Event FAQ

​WHAT IS THE DAILY SCHEDULE?

SCHEDULE (MST):
7:30am: Registration Opens 1st Day 
8:30am - 9:40am: Opening Chants & Sitting (or lhasang 1st day)
10:00am - 12:00pm: AM Talk 
12:00pm - 1:00pm: Lunch
1:00pm - 1:45pm: Meetings/Discussion Groups
1:45pm - 2:15pm: Seva 
2:15pm - 2:45pm: Sitting
3:00pm - 5:00pm: PM Talk
5:00pm - 5:30pm: Closing Chants

HOW DO I GET TO THE EVENT SITE?

​OPTION 1 FROM NORTH BOULDER:
Driving Directions from Four Mile Creek Parking Lot down Lee Hill Road and Broadway in North Boulder (copy and paste the link if it doesn’t open) http://goo.gl/maps/ZMDH7 

OPTION 2 FROM CENTRAL BOULDER:
Driving Directions from Four Mile Creek Parking Lot down Boulder Canyon Drive in Central Boulder (copy and paste the link if it doesn’t open) http://goo.gl/maps/8ZEPc 

For both options, follow these directions once you are on Peak to Peak (Hwy 72):

• After the sign for Ward and after the turn off for Brainard Lake, there is a small pub/cabin on left called the Millsite Inn. Just over a mile past the Millsite Inn, when you see the 50 mph sign, begin slowing down.
  
  
• Take next right when you see the old barn; the mailbox number says 45640, and there is a sign on the driveway entrance for Folsom Ranch.
  
  
• Parking staff will be at the top of the road to assist you. Keep driving on the dirt driveway past the first buildings. The road will fork to the left through a large wooden gate‐‐don't turn left. Instead, follow the lower road. Drive to the natural turnaround and then turn your car around at the end of the road. Park on the right hand side of the lower road near the wooden staircase. Walk up the staircase, and you will see the registration table in front of you.

​WHERE DO I STAY?

Below is a list of accommodations in the area near Phuntsok Choling - just outside of Ward, CO. If you need more support sorting out accommodations, please contact our Hospitality Coordinator, Wassilissa.

House Share/Rental:

Search these site for rentals available around Nederland or Ward or Allenspark for the closest to the center.
You can also search for rentals in Boulder and Longmont where many of the local sangha live and possibly coordinate rides.
(These are good if you get a group of people to share. There are also single and double rentals.)

www.airbnb.com
http://www.vrbo.com
http://www.homeaway.com

Pinebrook Vacation Rentals
PO Box 193, Allenspark, CO 80510
(303) 747-2325
(877) 900-2325
pinebrook@pobox.com
http://www.pinebrookvacationrentals.com/

Nederland Property Management
SkyRun Rentals
(970) 660-4422

Places in Nederland (check reviews):

Arapaho Ranch Cabins
1250 Eldorado Road, Nederland, CO 80466
(303) 258-3405
www.ArapahoRanchCabins.com

Goldminer Hotel
601 Klondike Ave, Nederland, CO 80466
(303) 258-7770
goldminerhotel.com

Peace Chalet
28 Sundance Circle, Nederland, CO
(410) 299-9207
http://www.vrbo.com/321621

Boulder Creek Lodge Nederland  
55 Lakeview Dr., Nederland, CO 80466, USA
(303) 258-9463 
www.thebouldercreeklodge.com

Sundance Lodge
23942 Hwy 119, Nederland, CO 80466
(303) 258-3797
http://www.sundancelodgecolorado.com/

Casa Colorado B&B  (near Nederland)
196 Bear Crossing Rd, Black Hawk, CO 80422
(303) 642-1983

Mountain View Chalet
817 Bobcat Trail, Rollinville, CO 80403
(720) 289-1665
http://www.vrbo.com/161073

Places in Allenspark

Allenspark Lodge B & B      
184 State Hwy 7 Bus Rt/Main St.
PO Box 247
Allenspark CO 80510
(303) 747-2552  
aplbnb@aol.com

Pine Grove Cabins
686 Highway 119, Nederland, CO 80466
(303) 258-3585

Meeker Park Lodge
11733 State Highway 7, Allenspark, CO 80510
(303) 747-2266

WILL THERE BE FOOD AVAILABLE?

• Catered, vegetarian lunch will be available Saturday through Saturday. Lunch tickets are $14/day. Gluten-free options will be available.  Read more about lunch and purchase tickets here.
• We will serve complementary tea and coffee throughout the program. 
• ​Bottled  water, soft drinks and ice cream will also be available for sale for $1 each.
• If you have special dietary needs, please come prepared with your own food.

WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE IN JULY IN COLORADO?

The fair weather in the Boulder area is one of its attractions—often mild, sunny and dry throughout the year. Though we’re only forty-five minutes from Boulder, the mountain weather at Phüntsok Chöling is much less predictable, because of the dramatic elevation change. This is likely to produce a much greater variability in temperature (especially at night), and in precipitation. Rain or an afternoon thunderstorm are frequent possibilities during the summer, and snow is likely anywhere from September through April. Nights and early mornings can be chilly at any time of year at Phüntsok Chöling, so it’s always useful to have something warm for layering. The sun can be intense at all times of the year, and, at higher elevations, because the atmosphere is thinned, sunscreen protection is especially important.

The altitude at Phüntsok Chöling is over 9,000 feet. For comparison, Boulder is 5,430 feet and Denver is 5,280 feet. If you live at a location near sea level (e.g. Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, St. Louis), you are likely to experience some noticeable physical effects from the higher elevation. Please expect these, so you won’t be overly concerned. Most people will have some shortness of breath, especially with any exertion (climbing stairs; carrying luggage); and some people report feeling headaches or upset stomach for the first day or two after arriving. Sleeping may also be fitful or interrupted. The acclimation period varies from one person to the next, but for most people, their discomfort is limited to the first 36 hours, though you still may get winded easily for much longer.

​Some travelers may prefer to spend an extra day or two in Denver or Boulder in order to make the transition more smoothly. Many of the effects of altitude change are due to relative dehydration because of the drier climate and the body’s adjustment mechanisms. Please keep in mind that much of the acclimation process can be accelerated by drinking plenty of water—more than you may be accustomed to drinking. In fact, some travelers avert much of the initial discomfort by drinking plenty of water prior to and during the day of travel, and arrive very well-hydrated. 

HOW MUCH WALKING SHOULD I EXPECT TO DO?

The parking area is a few hundred feet from the main shrine hall. The terrain is rocky and the elevation is over 9,000 feet. There are steep stairs and gravel pathways. Sturdy walking shoes are essential in the summer. The outhouses are along a dirt pathway 50-feet from the shrine room or shrine tent in the summer.

​What if I have special needs such as limited mobility or hearing impairment?

Phüntsok Chöling is accessible to individuals with mobility impairments or other disabilities. Please contact us if you have any special needs, regarding any questions or concerns you might have.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

• Notebook, pens
  
• Personal water bottle
  
• Food for lunch, snacks
  
• Sunglasses, sunhat, sunscreen, insect repellant
  
• Clothing that you can layer (average summer temperatures are between 43-86º F, average winter temperatures 11-37º F)
  
• Shawl/blanket (cool in mornings/evenings)
  
• Rain poncho/small folding umbrella
  
• Katag (prayer scarf) and envelope for final day’s teacher offering
  
• Walking shoes or sandals that can easily be taken on and off (shoes are not permitted in the shrine room)
  
• Meditation cushions are provided, but if you would like to bring your own, please do.

WHAT SHOULD I LEAVE AT HOME?

Pets, alcohol, illegal drugs, and weapons of any kind

​WHAT IS THE SHRINE ROOM ETIQUETTE ?

In the summer, teachings are held outdoors in our large shrine tent. During other programs, teaching and practice are held indoors in the center’s shrine room. A shrine room is a sacred space in which we connect with the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha), hear the teachings and ultimately connect with our own enlightened nature.

The following are guidelines that help us remain mindful and respectful of the precious opportunity we have to hear the teachings and study and practice the Dharma.

• Please remove your shoes before entering the shrine room and place them on the designated shoe racks. Personal belongings (lunches, backpacks, coats, etc.) also should be left in the designated area.
  
• When entering and leaving the shrine room it is customary to offer a gesture of respect. This can be done by placing your palms together at your heart and bowing slightly.
  
• Conversation should be kept to a minimum in and around the shrine room. During breaks and lunch, people often practice or study in the shrine room.
  
• Turn off all cell phones and watch alarms.
  
• Dress appropriately. Revealing clothing such as halter tops and shorts are not appropriate attire. Hats should be removed before entering the shrine room.
  
• Chant books, texts, liturgies, sacred images should be treated with respect. Do not place them directly on the floor or step over them.
  
• It is considered disrespectful to point one’s feet at the shrine, a sacred image, or towards the teacher. Likewise, one never lies down in the shrine room. During long teachings, one can become uncomfortable. It is okay to adjust your posture, but not go into a complete slouch, recline or point your legs at the shrine or Rinpoche.
  
• When Rinpoche enters or leaves the shrine room, one should stand with one’s palms together at one’s heart and with head bent respectively.
  
• After Rinpoche is seated, it is customary to offer three prostrations to show respect. The teacher embodies the essence of all Buddhas throughout the three times. He is the union of the Three Jewels: his body is the Sangha, his speech the Dharma, his mind the Buddha—from Patrul Rinpoche’s Words of My Perfect Teacher.
  
• Please remain in the shrine room during meditation/practice sessions and talks. Please do not enter the shrine room once meditation has begun. You may sit quietly in the post-meditation area until the session has ended. Should you need to leave during a session, please do so quietly so as not to disturb others.
  
• Please hold questions until the teaching is completed. Rinpoche usually allows ample time for questions and answers and will invite questions.
  
• When the teaching/practice session is over, please let Rinpoche leave the shrine room first. After Rinpoche leaves, please wait until the person making announcements finishes before leaving.

IS CHILDCARE AVAILABLE?

Limited childcare is available for the programs at Phüntsok Chöling. Please contact the Childcare Coordinator in advance of the program for further information. It is preferable to make childcare requests at least one month in advance.

WHAT IS THE TEXT WE ARE GOING TO STUDY THIS YEAR?

During this year's Mahayana section, Rinpoche will continue to teach on Words From The Lineage Masters To Clarify Maitreyanatha's Vision. There are two booklets that were printed last year (bring them if you have them) and can be purchased as a set for $21 on site.

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