Rohatsu Street Retreat – December 2021

Join Joshin Byrnes for the 2021 Annual Rohatsu Street Retreat

Start Friday December 1, 2pm
End Friday December 8, 10am

“What’s the deal here?”

We plunge into life on the streets and sit within this question. When we beg for money, look for places to get food, a place to sleep, shelter, public bathrooms, when we meet others along the way, we let the dynamics of life on the streets help us experience the energy of the interconnectedness of life.  We wander and find our way with few belongings and no planned agenda. In this way we let go of our attachments.

We begin our begging practice before our retreat starts by assembling a mala. A mala is a string of beads that is worn like a bracelet or necklace. Each bead represents a person who financially sponsors your street retreat, and the entire mala represents the community of support. We will wear our malas on the street retreat. The money collected through this begging practice is used to support the social action projects at Bread Loaf Mountain Zen Community and elsewhere.

“When we go… to bear witness to life on the streets, we’re offering ourselves. Not blankets, not food, not clothes, just ourselves.” – Bernie Glassman, Bearing Witness

Registration

Click here for info on Preparation, Logistics and Guidelines.