What's Included?

Facilities

Each group has exclusive use of our spacious purpose-built meditation hall for meetings and activities. We can provide you with cushions and mats to sit on if meditation is part of your program. We also offer meditation instruction, free of charge, for any group that is interested. This can be as small or large a part of your schedule as you wish. If your group is here on a Sunday, you are welcome to join us for the dharma talk which is part of the Sunday Schedule at 11:20am.

We only rent to one group at a time. Your group is guaranteed exclusive use of the main meditation hall during your stay

Hiking

There is a trailhead on our grounds that leads up to the Pacific Crest Trail. The hike affords beautiful views back on to our valley, as well as Coachella valley on the other side, where Palm Desert, Palm Springs and the other desert cities are sheltered by the San Jacinto and the Little San Bernardino mountains.

Dining

All the food served at Yokoji is vegetarian. We use fresh, and often local and organic ingredients to create our simple, yet nutritious and delicious menus. A balance of vegetables, grains and plant-based proteins support our community year round.

We have a dining hall which is kept warm in the winter months with a wood-burning furnace, and picnic tables outside for the warmer months. We maintain a supply of coffee and hot water in the dining hall from early in the morning until supper time.

The kitchen is a place of practice, where the cook mindfully prepares meals according to the ingredients available, the weather and the specific requirements of the guests. This is why we cannot provide sample menus, as the food changes throughout the year. What does remain constant, however, is the effort to ensure the food is healthy, appropriate for the needs of the group, and is enjoyed by all.

If you would like to book a retreat, we have a simple process:

1. Check the calendar for availability. Get in touch with the office at 951-659-5272 or zmc@zmc.org to ensure the dates you want to book aren't already reserved.
2. When ready to book, we will send you a contract. Please download the sample contract to see the standard terms.
3. Return the signed contract with the initial deposit of $500. We will send you a counter-signed copy of the contract for your records. At this point the retreat is booked. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.
4. Two months prior to the start of the retreat, mail in the remainder on the 30% deposit (which takes into account the initial $500).
5. We have some helpful information about visiting and staying at Yokoji that you are welcome to use. Feel free to direct your retreat participants to this website, or download the documents and pass them out digitally or in print.
6. One week prior to arriving for the retreat, we ask for the following documents:
   • Certificate of insurance, naming Yokoji as a additionally insured party for the duration of the retreat (see contract for more details on this).
   • The room planner, filled in with the participants details, including any allergies and food intolerances. You can use the map of the grounds to determine where you want to place the retreat participants.
7. The balance is due at the start of the retreat.