Earth Medicine: Daylong Meditation + Climate Grief Retreat

Date: August 12, 2023

Time: Saturday August 12th 8:30A - 6:30P

Location: Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple

Address: 6401 NE 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97211

Event fee includes: a simple vegetarian/vegan lunch + optional dinner

Price: $35 - $75
Email us about program

Earth Medicine: Daylong Meditation + Climate Grief Retreat

August 12, 2023

Saturday August 12th 8:30A - 6:30P

Zen teacher Yunmen once said, medicine and sickness heal each other. The whole earth is medicine. Where do find yourself?

We are facing an unprecedented time in human-earth relations. The climate of our earth is in crisis, and thousands of species are going extinct. Many of us have lived through the record-breaking climate events such as storms, fires, intense heatwaves and/or floods.

Our dharma practice expands our capacity to directly face reality, which includes finding center amidst the chaos + tumult of the world and our own emotions.

This daylong retreat at Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple, is designed to help us awaken to the medicine of the Earth, the medicine within ourselves, the medicine of our grief, anger + fear, the medicine of the dharma and the medicine of community.

In addition to meditation, this retreat will include body practice, mindfulness practices, earth-sitting, earth-walking, song and a grief ritual. The grief ritual is designed from Joanna Macy’s Truth Mandala process and is an opportunity to give voice to the various emotions we might be feeling in relationship to the climate crisis including anger, fear, hope, grief. We will come together to harness our collective wisdom as we practice together with the Earth and all-beings.

May we all awaken the medicine of this life!

Since we will be meditating out-of-doors please consider bringing a sun hat and sunscreen.

This retreat is in-person only.

This retreat will be held in silence, with opportunities to share intentionally during the retreat. We will have an optional dinner at 6:30P for all who would like to stay and connect more informally.

As we continue to try to promote health and well-being in our community we are asking that everyone take a COVID test the morning of the event. Please take a COVID test before coming, and only come if your test is negative.

Schedule

8:30A – 10:30A – Opening Practice Session + Movement Practice
10:30A – Short Break
11A – 1P – Practice Session
1P – Lunch/Break
2P – 4P    –  Afternoon Practice Session
4P – Short Break
4:30P – 6:30P – Grief Ritual using Joanna Macy’s Truth Mandala Process
6:30P – Simple Dinner
*a simple soup, salad and bread dinner will be offered after the grief ritual for anyone who would like to stay and connect
**from 7:30P – 9P we will be holding a song circle for the Earth, which is not part of the retreat but all retreatants and sangha members are welcome to attend. It’s a drop-in group, no need to stay for the whole thing.

 

Leaders:
Amy Kisei, Sensei
Kosho Ault