Building Our Community
In May 2026, Oak House at Seven Oaks Retreat Center was struck by lightning and sustained significant damage. Thankfully, the building was unoccupied, and no one was harmed. While repairs were necessary, this unexpected event created a unique opportunity to advance an important part of Seven Oaks’ vision: making retreat practice accessible to everyone.
As we set out to restore Oak House, we took the opportunity to renovate portions of the building to include handicapped-accessible bedrooms and bathrooms, widened doorways, improved access routes, and other enhancements that will make residential retreat practice available to more people as we continue to work to our long-term vision for reimagining the campus.
We recently piloted a new Midweek Practice & Stewardship Retreat, a two-day gathering that brought together meditation practice, community, and hands-on stewardship of Seven Oaks. Throughout the retreat, participants balanced dharma talks, meditation sits, mindful movement (yoga), shared meals, and time spent working on maintenance and improvement projects across the property.
With the support of our staff, 12 volunteers completed more than a dozen projects, helping care for the land and buildings we all cherish. This gathering also offered a meaningful opportunity to welcome new people into our community. Half of the volunteers were members of IMCW, while the other half came from the broader community, eager to learn more about Buddhism and contemplative practices. The retreat provided a wonderful introduction to both the teachings and the experience of practicing within a supportive community.
Between dharma talks, walks connecting us to the land, and shared meals, volunteers rolled up their sleeves and accomplished an incredible amount, including:
- • Cleaning gutters and clearing paths
- • Rebuilding the fire pit and labyrinth
- • Removing trees and clearing overgrown areas
- • Washing windows and weeding gardens
- • Sanding and refinishing a table, benches, and a porch swing
- • Removing 1,500 pounds of unwanted materials
- • Tearing down a shed and completing numerous additional maintenance projects
The photographs tell the story of just how much this dedicated group accomplished!
Thank you to everyone who showed up, lent a hand, and helped make this inaugural retreat such a success. We look forward to offering more Practice & Stewardship Retreats each quarter, creating ongoing opportunities to deepen our practice, connect with one another, and care for Seven Oaks together.
