Yoda

East Coast Kunlun Workshop location brainstorm

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Less interested in Kunlun at this point, more interested in meeting some of the bums IRL. Charlottesville is within driving distance for me.

 

After contemplating the situation for a bit, I think that Charlottesville, VA fits the bill nicely with beauty, good energy, its own airport, and being a bit on the south side of the equation is a more chilled out vibe as well but still within commuting distance from many of the population centers of the area.

 

We don't presently have an east coast interest level that could sell 30 seats to pay for Max and crew's travel expenses, but that will change at some point. Possibly within 2008. At some point maybe Sean could send out a taobum-wide email to see how many people would "very likely" be able to attend an east coast event.

 

Right now, the list of "likely" attendees might include:

 

Ben K.

JoeBlast

Thelerner

Sean

Cheya

Mikaelz

Little Max

Yoda

 

My vibe is that we have maybe 10 taobums if we were to have a seminar in January. That could easily grow to 30 by the end of the year.

 

Of course, I have zero say in any Kunlun seminar decisions... just wanted to do some brainstorming for Chris to kick around.

 

I'll definitely check in on this situation here and there and see what develops.

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Mikaelz,

 

What are good towns to consider that are just 1-3 hours out of NYC?

 

Yoda

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I think a great place would be the Omega Institute in Rhineback NY located in the beatiful Hudson Valley. This is just 9O minutes from NYC and you can get there by car, bus or Amtrak. They have a shuttle for people who take public transportation and overnight accomodations for their weekend workshops. A big advantage would also be that they advertise heavily in NYC so there would be good advertising for the workshop. I would definately go and probably bring a friend or two.

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The Saturday and Sunday are $300. In the past, they've allowed one to take Saturday or Sunday only for $150. A one on one with Max is $150. Any of the above can score you the transmission, to the best of my knowledge.

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Cheya PM-d me this: http://claymont.org/seminars.htm

 

I hadn't considered just renting a retreat center somewhere. That would certainly make a retreat easier to set up. It's just an hour from Dulles Airport (DC area). Cost would be approx $190 per person for two nights lodging and Fri dinner through Sunday lunch, which would be just a little higher than what one would spend on two nights of hotels and eating and includes the meeting rooms for the seminar or just go outside. Looks like the grounds are nice. There's even a camping option, but we'd need a 20 person minimum to lodge it sounds like to make the whole thing run so likely we shouldn't promote that as an option unless we know for sure that we'll swing the 20 minimum. We'd have to pay for 20 if we went below that threshold, so we'd really need to be sure we'd have 30 people who are definitely "in."

 

It looks like it would be more than one to a room sort of a thing.

 

I haven't researched the Omega Institute rates, but Cheya says that they are higher.

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Cheya PM-d me this: http://claymont.org/seminars.htm

I hadn't considered just renting a retreat center somewhere. That would certainly make a retreat easier to set up. It's just an hour from Dulles Airport (DC area). Cost would be approx $190 per person for two nights lodging and Fri dinner through Sunday lunch, which would be just a little higher than what one would spend on two nights of hotels and eating and includes the meeting rooms for the seminar or just go outside. Looks like the grounds are nice. There's even a camping option, but we'd need a 20 person minimum to lodge it sounds like to make the whole thing run so likely we shouldn't promote that as an option unless we know for sure that we'll swing the 20 minimum. We'd have to pay for 20 if we went below that threshold, so we'd really need to be sure we'd have 30 people who are definitely "in."

It looks like it would be more than one to a room sort of a thing.

I haven't researched the Omega Institute rates, but Cheya says that they are higher.


My figuring was a little lower for Claymont, more like $165-$170 for 30 folks, but I may have missed something. Looks like the barn building has 27 dorm rooms (doubles and a few triples), don't know if they squeeze folks into fewer rooms or not. Even so some folks would have to double up. Add the $300 for the two day seminar, and it may not be less expensive than Omega! Has anybody projected the pricing at the Rising Phoenix retreat at Loyola?

 

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There was tax and I decided to use the mansion... can't have our guru sleeping in a barn! :lol:

 

Actually, it's only maybe $40 more pricey than staying at a hotel and buying your own meals and it has the benefit of including a pastoral retreat setting... if the weather is nice, we could practice outside. And the owners are friendly towards us new agey types... we might score a couple of future shaker champs from the staff and they'll gladly reserve us as an annual thing. :)

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There was tax and I decided to use the mansion... can't have our guru sleeping in a barn! :lol:

 

Actually, it's only maybe $40 more pricey than staying at a hotel and buying your own meals and it has the benefit of including a pastoral retreat setting... if the weather is nice, we could practice outside. And the owners are friendly towards us new agey types... we might score a couple of future shaker champs from the staff and they'll gladly reserve us as an annual thing. :)

 

I've stayed at the mansion, and it is pretty nice, but not nearly the same opportunity for single rooms. Some of the rooms sleep five! They're large. There's also a basement dorm that was a little funky 12 years ago when I was there, but I actually liked the basement best! Check on the size of the mansion meeting room, though. It may not be as big as you'd like for thirty odd people to ah, bounce around in. The octagon, on the other hand, may be way bigger than you'd like. It is a very nice place. A friend who has been there more recently stayed in the mansion and said it was a little moldy, even though he liked it. He said he heard from a number of people that the barn was a much nicer facility.

 

He says"beautiful grounds, understaffed with very nice people, the mansion is awesome inside where they've done restoration, a little rough on the outside. GREAT food! Mansion dining rooom is really sweeet. See if they have the same gourmet natural food chef. He was amazing. Main house has no AC. The group he went with has gone back again." All heresay of course.

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Just a suggestion.

 

Obviously it would have to be cool with both Michael and Max.

 

How about Max doing a week long retreat at Tao Mountain next year?

 

I think Michael is open minded enough to do it in the spirit of Tao oneness.

 

If Max is cool with it that would be ideal.

 

My guess is it would end up being one of the most successful retreats.

 

And I am guessing a whole bunch of us would committ to going.

 

Just an idea!

 

Cameron

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Someone needs to get Michael, Max and some Tao Immortals on 3 way convo to squash any Tao beefs and open the way for a bright future for American Taoists and there practices!!

 

Is it Heavenly Mountain?

 

Ok, Heavenly Mountain 2008 Sifu Max retreat.

 

Yoda, let's see what you can do to make it happen.

 

:lol:

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That Cam is a smart one!

 

The vibe I got from talking to Max is that he likes Michael and Michael, in turn, finds Max's work very interesting, so that could work out nicely as an east coast solution. Where is Winn's retreat center located?

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I don't know the details...somewhere in NC I suppose.

 

Only the legendary Green One can broker this.

 

Good luck!

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I seem to remember that Michael now has taken over an ex-TM center in NC/VA somewhere. I'm just a brainstorm guy. Mantra would have to set it up.

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http://www.healingtaoretreats.com/#top

 

Looks like the schedule is already made for '08.

 

Maybe you or I can shoot Michael an email to see if he can fit a Max retreat in.

 

Let's first hear from Mantra if he is even interested in this.

 

Cam

 

Oh well, great for brainstorming, though. I won't start nagging Mantra to bring Max out to the east until we are over 30. I haven't kept a tally on this thread, but I think we are at 10-15 "very likely" for a nearish DC type of an event. I think an east coast workshop could easily be in the cards for 2008.

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Mantra can we get some feedback on this?

 

My guess is if we can make this happen many east coast TB's will plan there summer around a Max retreat.

 

I agree with Max and am not really interested in going to the East coast except most of my family lives there so will probably have to once a year or so.

 

Also, might hit Florida occasionally.

 

If you and Sifu are interested let me know I'll send Winn an email as a Taobum ambassador and Max groupie supporter.

 

Super Sayan Cam

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