Retreats

  This retreat is especially designed for beginners, but is open to everyone. We will focus on the Four Noble Truths and how it affects our lives. We will experience four 30-minute periods of sitting meditation, along with standing and walking meditation, as well as several Dharma talks and discussions.  

  This retreat is designed for all levels of meditators. We all benefit, especially after a year and a half of the pandemic, by renewing our practice. As Venerable Master Yin-Shun said, 

 Like a vessel to hold water, like a seed to be planted in the ground, one should avoid the three mistakes by listening attentively, thoughtfully, and mindfully. 

This one day mini-retreat will allow us to focus on the practice of sitting, standing, and walking meditation, and how to put into practice Mindfulness of the Breath and the Body, as well as Loving Kindness. During periods of meditation, we will experience how to “observe, accept, and let go.”  An afternoon period of discussion will help us to understand the Buddhist teachings on Meditation.  In this Year of Buffalo, we can learn to train our Buffalo Brain!  Periods of Noble Silence will be observed during lunch and meditations.    

  The Buddhist teaching on the Four Noble Truths concludes with an explanation of the Eightfold Path, which is divided into three parts: morality, concentration, and wisdom. We will investigate this practice in connection with taking refuge and precepts.  

  Master Jiru will be leading a retreat on Satipatthana, the Four Foundations, with a strong emphasis on deeper periods of meditation and penetration into the fundamental teachings on mindfulness. This is a residential retreat. Noble Silence is encouraged.