Hi everyone

I'm very happy to give you more details about the retreat we will have this year (26-27-28-29 December 2011). The retreat will take pace in a small town near Brussels called Kortenberg. We will have a small part of an old abbey, an old house often rented by meditation groups. This abbey is a local center for spiritual meetings and retreats and a fewmonks from the salvatorian order still live there. The house we will rent is facing the central building, with a little park in between and both are near a small lake.

The "theme" of this retreat, under the guidance of Taigu, will be "Faces of Kannon, living actively Kannon in our daily lives". During this retreat, the teachings will be given by our three priests-in-training Shohei, Hans and Fugen. Of course our main practice will be Shikantaza Zazen, but we also will have the opportunity to study the Kesa together.

Through sitting, work practice (samu), sharing in circle, dokusan and sewing, we will be living together the Buddhist path. Apart from discussion time and workshops, we will ask people to refrain from speaking and taste silence.We will also begin the sewing of a big funzo-e Kesa together. Sharing the making of this "garment of no self", a Kesa for the Sangha, is a wonderful opportunity.

On the last day of the retreat, two of our Sangha members will receive Tokudo (Shukke Tokudo) and become two new unsui, priests in training. And we will have a small party at the end of the retreat.

More practical information will be given on the forum, and I'll make a flyer with all the details in the coming weeks.

deep gassho,
Jinyu