Facility The
Sautee Hereford Lodge sits on a beautiful 350 acre ranch in North East Georgia (2 hours from Atlanta). The lodge has 12 bedrooms, 6½ baths, a full kitchen and eating area, and separated meditation hall. The lodge has full HVAC.
Climate Control The retreat organizer will set thermostats to maintain a reasonable temperature and air flow in the lodge and meditation hall. The fans on the units can be noisy and guests should be prepared for the noise. Anyone who experiences discomfort should contact the retreat organizer and should not adjust thermostats.
Accommodations Your chosen accommodation needs have been considered and roommate assignments are made by the organizers. Please be considerate to your roommate.
Meditation Hall The teacher will designate 
how the meditation hall is to be used, including AC, seating arrangements, bell protocols, window treatments, lighting, and arrival time. The Meditation Hall Team will carry out the teacher's wishes and should be contacted with any issues.
Schedule Registration is from 4-6pm Thursday. The retreat begins
Thursday evening with a meal at 6pm and ends Sunday after lunch and cleanup (about 2pm).
Late Arrivals Because many folks will need to work on Thursday, if you have been on retreat with us previously, you may arrive until 9pm on Thursday night. If you need to change the arrival time you previously submitted, please let the retreat organizer know asap.
Meals Meals are vegetarian with dairy (labeled). Coffee, tea and snacks will be available during breaks.
All participants will have an opportunity for silent work in the kitchen to help prepare or cleanup our food.
Cost The $175 cost of the retreat
covers the facility, food, accommodations, and teacher expenses. It provides no profit to Red Clay Sangha. It also supports only a modest stipend to Lisa Ernst.
There will be an opportunity at the retreat to practice Dana (generosity) to the teacher, and retreatants are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.
Financial Assistance One of Red Clay's goals is for every one to be able to attend regardless of ability to pay. To achieve this goal, a scholarship fund has been accumulated from retreatant donations and is made available to help pay for those who are unable to do so. This gives everyone the opportunity to practice generosity together.
Payment and Cancellation If you have registered for the retreat but cannot attend, please contact Gareth Young asap. We will be able to make your space available to the waiting list, and if someone is able to step in, will offer a refund.
Retreat Positions Red Clay Sangha is a peer-based orginization with no staff. All retreat roles are performed by the participants to support each other during the retreat.
In this way, everyone does a little and no one is stressed out. You will have an opportunity to sign up for the retreat roles prior to the retreat and kitchen duties (either cooking or cleaning once per day) at the retreat.
Kitchen orientation will be given after breakfast cleanup on Thursday morning. It is helpful if those who are helpless with cooking sign-up for dishwashing instead of cooking.
There is not a designated work practice time on the schedule.
Dana is the practice of generosity and helps remind us of the fundamental connected nature of life. By supporting our teachers we deepen our own experience on the path of practice
while helping them to support others.
Teachers generously give their time and energy through listening, sharing and teaching, often without financial reward. Offering dana makes it possible for them to continue their work and is their primary means of support.
In the spirit of this tradition, all participants will have an opportunity to make a voluntary contribution, called dana, at the end of the retreat. Participants often ask what is considered appropriate, but it's hard to provide meaningful guidance. The teaching you receive can be beyond price, but against that, each can and should only give within their own means, and in this regard all are by no means equal. Keep in mind your personal ability to give and what others might be able to contribute. Dana is entirely from the heart.
The Red Clay Sangha membership covers the travel expenses and a small contribution to the teacher. The retreat fees are used exclusively to cover the cost of the facility and food.