Sky Creek Dharma Center

Sky Creek Dharma Center, located near the Chico airport at 120 Three Oaks Court, is a novel Buddhist organization that is unique to Chico. Sky Creek is novel in that it was formed through the cooperative efforts of Chico Buddhists from a variety of traditions. Most Buddhist meditation centers are of a single tradition. At Sky Creek, groups, or sanghas, from several different traditions each contribute to the Center. In turn, these groups have a comfortable, reliable place to hold weekly meditations, as well as retreats.

A primary goal of the Center is to support multi-traditional Buddhism in Chico and the surrounding communities by providing a meditation hall and meeting facility where the community can gather. Four Buddhist groups practice weekly at Sky Creek. These groups include the Slowly Ripening Sangha (1) (that practices in the Vietnamese tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh), the Heart of the Lotus Sangha (a Vipassana group), the Soto Zen Serene Reflection group (a Japanese group), and Dharma Buffet (members in this group represent a range of traditions). Each of these groups practices on a different evening of the week. All of the groups welcome newcomers, and the days and times they meet are listed on the Sky Creek website (2). Most groups recommend arriving 15 to 20 minutes early on the first night you come, in order to receive brief instructions.

The Center is an organization that supports mindful living in the area by providing a venue for retreats and for spiritual and environmental education workshops. Each of the groups (sanghas) that holds weekly meditations at Sky Creek also periodically hosts retreats, where an ordained teacher or monk or nun is invited in to lead a retreat or mindfulness day. Seminars on Nonviolent Communication have also been held at the Center, in addition to a wide range of activities including classes and workshops on vegan cooking, Japanese flower arrangements, creative writing, and yoga.

The physical space at Sky Creek Dharma Center is serene and conducive to contemplative practice and gatherings. The meditation hall holds up to 30-40 people and is setup for multi-traditional use by Buddhists including Vietnamese, Tibetan, Vipassana, Japanese, and other kinds of groups. There is a large, restaurant-like kitchen facility that is suitable for use by large numbers of people at retreats. The grounds outside the Center are quiet and peaceful, and include a pond, a creek in back, and walking paths. Sky Creek can be reserved for celebration of a variety of events including, but not limited to, weddings and births. More information about Sky Creek Dharma Center is available at (2).

References

(1)http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/183643/a_review_of_a_chico_meditation_group.html?cat=8

(2) www.skycreekdharmacenter.org