We live in and through the stories we create and tell one another. We awake hoping to fulfill the story of our dreams, and we go to sleep with the joys and sadness of our storymaking. At the same time, it is our ability to "drop the story" and enter deep into the wordless realization of emptiness and boundless compassion that frees us from the bonds of attachment as revealed through Zen koans and other lineage tales. There, we are released into the deep flow of the oneness of reality, where we receive the touch of the ineffable hand of compassion, of Avalokitesvara/Guanyin/Kannon, Tara and the dakini, the embrace of the great compassionate Amitabha/Amida Buddha. Our Buddhist traditions powerfully guide us with stories and words that awaken us from conventional narratives into wordless oneness. In this Pure Land compassion retreat, we will explore the rich intersection of the workings of the storied self and the unfolding of the self of inconceivable compassion beyond stories, beyond words.
Program Format: The format will include guided meditation, chanting, dharma talks, relational practice, small group work, and large group discussion:
