Buddhist Retreat Weekend in Port Hueneme

After everyone had eaten, showered, etc., we gathered in the Gohonzon room, and Rev. Ryuei led us in morning gongyo. Each time we did gongyo while we were there, we did a different variation of the options in the Nichiren Shu service book. During this morning gongyo, we recited the Hoben and Juryo chapters of the Lotus Sutra in "shindoku," the Japanese transliteration of the Chinese characters, that most of us are familiar with as Gongyo, and then we recited the 21st chapter of the Lotus Sutra in English.

Discussion followed gongyo, and then we headed over to the beach for kundalina yoga, lead by Terry, who has been teaching yoga for many years. I went with much resistance -- I hate sand and I wasn't thrilled about doing yoga. When I read the schedule, I didn't realize that we would be doing yoga outside, so wasn't really prepared for the sun, and hadn't put on enough sunscreen, but Jean brought a tube with her, and I hastily applied another layer.

While I did spend time fussing and fighting with the sand, the yoga was wonderful -- invigorating and relaxing at the same time -- and we all felt energized. I loved the feel of the ocean breeze on my face as we meditated.

After yoga, we crossed the beach until we got on the other side of the pier where the grilling areas were located and staked out our grill and tables for lunch. Jean and some friends she recruited went back to get the food and came back with a feast. Bill grilled chicken sausages and veggie burgers, Jean made a green salad. There were several kinds of chips from decadent Fritos to healthy Pita chips. I chose a veggie burger with onions, tomato, and cheese, and thought I was in heaven. Cooking with charcoal at the beach was definitely tastier than at home on the George Foreman grill.

We walked back to the house for our afternoon session. Next to the park where Sarge and I had exercised in the morning, there is a crosswalk that goes from the park to the beach. There were several cars parked, patiently waiting as a large goose ambled across the street in the crosswalk. It was so cute, I wished I'd had the camera.

We started our evening session with Shodaigyo meditation, which consists of meditating on the breath, followed by chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, then meditating again, feeling the daimoku. This part is called "meditation to deepen faith."

We followed this with gongyo, in which we did the 16th chapter in English, and then enjoyed a delicious chicken and noodle meal prepared by Jean.

After dinner, we adjourned to the family room where we watched "Little Buddha." I confess that I was so pooped out, I slept through much of the movie. When I woke up, I asked Rev. Ryuei what I missed, and he said that Mara tempted Shakyamuni with dancing girls while he was becoming enlightened under the Bodhi tree. I thought he was pulling my leg, but everyone else assured me that's what happened. I'm going to have to rent the movie and watch it when I'm more awake.

We went to our motel room (there were so many people attending the retreat that Bill and Jean did not have enough room for everyone to stay at the house) and fell asleep the moment our heads hit our pillows.

I slept so late in the morning that we didn't have time to exercise and Sarge had a craving for an Egg McMuffin, so he dropped me off at the house and Byrd and I went for a short refreshing walk together.

During breakfast, there was a deck of animal cards that we each picked from, and then one of the girls read from a book what the animal meant. I picked the eagle, but I can't remember what that said about me.

We started the day with gongyo and drumming practice. Rev. Ryuei taught us 2 different drumming rhythms, and also taught us a "round" way of chanting, like singing "Row Row Row Your Boat."

Rev. Ryuei read several quotations from the Lotus Sutra where it talks about keeping, reading, reciting, expounding, and copying the sutra. Copy the sutra or "Shakyo" is an important part of Buddhist practice. He gave us each 3 sheets of tracing paper and a sheet on how to make the Chinese characters that comprise Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. We each also got a special pen for writing the characters. The pen strokes are made in specified directions and order and must follow those directions and pen-stroke order. We worked quietly and meditatively. After our three practice drawings, we copied the characters onto a sheet, and below them wrote our wishes for the future, which Rev. Ryuei collected.

I gained a new sense of appreciation for Nichiren and the work he put into inscribing Gohonzons.

We then did walking meditation. This was different from the Zen meditation that I learned at my friend Dianna's Zen classes. Instead of moving the left foot on inhaling and right foot on exhaling, we chanted "Namu" on the left foot, then "Myo" on the right, "Ho" on the left, "Ren" on the right, "Ge" on the left, then "Kyo" on the right. When we learned the round, we had divided up into 2 groups, and we used the 2 different groups as we walked. The first group started the chant, and then the second chimed in almost on top of "Kyo," while the first group didn't chant. It sounded really cool. Rev. Ryuei said that this is the way the Nipponzan Myohoji chant when they go on their 300+ mile peace walks. That way, they chant, but they can catch their breath, too.

This was followed by a terrific, deep discussion, including how it's possible to transfer merit to others and dealing with fundamentalism in Buddhism and in the wider world.

We did closing gongyo -- entirely in English this time -- and ended the formal part of the retreat. Everyone stayed for a few more hours and engaged in more discussion. Beverly and I had a deep talk with Rev. Ryuei about emptiness. He gave me a koan, which twisted my brain into knots. He gave me many hints and I finally (duh!) figured it out.

We drove home feeling physically and spiritually refreshed!