Half day sit on Mt. Tam
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9:00 AM - 12:45 PM
First Sunday of every month
​Free to join
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email to confirm:
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A morning spent in meditative space on Mt. Tam
This is where we look to the rocks, grasses, trees and birds to support deepening into a concentrated state of being.
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We meet on the mountain at 9 and will hike for about twenty minutes to arrive at the place of our morning abiding, a secluded meadow conducive to meditation. We all start by sitting for 50 minutes together, after which people are free to keep sitting or to flow between sitting, standing and walking meditation for the next 2 hours.​
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At the end of this 3 hour period we have lunch at 11:30 and talk if people wish, but keeping our topics to dhamma discussion or things of the moment such as the forest around us.
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Forest Bathing on Mt. Tam
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9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Second Sunday of every month
​Free to join
​
email to confirm:
​
A morning spent opening to mountain medicine
For our meeting, I will show you a very quiet and beautiful side of the mountain, yet still easily accessible from a main parking area.
During this time you will be asked to:
Spend some time walking in silence
Listen to the sounds of the forest
Stop and enjoy various picturesque meadows, creeks and groves
Sit and lie on the ground
Hug trees
The ability to walk over varied terrain for up to 3 miles is a necessity. There is not much elevation change, so the hike would not be classified as strenuous.
Full day sit on Mt. Tam
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8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Third Sunday of every month
​Free to join
email to confirm:
​
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A whole day spent in meditative space on Mt. Tam
This is where we support each other to get as much mountain meditation goodness in a day as possible.
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(Winter Schedule)
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We meet on the mountain at 8 and hike for about twenty minutes to arrive at the place of our morning abiding, a secluded meadow conducive to meditation. We all start by sitting for 50 minutes together, after which people are free to keep sitting or to flow between sitting, standing and walking meditation for the next 2 hours.​
At the end of this 3 hour period we have lunch at 11:30 and talk if people wish, but keeping our topics to dhamma discussion or things of the moment such as the forest around us.
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After the meal I offer an optional guided hike of about an hour and a half. We return to our original spot and begin our second period of meditation at 2 p.m. which follows the same structure as the first. At the end of this period, we head to a viewpoint where we can explore, continue our mountain bathing, watch the sun set into the ocean and congratulate ourselves on having spent a full day in one of the world's great outdoors spots.
The inspiration for this event comes from experiences I've had where I've spent similar amounts of time on the mountain. I come down feeling much less like something that belongs to the modern age and more like something that belongs to the woodpecker cries and the dust and the dancing shadows and singing creeks.​ It also comes from a desire to invigorate the spirit of the original Buddhist monastic practice of forest dwelling. This is exactly how the Buddha suggested a homeleaver resolved to practice mindfulness spend their day. Meditate in the morning, go for alms, then bathe and rest and settle down for the afternoon/evening striving.
What we won't be able to do is go for alms in a nearby village nor sit up late into the night underneath a tree until we just can't stay awake any more and we curl up to sleep under the tree only to rise with first light. The park closes a half hour after sunset! Otherwise it would be an intriguing idea...
I think sitting in powerful nature spaces is a profound support to practice that is not so recognized in today's retreat landscape, so I hope this opportunity finds you who have been longing to bring your sitting to the trees, grasses, stones and creeks; the birds, flies, squirrels and lizards: the same place the Buddha chose to bring his. Let's support each other to do something very special.