Retreats

[Keishin]

retreats

Dear Gregor:
How did the retreat(s) go? I'm really interested in your experience and impressions. Let us know!
gassho,
keishin

[Gregor]

Keishin,

I never went on the retreat, the monastery never confirmed my registration.

I'm looking around for one or a couple to do in the next year, maybe the next few months.

I'm planning to be in Santa Monica in the Spring, I might try to attend one of Brad Warner's "All Day Zazen" mini retreats at the Hill Street Center, but need to think it over.

I'd like to plan a weekend and week long retreat sometime in the near future but cannot decide where to go. . .perhaps I should try Blue Cliff again, or perhaps Zen Mountain Monastery (both are sorta close by).

Anybody have some recommendations for the North East US( New York State / New England )?

[paige]

My advice for retreats - learn to stretch properly.

Maybe Jundo could put up a video (or a link) with some demonstrations of good stretching exercises to do before long periods of sitting?

I learnt by watching the "old timers" at my temple. It makes a huge difference.

[PaxAnimi]

Im not sure if these stretches are considered stretching properly, but someone posted this link on the blog a while back and the stretches it shows have been helping me out.

http://membres.lycos.fr/zenmontpellier/ ... glish.html

[Justin]

Very helpful! Especially since I get uncomfortable sitting even 30 minutes.

Gassho.

[paige]

That's a great link PaxAnimi. It seems some good Yoga advice for people who have trouble getting into Lotus.

It's good that they stressed: Do not ignore knee pain! I've met people who've permanently damaged their knees by sitting incorrectly for long periods.

But those aren't the stretches I do before every sit. I wouldn't have enough room at the zendo to lie down, for one thing. Hmmm, will look around to see if anyone's written out the recommended exercises I've learnt.

[Gregor]

Sun Salutations are great, they are a wonderful yoga practice. . . I should work on them into my daily routine.


I remember reading (somewhere) that all of Yoga is a preperation for the full lotus posture. So perhaps the awnser for me is less thinking more action (Zazen, Yoga, running).

Gassho to the whole crew,

Greg

[Gregor]

I was not logged in, oops.

In case anyone was confused I'm the guy going to Kripalu in September.

[Gregor]

Renfield,

Sorry I won't be making it to Japan this year, someday I'd love to make the trip and we'll meet then!

I'm going to be spending some time in Santa Monica this coming spring and hope to do one of Brad's all day sittings.

Thanks for suggestions.

-Greg

[Jundo]

Hi Renfeld,

Thank you for asking if I will make it to Tokei-in this year. Well, I have been trying. I am not sure if I can stay the extra week in Japan, because I do have a Sesshin I promised to attend in the US that is overlapping. I also have to get back to Florida one more time to close up my late mother's household affairs, sell our small apartment and ship everything we accumulated back to Japan on a slow boat. But if I can figure out the impossible schedule, I would like to.

I will discuss it with Gerhard Sensei when I see him.

For those who don't know, Tokei-in is the Japanese monastery that is the historic home of the Niwa-Nishijima lineage. Have a peak here (and, connecting with our discussion on syncretism on another part of this Forum: You will notice the statue of Fudo Myo-o!!!!! See pageNo.8 ).

http://www.treeleaf.org/about-tokei-in/tokei-in-1.html

Gassho, Jundo

[Gregor]

Forever the waffler. . . .

I just canceled my reservation at Kripalu. After thinking things over I decided that I don’t want to confuse things by studying Vipassana practice. It would have been a great and relaxing weekend, but not really the right step for my practice. I’m going to put the money to better use, I lost a $50 cancelation fee, but that’s okay.

I may do a Zen retreat at Mount Tremper instead. I’ll need to make sure I can get the time off from work. Before scheduling anything I’ll do some sitting at their satelite Zendo in Albany. We’ll take things as they come.

-Greg

[Gregor]

I just got off the phone with the registrar at Zen Mountain Monastery. I’ll be attending their Introduction to Zen Training retreat Sept 28th - 30th.

I think it will be a better fit as I will be developing my Zazen practice during the weekend, instead of experimenting with Vipassana a technique that I don’t do in my day to day life.

-Greg

[Jundo]

Hi Ren,

Yes, I am sorry too. I have to get back to Florida on September 15th to sell our little condo, ship all our accumulated junk back to Japan, and say "Farewe;; Sunshine State". So, I will have to miss the Tokei-in Retreat this year.

But, I hope to see you there next year and most years after that!

Gassho, Jundo

[paige]

Now that I've gotten my doctor's blessing, I'll be offline and at the monastery from tomorrow morning (Saturday) until Wednesday.

Wish me luck!

There are already more than 50 people there, who came early for the repentance ceremonies. They've run out of mattresses so some of the monks are sleeping on plywood benches. :shock:

-------------------

Well, I only made it 2 days....decided I wasn't feeling well enough to make the bus trip to our sister monastery. Bummer. But just the 2 days were good I think.