Zen Retreat (2 nights, 3 days)
The ZEN LIFE RETREAT is a rare opportunity to get away from the everyday hassles of life and focus on personal growth. It aims to provide a sense of inner peace and relaxation, while furthering your spiritual exploration.
Meditation is the core practice in Zen Buddhism. It is the mindful quality present in everything we do, and the pathway to discovering our basic mind and heart (who and what we are), building awareness of mind, self, others, and our surroundings.
Apart from zazen, the traditional sitting meditation, we include other forms of meditation: walking meditation outside (barefoot if the weather permits), sound meditation, meditation in nature and meditative walks in the surroundings.
In addition to meditation, each retreat combines a variety of Zen Buddhist practices, i.e.:
Chanting, where we express our heart through our voices.
Shabutsu, tracing of a Buddhist image as a form of meditation to focus our minds
Samu (work practice), where we learn to focus on the tasks at hand.
Creative activities as expression of our individual selves
Talks, in which we share the teachings of the Buddha.
Discussions, which provide the opportunity to ask questions and learn from others.
Part of the retreat is spent in silence with some suggestions on how to spend the day.
Our activities during the retreat will help you quiet your mind and gain awareness of your thoughts and that deeper inner voice called intuition. The retreat also helps you focus on how to apply the Zen teachings in your daily life through contemplating one of the many Zen Sayings during free time and exchanging your views with the participants and teachers.
Through this variety, the Zen Retreat is a unique opportunity to get a glimpse of the many facets of Zen.
Meditation and Creativity Retreat (2 nights, 3 days)
In many traditions art as expression of the Self has always been an integral part of spiritual practice. Creativity is simply to allow the spirit to fly free where it wants to go, give it life, let it play and direct you back towards remembering your sacred self – it is the vehicle and the essential language of giving meaning to that which cannot be expressed in words and which connects us all.
This retreat offers the opportunity to emerge into our creative potential with a playful mind and find the many expressions of our individuality.
Silence Retreat (2 nights, 3 days)
This opportunity gives you a chance to step out of your everyday routine to spend time in silence and meditation.
The Silence Retreat includes various forms of meditation inside and outdoors if weather permits. Also included are work practice (samu) and meditative creative activities and various poems or sayings for contemplative practice.
