Sitting with the Buddha, Ven. Ananda once said, "This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie." The Buddha responded, "Don't say that, Ananda! Don't say that! Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life."
Precisely because of the depth of trust we hold in Sangha, the human tendency to fall short, betray, or take each other for granted can result in deep levels of disconnection and despair. And precisely because Sangha is a practice of refuge, we can use heartbreak and forgiveness as gates to a broader sense of interconnection and intimacy.
In this retreat, we will study together how to build unbreakable Sangha friendship. We will explore methods that nourish both our inner lives and the wider communities we are part of, including:
- Traditional zazen, teachings, and discussion
- Devotional work practice
- Somatic practices such as Qi Gong and/or Iyengar Yoga, accessible to a wide range of abilities
- Nourishment of the body, senses, intention, and consciousness