Solo retreat

[Shohei]

Re: Solo retreat

Thanks for sharing your experience Bill.
I think i will be doing a 2 day version sometime soon (next time the fam ditches me for the inlaws for a week o/)

Gassho
Dirk

[Eika]

Re: Solo retreat

Can you recommend and tips for keeping to your schedule? Did you use a timer, have copies to hand et cetera?
Also was there anything you wish you had taken or had taken and but didn't use. I plan to travel light and either bivi or take a small tent so will take as few things as possible.

All the best,

Philip

Hi, Philip. I printed a copy of the schedule and posted it in a visible spot. I also used a program in my laptop called Flextime that I had programmed all of the timings into (complete with 3 bells for zazen, 2 for kinhin, etc.). That way I turned the timer on in the morning and just followed along. I felt like this constant timing kept me honest a bit better than simply using a clock. Sort of a more complicated version of the treeleaf timers.
I took more food than I needed. It is simply hard for me to estimate how much I will need to eat plus food packaging is done in a way that almost always gives you more than one person needs. There are probably better ways to plan meals than what I did.
Camping might be a great way to do this.

Happy camping and gassho,
Bill

[KellyRok]

Re: Solo retreat

Hello all,

Bill, thank you for sharing your retreat experience with us all - and thank you for your schedule. I too would like to try a solo retreat sometime in the near future. I even have the perfect place picked out - a state park near here with a 300 year old hemlock forest and a series of breathtaking waterfalls. Did a family trip there 2 weeks ago.

I'm not sure how well it will go over with my 2 young boys, well 3, if you include my husband :lol: I might just have to wait for our 2-day Jukai retreat and lock myself in my basement.

Also, thank you and Jundo for the information on what UU means. I've been looking for a place like this that my family could go together. I'm struggling with this right now; how to handle teaching "spirituality" to my children when both myself and my husband are "anti" church people. I want my children to be kind, caring, and respectful little people, but I don't want to force them into any one path. I want to give them a little background on the basics of Christianity (without Christ, if that's possible), and a background on Buddhism, and all the other belief systems. The UU sounds like it may be a good fit for us, hopefully we have a facility nearby.

Thank you again, this has been very helpful.
Kelly Rok

[Eika]

Re: Solo retreat

So, I hereby appoint you our "Official Treeleaf Solo Retreat Advisor". Congratulations Bill!

OK, but I will require a company car.

Bill

[Gregor]

Re: Solo retreat

Yes, I'll take a company car as well. I recomend a Saab 9-3, Aero.

[Undo]

Re: Solo retreat

Thanks for the pointers Bill.

[Skye]

Re: Solo retreat

Bill,

It sounds like a very balanced retreat. Thank you for posting. I am proposing that, as one option for our "Jukai 2 day Retreat" for folks who wish, some may decide to go off for a couple of days in the woods like you. So, I hereby appoint you our "Official Treeleaf Solo Retreat Advisor". Congratulations Bill!

Yes congrats I'll very likely be taking the solo retreat route for the Jukai up in the mountains.

Skye

[Stephanie]

Re: Solo retreat

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Bill! I'm glad the retreat was a success, but I honestly can't imagine how a solitary retreat wouldn't be a success--cause no matter what happens, when you "detox" from distraction, you can't help but face parts of your experience you normally don't, and learn something in the process. I look forward to when I can do another one!

Gassho--

[Shindo]

Re: Solo retreat

Thanks Bill - I really appreciate you sharing this
Kind regards
Jools