Practicing the Way Retreat

“Therefore flowers fall even though we love them; weeds grow even though we dislike them. Conveying oneself toward all things to carry out practice-enlightenment is delusion. All things coming and carrying out practice-enlightenment through the self is realization.Those who are greatly realize delusions are buddhas. Those who are greatly deluded in realization are living beings. Furthermore, there are those who attain realization beyond realization and those who are deluded within delusion”.

Realizing Genjokoan: The Key To Dogen’s Shobogenzo, Shohaku Okumura

In 1233, Dogen wrote a letter to a lay practitioner spelling out nothing short of the nature of self, reality, and practice. Nearly 800 years later, this Genjokoan is prized as one of Dogen’s most profound and accessible works. It also helps us to explore the profound preciousness of our daily lives. 

In this retreat, we will sit zazen, engage in discussion on the Genjokoan, meet with the teacher, eat together, and build community. Our practice is a time to be together. And we welcome everyone into this community.

Questions we’ll invite each other to consider:

• How can we encounter everything and everyone in our lives with joy, wisdom, and compassion?
• What is the relatability of Genjokoan to our current conditions?
• How do we embody the understanding of the Genjokoan in our lived experience with family, friends, community, and the world?

Registration fees cover lodging and food. Hokyoji compensates teachers through the dana system. If you would like to contribute, you may do so before, at, or after the retreat. If you would like to donate online, please click here.