[Meditation Retreat] A Temple Stay in Yamanashi
Exploring the Buddhist Concept of the Three Truths in our Weekend Retreat!
Our next retreat will be a weekend retreat at the foothills of Mt. Minobu in Yamanashi Prefecture on March 1st-2nd! đď¸ đ§
Iâm especially looking forward to guiding the meditations which will be based around the theme of the âThree Truths.â The truths are:
1. Sh*t happens
2. Everything changes
3. Donât take it personally (because itâs not personal!)
These are a modern take on the Buddhist concepts of suffering, impermanence and interconnectedness. These are such useful and practical concepts for our modern lives â now more than ever.
Most of the time we get knocked off guard when things donât go our way. We know things will change, but we still hold on to the past or get lost in worrying about the future. We share the planet with 8 billion people yet feel caught up in our own self-importance.
These mindfulness practices can serve as an antidote to bring us back to center and remind us of whatâs important and true.
There will be onsen, veggie meals, hiking, and the meditations will be in a large temple room reserved just for us. The approach is secular, meaning you donât need to believe anything in particular. I make this accessible to all levels of meditator. :)
Hope to see you there!
Book it here
đ Details:
Theme: The Three Truths
Location: Kakurinbo Temple, Yamanashi
Date: March 1st-2nd
Early Bird Price: 48,000 yen (round trip transportation included!)
â°ď¸The setting:
Weâll be staying at Kakurinbo, a 500-year old Nichiren Buddhist temple with a small onsen, a beautiful garden, and spacious rooms. Nichiren Buddhism focuses on chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo ("Devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra"), and we will get a little taste of that.
Weâll have the chance to join the monks for a 6am chant on Sunday morning at the Kuonji temple next door (the main temple of the area), located at the top of this long flight of stairs. Nice way to get the blood flowing in the morning.
The temple serves incredible vegetarian tofu dishes, including yuba (tofu skin), for breakfast and dinner. For lunch, weâll visit a nearby cafĂŠ with both vegetarian and meat options.
Tatami rooms will be shared with one or two people on the retreat and are very spacious
Our last retreat here was awesome :) Sharing our group photo.
đ§ââď¸The experience:
Meditation: Seven guided sessions (45 minutes each) exploring The Three Truths. Guided by Misha and based on mindfulness, inquiry and vipassana meditations.
Movement: Gentle yoga, qigong, hiking and stretching to support your practice.
Connection: Pair/group activities to deepen your understanding and share experiences.
Silence: Periods of quiet reflection to unplug and reconnect with yourself.
đŁ Testimonial
Misha, the retreat leader, and the community from all over the world were very welcoming. All the logistics were taken care of, so the focus could really be on myself. The location was great, with a temple stay in the mountains out of the city and visits to sites and experiences with cultural and religious significance that are uniquely Japan incorporated, which was particularly attractive to me. While many of the meditation practices could be and are done anywhere in the world, the overall experience also included pieces that could only be offered in Japan.
The meditations were guided in a way that beginners to those who have practiced for a while all would be able to benefit. While there is a specific theme, the range is broad, and I appreciated Misha's ability to make it all seem simple, while paying attention to the subtleties. The retreat was a great opportunity to be in community while honoring my own space. I felt a sense of deeper connection within and with oneness, an appreciation of the Japanese elements built in, and more clarity and empowerment to continue my journey.
-Sarah
đ The Plan
Day 1: Depart Shinjuku bus station at 7:40am, arrive at the temple by 11:30am. Enjoy lunch, several meditation sessions (about 4 hours), dinner, onsen, and an evening meditation before bed.
Day 2: Begin with early morning chanting, followed by breakfast and meditations. A short 2 hour hike towards Mt. Minobu. Along the way, weâll practice meditations, somatic practices on self-image and on change and impermanence (mujo). We leave at 330pm and return to Shinjuku by 7:00pm. (Note: the hiking is beginner friendly)
Digital Detox: Phones will be set aside for 24 hours so you can step outside of the matrix. Prepare to be offline.
Hope to see you there!