Visiting
All visitors must be at least eighteen years old. It is recommended that meditators coming to Rocksprings have had prior experience staying at either a monastery or retreat center, and /or have been meditating for some time. If a beginner with little or no experience would still like to visit, a short stay of two or three days is possible to get a feel for solitude and silence, however, if you live in the San Antonio area it is highly recommended that you attend a couple of meetings with the San Antonio meditation group before coming to Rocksprings. You can contact Moy Ortiz for information on the San Antonio Group HERE.
A "Registration Form" found HERE is required before visiting Rocksprings. Please email your registration at least
a one week before your scheduled arrival, and preferably two weeks if possible.
The “Guidelines" tab HERE should answer most of your questions. Please read it
thoroughly and email us if you have further questions.
A
"Hold
Harmless Agreement" must be on file for all overnight retreatants while
you are at
Rocksprings. Please copy the Hold Harmless Agreement off of the
Guidelines tab, sign it, and bring a copy with you to Rocksprings.
Visitors are asked to follow
the Eight Precepts upon arrival, either taking the Eight Precepts
themselves or formally taking them in the meditation hall if a monk is
available. Also, visitors will be asked to respect the "Noble Silence"
which means only dhamma related or work related conversation.
*Rocksprings operates on donations only. It is only through the generosity of others that can we continue to make Rocksprings available to meditators. The Buddha’s teachings are priceless and therefore we set no fee schedule, however, there is the reality of covering sanctuary expenses such as food and maintenance. When you offer a donation, you are practicing generosity. Generosity along with virtuous behavior (the Eight Precepts) diminishes greed, both of which are essential in calming the mind. Therefore, please donate with your heart, and according to your means.
For long term guests (over ten days) arrangements will be made regarding expenses.
Take I-10 West from San Antonio.
Leave I-10 at Exit 490: Mt. Home-Rocksprings, which is approximately 75 miles west of San Antonio. Be sure to fill your tank in Kerrville. There is only one gas station for the next eighty miles and it's not always open!
NOTE:Cell phone signals can become weak at the intersection of I-10 and Hwy. 41, or approximately sixty miles from the meditation center, and are usually nonexistent shortly after turning off at Ranch Road 335, or within 20 miles. If you get lost, stop at the nearest ranch and call the center from a landline.
Leave I-10 at Exit 490, and turn left onto Hwy 41 toward Rocksprings. Travel forty-six and four-tenths miles on Hwy 41 to Ranch Road 335 (Vance-Barksdale).
*** NOTE: Hackberry road has two entrances, one off of Hwy 41 and one off of Ranch Road 335. You will want to turn off on Hackberry Road from Ranch Road 335. Do not turn off of Hwy 41 at Hackberry road, continue on Hwy 41 until you get to Ranch Road 335. If you are following a GPS and it directs you to turn off Hwy 41 onto Hackberry Road, you can follow this, but then follow your GPS and ignore these instructions as the directions will conflict on the back dirt roads.
Turn left off of Hwy 41 onto Ranch Road 335 toward Vance.
Travel twelve and four-tenths miles on Ranch Road 335 and turn left at the dirt road - County Road 227, Hackberry Ranch Road. (NOTE: Google directions show this as County Rd. 18. This is incorrect).
Follow Hackberry Ranch Road, the main dirt road, for two and eight-tenths miles until you come to a road branching off to the right. Turn off of Hackberry Road here and take this road to the right. You will know that this is the correct road by a large yellow sign to the right of the gate that says “DEAD END.” There will also be a sign to the left of the gate that says: “H.D. Riney - Las Piederas Ranch.”
Go through this gate and continue for one and one-tenth miles until you come to a second gate that says “Indian Springs Ranch.”
Go through this gate and continue for about three-quarters of a mile until you see a single yellow Buddhist flag on the right. This is our property boundary marker. Continue past this single flag for about another one-third mile until you see a Texas and American flag, and a yellow Buddhist flag on the right. This is our driveway; turn right here. If the chain is locked, continue on foot down the driveway to the community area, which is only a few hundred feet away.
Note: The five mile dirt road is generally good in dry weather and can be negotiated with most vehicles having normal ground clearance. After a heavy rain, however, a four-wheel drive vehicle is sometimes needed for muddy spots and creek crossings. After very heavy, prolonged rains, there can be flash flooding (which occurs rarely) where debris and large rocks and boulders are moved onto the roadway by strong currents. This requires the county to clear the roads with heavy equipment, which can take as long as three days to a week.
ACCOMODATIONS
We presently have nine locations with air conditioning and heat for all season accommodations. This includes seven kutis (meditation cabins), a travel trailer, and the library. The meditation hall can also sleep additional people dorm style. For summer visitors, we have four additional travel trailers, two screened-in kutis, and tent platforms.
The bathroom and showers are heated, including hot water, and are centrally located just a minute or two walk from most locations.
Information on what to bring, fees, conduct, resident rules, age requirements, etc. can be found under the "Guidelines" tab.
Dhammabucha Rocksprings.
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