The Vashon Retreat Center is to provide a natural educational setting for training students in Oriental Medicine as well as creating a retreat space for workshops for individuals interested in the study of Asian approaches to wellness and health. Beginning in 2010 study at the retreat center will become an integral part of the educational process of students at SIOM through weekend retreats aimed at providing a deeper interpretation of the principles and practice of Chinese medicine. In addition the Center will be open for individual faculty and student retreats for specific research projects and activities provided by the rural nature of the facilities.

In addition to the primary role of the facility as an educational site for components of its graduate studies in East Asian medicine, there are also plans for the following projects and activities:

Medicinal Garden Project

The center is located on 23 acres that provide a variety of biomes; wetland, meadows, upland forest and deep Northwest ravines. The medicinal garden project will be coordinated with other efforts around the country to grow medicinal herbs, both in a farmed setting as well as through plantings in native habitats. Naturally growing local medicinal herbs will be introduced in appropriate habitats, as well as many Chinese medicinal herbs will be planted as part of a pilot project to ascertain their viability in Northwest soils and climate. In addition, the Center will have its own organic garden for growing vegetables and fruits for consumption by retreat participants.

Research Library

One goal of the retreat center is to offer a serene and contemplative setting for deeper research into East Asian medical studies. As part of this goal the Center will have a research library equipped with texts in English and Chinese and online computer networking with a variety of databases in the Chinese medicine field. The library will be open to students and others wishing to do more in-depth research into the knowledge available in the field in a setting where they can devote complete attention to their project.

Meditation Hall

An important aspect of learning any Asian healing arts is the practice of some physical meditative discipline. Classes and workshops in Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and meditation will be held at the center as part of the education of SIOM students as well as for others in the community wanting to learn and practice more of these meditative arts. To house these activities, a meditation hall is planned to provide a natural setting for these retreats.

Bathhouse

The development of the Vashon Retreat Center will be accomplished with a particular emphasis on construction that is environmentally friendly and provides sustainable methods of continuance in regards to energy consumption. One example of this is the construction of the bathhouse which will utilize composting toilets, greywater systems, solar water heating, and green construction methods. This facility is planned to be both functional and educational, by demonstrating methods of construction and resource utilization that are ecologically appropriate.