Annual Fall Retreat, September 20-22, 2024

Opening to the Joys and the Sorrows: Increasing our Capacity for Equanimity

In the words of Rumi, “Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter.” In this retreat we will meet the grief and sorrows of this moment, building our capacity
to be with what is and making space for the joy and pleasure that arises in our communal practice.

The near enemy of equanimity is indifference. In cultivating this quality of equanimity in these times of so much division, conflict and loss, we turn towards more aliveness and more feeling, with the ground and support of our practice and our sangha.

This retreat will include noble silence, and opportunities to connect in spiritual friendship, still and walking meditation, guided heart practice and chanting together.

We invite GBF members, friends, queer people of all genders, to join us for our retreat at the beautiful Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, CA: https://landofmedicinebuddha.org .

In this 3 day (two-night) partly silent retreat, we will sit and walk in meditation together, chant, eat, and be in connection with nature and each other. The emphasis will be on deepening our practice of mindfulness, lovingkindness, and wise action in relationship—with ourselves, each other, our community, and the wider world.

The 30th GBF fall residential retreat is scheduled for September 20-22, 2024. The retreat will be taught by one of GBF’s favorite visiting teachers, René Rivera.

We welcome both beginners and long-time practitioners to join in a program that blends elements of a traditional silent retreat – sitting and walking meditation – with talks and exercises led by members of the sangha. Free time is included to walk the forest and socialize with others. 

The Land of Medicine Buddha is a Tibetan retreat center located on 108 acres in the scenic coastal foothills above Monterey Bay (https://landofmedicinebuddha.org/). It is a delightful retreat space. The grounds are quite beautiful, the meditation halls lovely.

Retreat Format

Schedule: we gather at 5:00pm on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 and depart at 2:30pm, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024.

We welcome both beginners and long-time practitioners to join in a program that blends elements of a traditional silent retreat – sitting and walking meditation – with talks and exercises led by members of the sangha. Free time is included to walk the forest and socialize with others.

Accommodations

Various sleeping arrangements are available.  See the registration page.

If you have any questions, please contact Richard Azzolini at chefazzolini@gmail.com .

Meals

The Land of Medicine Buddha staff prepares delicious and healthy vegetarian meals. Lunch is the heartiest meal of the day. Unfortunately, they cannot accommodate individual dietary restrictions, so be prepared to bring supplemental food if you are concerned. Some refrigerator space can be provided.

Retreat Scholarship Fund

We offer scholarships to those who find the fee unaffordable. Please send an email to ​gaybuddhistfellowship@gmail.com requesting a Scholarship prior to registering, and include

1. A description of your situation (e.g., unemployed, disabled, limited income), and
2. What you are able to pay.

You will receive a reply within 1-2 days.

The deadline for scholarship requests is September 8, 2024.