Chris Larson & Dave McKay
Opening the Heart and Mind to Life
October 24-29,
5 Nights
$325 ($160 deposit) Dana
OR
October 24-26
2 Nights,
$180 ($90 deposit) Dana
Dave McKay has trained monastically for the past eleven years and currently serves as Head Monk at the Zen Monastery Peace Center in Murphys, CA. He is a full-time student and teacher of awareness practice, facilitating workshops and retreats at the Monastery and around the country.
Chris Larson has been a lay practitioner with the Zen Monastery Peace Center in Murphys, CA since 1988 and has facilitated workshops and retreats for the last nine years. He lives with his wife and daughter in Asheville, where he serves as guide for Mountain Zen Practice Center.
Chris and Dave have studied extensively with Cheri Huber and practice a unique style of Zen Buddhism that is easily accessible and readily applicable to daily life in western culture.
There is much within us that can cloud our minds or close our hearts-liking, disliking, fear, anger, ambition, indifference, busyness-just to name a few. Often, we struggle against these processes only to find ourselves in similar places again and again. The good news is that the Buddha has outlined a simple and life-changing alternative to these struggles: to let them go and take refuge in the present moment. No matter where we are or where we begin, we can deepen our ability to live in the awareness of this moment, opening the heart, opening the mind, and discovering the joy and elegance of a life lived in freedom and compassion.
This retreat is offered as a single event with two exit points. For those with a little more meditation experience and wishing for a longer retreat, we encourage you to join us for all 5 days. For those new to practice or looking for a shorter retreat, please join us for the first 2 days.
The retreat from Friday evening to Sunday lunch will include workshop sessions, sitting and walking meditation, opportunities for individual guidance, and group discussions. The retreat from Sunday lunch to Wednesday lunch will be similar to the above except with more of an orientation towards sitting meditation.
And, as always, there will be time to enjoy the serenity and beauty of Southern Dharma's mountain setting.