Camp Samish Spring 2024 Retreat

The Buddha and the Goddess of the Earth — 
Connecting the Terrain of Inner & Outer Nature

Buddhism began in the wild. Most stories about the Buddha take place outside. His Awakening took place beneath a tree, he walked everywhere, and many of his discourses were given in forest groves, gardens and on hillsides. 

On this retreat, we will explore some of the mythic imagery and nature themes in the Buddha's story. We will look at how these themes unfold in his teaching, and explore their relevance to us now. 

In particular, we will explore four mythic symbols/stories —
The Bodhi Tree — The Buddha’s quest for Enlightenment is fulfilled beneath what is just a tree, and also the tree. 
The Earth Goddess — She rises from the ground to bear witness to the Buddha’s merit and counter Mara’s challenge. 
The Dragon Prince — After Nirvana is attained, a great serpent shelters the Buddha from an unseasonable storm. 
Brahma pays Homage — A great god descends from the heavens to request that the Buddha teach to help ‘those with but little dust on their eyes.’

We will listen to these great stories and discuss their implications. We will explore how the natural world and the mythic elements of the Buddha’s story occupy and enrich our inner world. The program will include meditation, movement & yoga, ritual & chanting, and reflection in nature. 

Led by: Dh. Śuddhāyu has been teaching meditation and Buddhism and leading retreats since 1998. He has a deep love of the processes of meditation practice, as well as poetry, myth and creative ritual. He currently works full-time for Dharma initiatives as Chair at the Portsmouth Buddhist Center and Manager of Aryaloka.

Fee Schedule (Sliding scale):

3 Nights: $420./$370./$320.

2 Nights: $320./$270./$220.

Starts on April 4, 2024 at 6 PM and ends on April 7, 2024 at 12:00 pm.

Registration Deadline: March 17, 2024

Venue:

11633 Scott Road, Bow, WA 98232

https://www.campsamish.org