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My first retreat... questions...

KungaTashiKungaTashi
edited September 2008 in Buddhism Basics
... well in a couple weeks that is, I will be attending my first retreat. It is being held here on Cape Cod by the Cape Cod Zen Center, which follows the Kwan Um Zen School of Buddhism. Anyone familiar with them?

I've gone a few times to CCZC, talk to the abbott of CCZC frequently, etc... This is my first retreat though, and is only for 1 day. For those that have done a retreat, what is the best advice you can give? And when I meet and interview with the teacher, Zen Master Soeng Hyang (Barbara Rhodes) is there a certain "etiquette" when meeting??

Thanks everyone, hope you have all been well!

Comments

  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited August 2008
    The Kwan Um is a Korean school of Zen, and its founder, Seung Sahn, was a well-respected Zen Master. Although I don't have any personal experience with it, it seems like a good organization.

    My advice to you for doing a retreat, even a one day one, is to work on ridding your mind of expectations instead of trying to figure it all out before you even get there. If you can do that, you'll have a much better experience. Don't worry about the etiquette. They'll tell you what you need to know.

    Palzang
  • KungaTashiKungaTashi
    edited September 2008
    I really like the school, but being my first retreat I just wanted to know what to possibly expect when I went. Thanks for the advice! I am going to meet with the abbot of CCZC beforehand and talk about it, maybe take precepts before the retreat as well. Thanks again for the advice!
  • jacxjacx
    edited September 2008
    Hi LfA,

    A one-day retreat isn't too difficult. Just try to relax.

    I'm sure that the 'old-timers' will recognise that you're new there and help you out with what you need to know.

    I can't really help you out with 'what to expect,' everyone's experience is different.

    Do you mean take the 5 precepts, or are you going to take 8 precepts for the duration of the retreat?
  • KungaTashiKungaTashi
    edited September 2008
    I mean taking the 5 precepts...

    and thanks for the advice as well! :)
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited September 2008
    Let us know how it went.

    Palzang
  • KungaTashiKungaTashi
    edited September 2008
    Here's what I wrote up about the retreat for my blog...

    My day started off completely normal. Got up, had my usual two cups of coffee before being able to call myself human, hung out with Leah and the kids and then headed off toward a new beginning. Why say it’s a new beginning? Well I had hoped to break this “plateau” like feeling and get out of some funkiness, today was the day that happened, finally.

    I arrived at the retreat about 30 minutes early, needed to get my bearings or something. The retreat was run by the Cape Cod Zen Center, a Kwan Um Zen School. There was to be 6 hours of meditation, both sitting and walking, as well as kong-an interviews. To be honest, I was a bit freaked about these interviews. It wasn’t that bad when my turn came.

    I asked my questions, got quite a few answers in return, as well as some insightful advice. Walking back to my cushion I couldn’t help but smile, the interview wasn’t freaky at all, it was quite liberating. As I sat back down thoughts raced around my head, but they weren’t the usual scattered thoughts, much simpler, refined.

    What is this?
    BAM!
    Don’t know!

    What is Zen?
    BAM!
    Don’t know!

    What is Buddha?
    BAM!
    Don’t know!

    It was ok to not know, no worries.

    For a while I have been “trying on” various sects of Buddhism. Have met people involved in various lineages and have asked millions of questions. But one thing that stuck for me today, without saying a thing, was looking around the room and seeing only grey (robes)!

    Grey! No difference, no you, no me, just grey.
    The teacher, grey.
    The students, grey.
    The newbies (me), grey!

    What I’m getting at here is something spoke to me and I think, for the time being, the Kwan Um School “fits” for me. I still have a bit of studying to do, questions to ask, retreats to sit, but it felt comfortable and the middle way of teaching this school offers hits home. It’s very stripped down, to the point and it works.

    My knees hurt like hell though!
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited September 2008
    That's great, LFA. Sounds like you've found your seat.

    The pain in your knees is just body karma ripening. Don't worry about it. Perfectly normal. It'll pass.

    Keep it up!

    Palzang
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited September 2008
    LFA,

    How wonderful that your first retreat was so fruitful and positive. I remember the excitement and the consolation, and I have approached every retreat since then with the same mindset of openness, even though not all the retreats have been as satisying - but the 'desert experience' is integral to the path. A first, consoling retreat is like stocking up with what we will need to remember when things are more desolating.

    My only caveat from my own experience (and it has been different for others) is the danger of enthusiasm overwhelming and swamping us.
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