Spring Retreat at Hokyo-ji – April 27 – 30
Spring Retreat at Hokyoji
Thursday, April 27, Noon through Sunday, April 30, 3 pm
Led by Sosan Theresa Flynn
You are invited to attend our spring retreat in the wondrous natural setting and well-appointed accommodations provided by Hokyoji Zen Practice Community. Hokyoji is located among the forested hills of southeastern Minnesota, adjacent to the Winnebago Creek in the Mississippi River valley. This retreat will include sesshin forms of sitting and walking meditation, dharma talks, traditional oryoki meals, zen chanting liturgy, temple care (mindful cleaning), and the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the teacher., but also leave enough time for rest, reflection, and enjoyment of nature.
A typical sesshin includes We refrain from unnecessary speech and settle into silence.
The dharma talks will be drawn from Dogen’s Mountains and Waters Sutra, a wondrous long-form poem on the teachings of the insentient. Dogen tells us:
Mountains and waters right now are the actualization of the ancient Buddha way. Each, abiding in its phenomenal expression, realizes completeness. Because mountains and waters have been active since before the Empty Eon, they are alive at this moment. Because they have been the self since before form arose they are emancipation realization.
Let’s come alive together in spring as we practice the ancient tradition of Soto Zen Buddhism.
Contribution:
Clouds in Water relies on a Gift Economics Model of resource transparency, suggested sliding scale tiers and no set fees in order to balance financial sustainability, the Buddhist practice of generosity, justice and equity. Clouds in Water is a community supported temple, relying primarily on the donations and class fees that our sangha offers.
Sliding Scale (All are welcome. No one will be turned away for lack of funds)
- Level 1: $1,200 (covers food, lodging, teacher payments, Clouds admin/staffing, and makes it possible for more people to pay at lower amounts)
- Level 2: $575 (covers food, lodging, teacher payments, and Clouds admin/staffing)
- Level 3: $275 (covers food & lodging)
- Your Level: You choose the amount. No one is turned away due to inability to pay. Note: If you register at this level, we may need to put you on a waitlist, since we need to make sure we have enough money to at least cover the lodging rental costs for Hokyoji.
“We know in our hearts that there is a different way to be, a different way to live. Our generosity with one another is indeed resistance to the greed and fear that oppresses us. We provide for one another out of love for each other and love for ourselves. When we give, we acknowledge that all beings want to be happy.”
-Jacoby Ballard
Schedule and Zoom link will be sent to participants before the event.
Online registration ends 4/21/2023
If you wish to register after 4/21/2023 please contact the sesshin coordinator at info@cloudsinwater.org. Please note that you may not get an immediate response.