For a practitioner’s first long-term retreat here, we typically recommend no longer than one month to assure both the retreatant and on-site staff that the conditions provided are indeed a good fit.

The true price for admission in our long-term retreat cabins is a reference from a qualified spiritual teacher that highlights one’s incredible dedication to transcend the ocean of samsara for all beings. While the base-cost for us to host each of our cabins each month is $1,200, only a special handful of aspiring yogis can afford this or have their own supporters that can afford this. On a few rare occasions we have had retreaters offer more than our base cost to help support others on long-retreat here. Since we are a 501(c)3 sometimes retreaters work for a company that can double the offering they make for their time here.

Of our current 4 long-term monastic retreaters in 2025, all offer what their sponsors can which is about $600 or less a month. So for those who are able, we encourage the upper end of the sliding scale to help cover the expenses associated with offering this rare and blessed opportunity for aspiring yogis. The monthly offering includes all utilities except propane, which will be billed at the end of the retreat according to individual use. Retreatants do often identify sponsors to help defray expenses. Monastics may even request assistance from the LCA Director to search for financial support.

Retreatants order their own supplies and prepare their own food and our kind caretaker delivers groceries to the cabins every two weeks during Summer and Fall months, and every three weeks during the Winter and Spring (during the rainy season deliveries depend on road conditions). Communication between meditators and staff, including passing on the shopping lists, is managed via a note system that is checked twice a week. If there is a more urgent matter, there is note check location checked everyday by staff. Of course, more direct communication will handle any emergency situation.

Those who wish to apply for retreat at LCA will need to complete a questionnaire. The director will then contact you to schedule an interview via Zoom or telephone. Applicants will need to provide at least one reference from a fully qualified Buddhist teacher who can attest to their suitability for intense daily practice in a secluded environment - whether the practitioner is or is not a merely labeled Buddhist.