Drala Event: Blueberry Pick, Meditation and Social

Saturday, August 3rd, 2024  

10:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Join us for a “Blue-Tongue” Drala Meditation & Social where we will quiet the mind in order to open ourselves to the wisdom of nature and the drala energies of the Pacific Northwest. We practice in noble silence while contemplatively attuning and engaging the senses in the phenomenal world around us.  

We’ll meet at a privately owned home with a small blueberry farm about 30 minutes outside of Portland in Ridgefield, WA, at the home of Portland Shambhala member Robert Lovitt/Heather Gordon for a “mindful u-pick-it”.

We will combine the practice of drala meditation with the joy of picking ripe blueberries. After arrival and settling in, we’ll begin with a meditation on the patio. Then we’ll walk the rows of blueberries while observing noble silence. Buckets with neck straps will be provided. As the gong sounds, we pause our berry-picking and transition into a moment of stillness – just listen, or just smell, or just look.

Afterwards we’ll head to the patio and have lunch together. Bring your own sandwich or lunch snack(s) – and maybe a bit to share if you feel like it. Some cold beverages will be available.

Details:

Cost: $15 per person

Meeting time: 10:00 AM

Meeting location: Will be shared with registrants after registering

Return time: about 2 PM

Location: Ridgefield, WA

Car Pool: Contact Liz Howell, Drala Hike Coordinator in advance to see if car pool options are available for this

Registration:

Registration online helps avoid the pen and paper contact involved in filling out emergency contact and release forms in person. When you register (below), you will be asked to list an emergency contact’s name and number and to check a box indicating that you consent to this release form (releasing Shambhala from liability). Please register by the end of the day on Thursday, August 2nd.

“By relaxing the mind, you can reconnect with that primordial, original ground, which is completely pure and simple. Out of that, through the medium of your perceptions, you can discover magic, or drala.”   ~Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Drala hikes are open to the public. No dogs, please – For questions about this or other things, please contact Liz Howell, Drala Hike Coordinator.

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2024 Drala Hike Schedule

• Sat, Apr 20: Lacamas Park (WA) with Liz Howell and Joan Sears
• Sat, May 11: Old Salmon River Trail (Mt. Hood) with Joan Sears and Liz Howell
• Sat, Jun 8: Steigerwald Lake & Nat’l Refuge (Gorge) with Anandi Gefroh
• Sat, Jul 13: Nehalem Bay (Coast) with David Parker and Annie Popkin
• Sat, Aug 3: Ridgefield (WA) Blue-Tongue Drala Blueberry Pick with Robert Lovitt and Heather Gordon
• Sun, Sep 29: Oak Island Trail (Crane viewing on Sauvie Island) with Annie Popkin and David Parker
• Sun, Oct 20: Silver Falls State Park (Silverton, OR) with Liz Howell