SLOW ZEN RETREAT - JOIN US ON THIS JOURNEY TO A CLEARER SELF

AS A BEGINNER OR ADVANCED PRACTICIONER OF ZEN
you can relax and refresh yourself with Zen practices during this one week retreat. Under the guidance of Japanese Zen monk Seigaku, you will experience and apply Zen teachings in your daily life. Zen practice focuses on experiencing the essence of consciousness. Sitting meditation is the main practice of Zen and aims to calm the mind and focus on breathing. We will go to bed early, get up early and clean. We cook and eat together simple vegan Japanese Temple Cuisine Shojin Ryori, recite sutras at every meal and practise calligraphy.

OUR ISLAND EXCURSIONS
take us to beautiful natural landscapes with unique ecosystems. The volcanic island of La Palma, declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, is part of the Canary Islands, which belong to Spain, and is located off the northwest coast of Africa. In the capital and port town of Santa Cruz de La Palma, you will find narrow cobbled streets and houses with wooden balconies. The island is mountainous and densely forested, with laurel and pine forests, waterfalls, black lava and white salt fields. On relaxed walks and hikes, we reach places by the sea and in the mountains and experience the wonderful nature of La Palma in a mindful way.

SEIGAKU
was born in 1981 to Japanese teachers and spent his school years in Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. While studying at Keio University, he became interested in Zen training and was ordained as a Buddhist monk at Eiheiji Temple in Fukui, the main temple of Soto Zen Buddhism in Japan. Since then, he has visited many foreign dojos in China, including the United States, France, Switzerland, Poland and Germany. He teaches Zazen and spreads the Zen way of life throughout the world. Seigaku is the author of ‘Learning from a Monk: The Art of Eating for a Heart-Centred Mind’ and ‘Body and Mind Become Beautiful: The Art of Zen’.

THE SEMINAR HOUSE
is a charming Canarian house in the historic district of Santa Cruz de La Palma, where you will immediately feel at home. With its cosy seminar room, an inner patio with dining area, a beautiful terrace and kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms. Around the house you will find many places with friendly little cafés, restaurants and shops. And if you're looking for a refreshing dip in the Atlantic Ocean with its black lava sand, it's only a 5-minute walk from Casa Las Enanas. Once again this year, the city beach has been awarded the ‘Bandera Azul’ nature conservation label, which stands for a well-maintained beach and high-quality bathing water.

Einfache japanische Zen-Tempel-Küche Shojin Ryori.

RETRET PROGRAMME:

Saturday, 20th of September
7.30pm – Zazen
8.00pm – Time for tea and candles
9.30m – Light walk

Sunday, 21st - Friday 26th of September
06.00am – Wake up, ZaZen, Qi Gong
08.30am – Tea, breakfast, cleaning and rest
10.00am – ZaZen
10.40am - Freetime, walks or swimming in the sea
12.30pm – Cooking, lunch cleaning and rest
2.30pm – 3 x Island excursions
6.30pm - ZaZen
8.00pm – Time for tea and candles
9.30pm – Light walk

Saturday, 27th of September
06.00am – Wake up, ZaZen, Qi Gong
08.30am – Tea, breakfast, cleaning and rest
10.00am – ZaZen

NOT INCLUDED:
Transfere from the airport of La Palma (SPC) to “Casa Las Enanas” :
but it can easily reached by bus 500 or only 12 minutes by taxi.
The flight must be booked separately and is not included.