Winter Weekend @ Cloud Mountain (Berry NSW)

Walking the Way, we are never near or far from it.’

– Shitou Xixian, Taking Part in the Gathering

(But ‘Deluded, we are cut off from it by mountains and rivers.’)

Details
Where: Cloud Mountain, Berry (36 Wattamolla Road, Woodhill, NSW)
When: June 30 – July 1. 10am June 30 – 12 noon July 1.
Cost: Free + Dana (see below)
RSVP: Please click here to RSVP
All welcome.

About this event
We warmly invite you to join us for our winter practice weekend at Cloud Mountain – Berry NSW. Each year we offer to the Sangha the lovely annual Mid Winter Retreat, a chance to walk the Way under the stars and full moon, among the mountains and rivers of our Cloud Mountain temple. A great way to fill your lungs with fresh air and enjoy a taste of deeper practice.

What to expect

Arrive on Saturday morning in time to join our local sitters for our monthly meditation meeting (10am Morning Tea, 10.30-1pm Meditation and koan inquiry). Bring lunch to share, followed by an afternoon including meditation and a walking of the labyrinth created by our friendly neighbour down by Brogers Creek. Supper (soup) and Breakfast next day (porridge) provided, bring trimmings to share. Zazen in the evening, with Sutra Study, looking into the mysteries of Shitou’s Taking Part in the Gathering.

On Sunday, Zazen before breakfast (with opportunity for dokusan), then after breakfast, a couple of hours of Samu, before your choice of open sitting or a walk down to the ‘promised land’. Lunch from the wood fired pizza oven, departing after clean-up and pack-up is completed, around 1.30/2pm.

What to bring:

What you need for sleeping and keeping warm, as well as walking shoes, hat etc.

Also food to share for Saturday Lunch, trimmings for Saturday Supper and Sunday Breakfast.

Sunday Lunch is pizza – bring your own gluten-free pizza base (if applicable).

Trains:

Coming — 7.29 from Central, arrives 10.14 at Berry station on Saturday. Pick-ups can be arranged.

Going — 2.39 from Berry, arrives Central 5.18. Drops-offs can be arranged.

And finally, this retreat is a free offering. As always, your Dana (see below) offering is deeply appreciated, to support the temple and the teaching.

What is ‘dana’?
Dana is the practice of generosity and is central the life and sustainability of our community. With dana we celebrate the many ways in which we benefit from the great gift of existence and help to support each other’s work. As Roshi Susan does not receive formal payments for her teaching, it is customary that we offer dana in the form of money at the end of each retreat. This money helps to make possible the ongoing gift of Roshi’s teachings and is an acknowledgement of the special relationship between teacher and student. These offerings come from the heart and remain anonymous in nature. These offerings can be made in cash at the retreat, or via direct deposit upon request to gassho@zenopencircle.org.au