Darshan Vision
“Darshan intends to create a Community and Retreat Center that will be a residential community for adults with autism and a spiritual retreat center for individuals with and without autism.”
Residents/Residential Community
The Residential Community will serve as the foundation of Darshan. Residents will be part of a supported living environment where they will choose and create the course of their own lives. Each resident will be encouraged and supported in individual choice and group decisions. Each resident will have an Individual Living Plan (ILP), and will be provided the care, support and collaboration needed to create life in alignment with his or her intent. The residential community will be a private space; residents will make their own choices about whether or not or how often to be directly engaged with Guests/Retreatants.
Guests/Retreatants/Extended Community
Guests with and without autism will come to the Center for day programs, workshops and retreats, with the opportunity to serve the actualization of Darshan. Part of the workshop and retreat application process will include ensuring there is a resonance with the founding principles of Darshan. Day program, workshop and retreat facilitators will collaborate with Darshan staff to create programs. Group and individual retreats may include but are not limited to meditation, participation in Community events such as yoga classes, gardening, music, art, service, or sessions with one or more residents or staff.
Physical Space
The Center will include a Residential Community where individuals with autism will live, and an Extended Community Center where guests and visitors will come for workshops, day programs and spiritual retreats. The Extended Community Center will be available to residents; however, visitors, guests and retreatants will not have access to the residential community space (unless invited by a resident), in order to support and protect privacy of residents. A Sanctuary for yoga, meditation and spiritual services and an organic garden located on the property will be available to residents, retreatants and day visitors.
Buildings and Grounds
The Residential Community will include four Houses where adults with autism will reside with caregivers. The Extended Community Center will include 1) a Community Center; and 2) a Guest House for visitors on spiritual retreat. The Residential Community and the Extended Community will share the Sanctuary, the Extended Community Center and an organic garden. Oak trees, flower gardens and a fountain will provide natural grounding, nourishment and deepening.
The Residential Community of Darshan will include the four residential community Houses. There will be 4 residents and 1 caregiver per House. Each resident will have a private room, a private bathroom, and a walk-in closet, and each house will have a kitchen and living room area that will be shared by house residents. Residents will have the opportunity to have fully trained service dogs residing in the community. Residents will choose if/how much they will be directly involved with Guests/Retreatants.
The Extended Community Center will provide a space for others from the community (with and without autism) and residents to gather for group activities/day programs. The Extended Community Center will include a large group activity room for workshops and day program participants, smaller rooms for individual or small group activities, a kitchen, library and media room, indoor pool, two hot tubs and a gym.
The Sanctuary will be shared by the Residents and the Extended Community. It will include a large meditation hall and individual meditation rooms.
Funding
Residents will pay a monthly rental fee and program fee. Grants and donations will cover additional costs, as will income from workshop, day program and retreat fees. A fund will be set up to support those who are not able to afford the full fees.
Education and Outreach Program
Darshan’s Education and Outreach Program serves to further human spiritual awakening by ushering in a shift in paradigm of autism from that of a disease model to a recognition of the depth of spirit of individuals with autism, through conferences, community involvement and speaking engagements.