practice, if any.

5. Do all activities mindfully in slow motion. However, when lining up for meals, resume your normal pace but with mindfulness to have enough time to finish lunch by noon.

6. Look down while doing activities such as walking, standing, sitting, eating and during the interview.

7. Avoid activities disturbing the practice such as greeting each other, smoking, physical exercises, yoga, tai chi, making phone calls, listening to electronic devices, reading books or materials not related to the practice, and wandering around.

8. Out of respect, avoid stretching legs toward the Buddha statue.​

9. To show respect, wait for meditation teachers to exit the meditation hall first (after every sitting meditation or Dhamma talk) except when they remain for further meditation.

10. Refrain from seeing the meditation teachers besides the scheduled interviews.

11. Follow the scheduled interview. After a few full days of practice, yogis are scheduled for an interview periodically. Please do the following:

    • Check the interview list posted on the board in front of the office for interview date, time, location, and teacher. If the name is incorrectly spelled or missing, please leave a note or contact the retreat coordinator for correction.

    • Come to the interview location at least five minutes ahead of the scheduled time. While waiting, yogis continue to mindfully observe whether standing, walking, or sitting.

    • Honestly report own experience of practice, direct to the point, not wasting time with intellectual questions.

    • Stay within own time allocated for the interview since there are many yogis scheduled for the interview.

    • Further information about the interview, if any, will be informed accordingly during the retreat.

12. Come to the meditation hall in time to avoid disturbing other yogis who have already settled down in their sitting meditation practice.

13. Open and close the meditation hall’s doors (other doors as well) gently, slowly, and mindfully to minimize noise. Take this as a test of progress in practice, i.e., the less noise, the more progress in cultivating mindfulness.

14. Arrive at the meditation hall at least five minutes before the daily Dhamma talk at 5 P.M.

15. Except for the interview scheduled during the sitting hour, do not skip any sitting meditation, especially the last sitting with loving-kindness (metta) chanting at 9:40 P.M. In case of the interview is scheduled during the sitting hour, please leave and enter the meditation hall quietly and mindfully, especially when opening and closing the doors.

16. Stay at pre-assigned rooms as well as seats in the meditation hall and in the dining hall. Please do not move to another location without permission from the retreat coordinator.

17. Do not use resting chairs against the back wall of the meditation hall for more than 15 minutes. Please take rest with mindfulness.

18. Have the room lights turned off during sleeping time from 10:30 P.M. to 4:30 A.M.

19. Practice after 10:30 P.M. in the meditation hall is not allowed.

20. Refrain from using the dining hall, bathrooms or restrooms between   10:30  P.M.  and  4:30 A.M. For urgent use of restrooms, please reduce noise to the minimum to avoid waking up other yogis who are sleeping nearby.

21. Conserve restroom paper, tissues, and towels, electricity, and water. Do not wash clothes and towels by yourself. Save them for the laundry service subsidized by the center.

22. The laundry bag for the laundry service is in your room.  Weekly laundry time and locations will be reminded right after the Dhamma talk on the day before the service day. The cost for laundry service is currently subsidized by the center.

23. Do not open windows, turn on ceiling fans, or air conditioner or heater in the Dhamma Hall at will. Always contact the retreat coordinator first and let him or her handle the request.

24. If communication with the coordinator is needed, write a note and leave it in the “messages box” on the front door of the office. If urgent, find the retreat coordinator or office staff. Daily office hours: 11 A.M.– 1 P.M.

25. Do not use chemical stuff with odor such as lotion, oil, etc.; otherwise, it will disturb other yogis sitting meditation in the meditation hall. Also, using such stuff is a violation of precepts taken by yogis. Odorless stuff can be used for health reasons only.

26. For part-time yogis, check out by 12 noon on the last day of yogis’ registered attendance during the retreat, since the center needs time to get the room ready for the upcoming yogis.

27. Minimize time used for refreshment served daily at 4:00 P.M. in the dining hall to have more time for walking meditation before the Dhamma talk at 5 P.M.

28. in, please surrender electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, laptops, etc. to TMC’s office to minimize distractions during the retreat. These devices will be securely stored and returned back to yogis upon leaving the retreat. For ugency or emergency situation, yogis may contact TMC’s office for temporary use of these devices in the office. If the request is beneficial and suitable, the retreat coordinator will grant it.

29.  In case of persistent coughing, yogis are required to wear mask to prevent spreading germs to others. If feeling sick, yogis practice sitting meditation in their own rooms until feeling normal again should yogis decide to remain with the retreat. The coordinators will do their best to assist yogis if possible.

30. During the retreat, except for an urgency or emergency needing medical examination due to sickness, yogis must remain with the retreat for the whole duration for which they have registered without any temporary leaving the center; otherwise, they are considered as quitting the  retreat.  For an urgent need of temporarily leaving the center for medical examination, upon returning to the center, yogis need to present a note from medical professional certifying that they are healthy enough to continue their meditation practice for the coordinator to readmit them back to the retreat; otherwise, they are not accepted back to the retreat and considered as quitting the retreat and the center. As stated on the application that yogis sign, there is no refund for early departure or late arrival for any reason.

31. Keep the seats in the Dhamma Hall neat and tidy. On the announced cleaning day of the Dhamma hall, yogis need to put all the stuff at their seat on the mat before going for lunch (at 11 A.M.) to help volunteers do the jobs faster and easier. (Yogis will be reminded right after the Dhamma talk at 5 P.M. on the day immediately prior to the cleaning day.)

32. Please wear modest, loose-fitting clothing that does not reveal the figure. Body-hugging attire, shorts, and tank tops are not permitted; acceptable options include pants, short-sleeve T-shirts, loose skirts or long pants for females (with a shawl covering the front), and knee-length shorts for males.

33. To buy books for sale from publishers or request books for free-distribution by TMC, please leave a list of requested books in the “messages” box on the office’s front door and come to the office to receive them on the day before departure day.

34. There is no refund for late arrival or early departure for any reason.

35. Reading and following the rules and regulations of the special intensive retreat is a requirement for yogis who are attending the retreat. This means that in case they do not follow the rules and regulations of the special intensive retreat, they must leave the retreat and the center without refund for the remaining time of their participation if expelled by the retreat coordinator at any time.

36. Please volunteer for minor tasks if posted.