The Sanghata board would like to express our sincere gratitude to supporters of the Pacific Hermitage. We are deeply grateful to see how the emerging Monastic Retreat House project has resonated with people locally and around the world.
Since July, we have received $72,036 in donations and pledges dedicated to this effort. We are encouraged by this warm response to a facility that will provide a peaceful respite for elder monastics from the West and beyond.
Remarkably, donations from the Pah Bah event have continued to arrive over the last month, reflecting strong ongoing support for the Retreat House.
To help bring the vision to life, one of our 2026 sponsors hand-built a 3D scale model of the Retreat House based on current architectural plans and renderings. Each floor can be lifted to view the interior layout, and the entire model rotates on a turntable. It is currently on display at the Pacific Hermitage—we invite you to visit and take a look!
The architectural design and engineering was completed in 2025, and we are ready to begin construction once additional funding is raised. The total estimated cost is $1.2 million, based on the typical new construction cost of about $500 per square foot in the Columbia Gorge. Given that this dwelling will provide safe and comfortable retreat space for elder monastics and significantly more indoor gathering space for our growing community, we think it’s a profoundly wise investment.
Currently, donor funding for the Retreat House stands at $162,263, about 13% of the total needed. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so on the Sanghata website. (Please note in the comment that it is for the Monks Retreat House.)
Digital modeling has also helped us envision the finished building nestled into the hillside at the top of the Pacific Hermitage property. In this rendering, moonlight illuminates the Retreat House’s Buddharupa, a replica of a ~500 CE sculpture housed in Varanasi, India. Gifted by friends in Thailand, the statue is already in place where it will reside permanently. The community dedicated it with a recitation of the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta during Pah Bah weekend.
We at the Sanghata–the financial stewards of the Pacific Hermitage–extend our heartfelt thanks for your continued support as we work toward our shared goal of supporting monastic elders in the Ajahn Chah tradition. To learn more about this project, and to follow the latest developments, watch the Retreat House page at Sanghata.net.
With warmth and appreciation,
Jessica Swanson, Sanghata Vice-President