There are two spots left in our original wilderness excursion: now in it's 18th year, now expanded with a 4th day on the slopes of Mt. Baker.
Inspired by Dogen's Mountains and Rivers Sutra (Sansuikyo), this retreat includes silent backpacking through a beautiful old growth hemlock forest to a seldom-visited base camp at Mazama Park, just south of Mount Baker at the foot of Park Butte. Activities include traditional Zen practice, a short solo exercise, and opportunities for day hiking. The retreat is appropriate for new meditators and beginning backpackers.
Tuesday evening - arrive 5pm
Wednesday - Nature awareness retreat, packing
Wednesday evening - zazen at Red Cedar Dharma Hall
Thursday - Sunday 4-day moderately strenuous backpack.
Led by Reizan Bob Penny & Nomon Tim Burnett
Please see www.RedCedarZen.org for details.
Detailed Itinerary:
The group prepares for the mountains in the lowlands at Hidden Mountain Zendo with an evening of practice, a day of nature awareness and packing, an evening at Red Cedar Zen Community's main zendo in Bellingham, leaving early Thursday morning for four nights in the wilderness on the slopes of Mount Baker.
Arrival & Zen Orientation - Arrive at Hawk Meadow farm on Tuesday evening ideally at 5pm with time to set up your tent before dinner and an evening of practice.
Nature Awareness Workshop - Wednesday 10am - 3pm. Engaging the senses and slowing down together in the rich natural area around Hawk Meadow Farm. Formal meditation practice will be combined with outdoor explorations and encounters.
Packing & Preparation - Wednesday 3pm - 5pm. An essential time to get our packs together, ready for a early departure on Thursday morning.
Zazen with the Community - Wednesday 7pm - 9pm
Going to the Mountain - Early Thursday morning we leave for Mount Baker. Our trailhead is 2 hours drive away. Hiking in to our base camp in silence hiking and stopping for trail-side rituals along the way we arrive at our base camp for dinner. The shape of our journey is a pilgrimage, stopping at ritual sites along the way to recite Dogen's Mountains and River Sutra.
3 Nights on the Mountain: At our base camp in Mazama Park we establish a zendo and practice sitting and walking meditation, solo wilderness practice, and day hiking with a mix of formal silent times and informal times.
Returning from the Mountain. On Sunday morning we hike back in silence completing the ritual sutra mapping of the mountain.
Return Time We generally reach the trailhead again on Sunday between 4pm and 6pm arriving back at Hawk Meadow Farm in Bellingham between 7pm and 8pm. This is a hiking event so arrival time can vary.
More Details
Cost includes breakfasts, dinners and trail parking passes and pre-registration via the website, plus a telephone interview with Bob to assess questions around hiking gear and fitness.
NOTE: The base cost for this retreat does not, however, provide any compensation to the teachers. Instruction for our Wilderness Retreat programs are offered on a dana basis.
HAWK MEADOW FARM (1102 E. Kelly Road, Bellingham) MAP AND DIRECTIONS: Take Sunset Drive from I-5, drive by the Sunset Square Shopping Center going East, take a left on Hannegan, drive 3 miles, right on Kelly Road, drive exactly 1/2 mile, turn left immediately after a brown house (look for a reflective blue address marker for "1102"). Drive to the end of the long 1/4 mile driveway and turn right into the parking area for Hawk Meadow Farm.
Registration required, please click the "Register" button on the left to being the process.
There will be an opportunity during registration to make a dana offering if you choose (details on Dana Paramita here) and you may also make a dana offering at any time on the Dana page. Unlike our "indoor" retreats dana is not generally collected during the event.
Contact Wilderness Programs Coordinator Bob Penny at bobp@nas.com or 360-927-5702 with questions and see our Wilderness Programs webpage for an overview of this program.
