The " Golden Fingers" Zen Retreat - February 2020

With zen master Emmanuel Ryugaku Risacher.

Program

WORKSHOPS ( Sumi-e, Kesa sawing, Shiatsu & Do-In, The 34 sounds of zen, Ikebana, Raku, Permaculture, Samu, Kitchen, Voice studies ) - from 15th to 23th february 2020

Arrival Workshops : Friday 14th of february afternoon. Dîner at 20h30.

7h00 Zazen

9h30-12h00 Workshop

12h30 meal

14h30-17h Workshop

18h Zazen

19h30 Meal

Departure: For those who only came to the workshops, on Thursday, February 20 after breakfast.

For those who stay, rest day is February 20.

SESSHIN (zen meditation's retreat ) - from 21nd to 23th of february 2020

Arrival of sesshin on Thursday afternoon, February 20, dinner at 8:30 pm.

Sesshin ends on Sunday, February 23 after lunch.

Online registration : HERE

The golden fingers

The Golden Fingers Week is a unique opportunity to combine the practice of Zen and artistic expression by discovering a technique or by deepening it. And it is, as the Buddha recommends, the ideal opportunity in the context of the Gendronnière to see, to observe the attachments, fears and mental habits that hinder our own creativity.

Learning to let the creative act take place at every moment, beyond the conditioned representations of the "self" and its negative judgments, brings great joy and leads to inner tranquility. Accept what is presented, as it is!

With a little paint, a brush, a needle and a thread, with the hands, with the body, let the creative interiority express itself. It is neither the support, nor the means, nor the result that matters, but the conscious actualisation of the original nature that animates the gesture, contains and fills the form.

Practice of the Buddha's way

Zazen is the sitting meditation without object, as practiced by the Buddha and transmitted through time by an unbroken line of masters. It is the recollection in the silence and nakedness of the present moment. It is a return to what is "before" the thought unfolds to try to grasp what simply is.

This is done effortlessly when attention simply returns to what is presence. The time of meditation escapes time itself because it is a return to the still source of our existence. When the original source is seen, each breath, each action, each movement spontaneously becomes the luminous expression of life itself, and the duality between subject and object disappears.

During the five days of the workshops, zazen will be practiced in the morning and late afternoon.

Emmanuel Ryugaku Risacher

Ryugaku will be in charge of the Golden Fingers session he is organizing with Françoise Kosen Laurent. He was ordained a Bodhisattva in 1972 and a monk in 1980 by Master Deshimaru. In November 2008 he received the Dharma transmission from Genshu Imamura Roshi. Since the summer of 2016 he has been in charge of the temple of La Gendronnière.

Workshops

Raku

For the duration of a bowl, trace the genesis of the earth that provides us with the raw materials to leave our mark and mark history. An ephemeral grain of sand in a world in motion, this granite that has become sandstone over millions of years and then become a bowl, a cup, in a few days, depending on the creativity and needs of mankind.

Let's take a "rakurci" for one session, and come and experience the various types of shaping (modelling, plate, tower, stamping), discover the world of enamels and perform a raku firing, while benefiting from an introduction to the phenomena that make up the universe of the earthworker.

The teacher: After a stint at La Gendronnière, Cécile Bardenet went to learn ceramics. As she continues to meet people and travel, she always goes a little further in this link with the earth and man. Now settled as a ceramist in eastern France, she works with stoneware to shape utilitarian objects and develop high temperature (1,300°C) enamel work while remaining linked to the world of Zen.

Sumi-e

Sumi-e originated in China and was introduced into Japan by Zen monks more than five centuries ago.

The Japanese term “sumi” means “black ink” and “e” means “painting”. It indicates one of the art forms in which subjects are painted with black ink in all possible gradations ranging from pure black to the lightest shades achieved by diluting the ink with water. In order to paint, we only need a brush, a black ink tablet, a stone (suzuri) and a sheet of rice paper.

This way of painting is complete, it involves the whole body. It is not easy at all and working with an expert teacher is necessary, as well as getting used to repeating subjects, or parts of them, innumerable times. The spirit becomes more and more refined and sensitive through constant repetition.

Everyone whatever their level, interested or curious to experiment this "old" oriental approach, will find a new and spontaneous way of artistic expression.

Thanks to a correct and relaxed posture which influences a deeper breathing, the coordination and the fluidity of the gestures improves. Sumi-e is not the learning of a simple painting method. It is the direct contact with our essential being, Buddha nature, beyond "doing" or "not doing". Life created by the touch of the brush strengthens Life itself.

Participation to the workshop (brushes, ink, paper and rice paper) : 25 €

The teacher : Beppe Mokuza Signoritti, Zen monk, disciple of Roland Yuno Rech, has been practicing sumi-e for about twenty years. He exhibits and gives lectures and practical demonstrations throughout Europe. www.sumi-e.co.uk

Shiatsu et Do-In

Shiatsu (finger pressure) is a manual technique of Japanese origin whose theoretical foundations are derived from traditional Chinese medicine.
By acting on all meridians, shiatsu, listening to the patient and his ailments, harmonizes the circulation of Qi in the body by releasing tensions or blockages. By rebalancing the body's main functions, it helps to restore its natural balance. In Shiatsu Zen, the right attitude of the body/mind is essential.
The workshop is hands-on, you will learn the basic postures and gestures of shiatsu that you can then share with those around you. It also includes do-in sessions (self-massage and flexible stretching) with many beneficial effects both in the practice of zazen and in everyday life.
Theoretical elements on Qi, Yin-Yang, Kyô and Jitsu (empty and full) and meridians will be studied.

The teacher: Closely linked to Japan and its traditions, Christine Marie Bottin studied Japanese and worked on traditional arts, transmission, artistic and craft practices, Buddhism.
Disciple of Master Taisen Deshimaru, she began practicing zazen in 1978 and was ordained a nun in 1981. Since 2009, she has been studying and practicing shiatsu from the Iokai school taught by K. Sasaki (direct lineage of S. Masunaga).

Samu practice

Samu, the generous action essential to the life of the community and the good conduct of the temple for the benefit of all.

For those who wish to donate their energy to the Sangha and the temple, it is the possibility to participate in the organization of the session (service, cleaning...) according to needs.

The 34 Sounds of Zen

Over time, the Buddha's path has developed through various forms. In the Soto Zen tradition, these are all placed at the service of spiritual realization. Thus the life of the dojos, temples and monasteries is notably punctuated by codified sounds which are each time the occasion of a concrete experience, as much for the person who produces them as for the person who hears them. In this workshop, you can learn or perfect the practice of these sounds: wood, metal, drum, mokugyo, various gongs and bells, without forgetting the singing of sutras. You will put the teachings into practice by coaching the Spirit of Gesture session throughout the day. What then to make benefit your group of zazen according to the place and the demand!

The teacher : Michel Jigen Fabra, Zen monk, disciple of master Roland Yuno Rech, created the Carpentras dojo in 2002 and directed it for seven years, before going to the Gendronnière Zen temple, where he held the functions of shuso and ino (responsible for sounds) for five years. In August 2014, he received the transmission (shiho) from Master Yuno Rech. He is currently responsible for teaching at the Poitiers dojo.

Kesa sawing's class

Sewing the kesa means making the Buddha's clothing according to the method transmitted from Shakyamuni. Abandoning any desire for decoration or personal innovation, we focus on each step and each point, with patience and determination. Unconsciously, naturally and automatically this practice changes our minds. From our strengths is born the pure garment of the Dharma and we realize the highest dimension of creativity. Master Kodo Sawaki said: "The kesa is the fabric that becomes Buddha."

The teachers: Françoise Kosen Laurent and Tina Chinmyo Feller, Zen nuns, have been practicing and teaching kesa sewing for many years, in dojos and sesshins, and more particularly at the Gendronnière.

Permaculture

Inspired by the laws of nature to grow our food is the proposal of permaculture. The care that the tenzo (cook) takes with food is preceded by the care of the gardener for the earth. To harmonize with all beings is to harmonize with nature. Inspired by the Zen spirit, Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and pioneer of permaculture, developed his natural methods based on "non-action". Teaching and applying these principles will be the content of this gardening workshop. Between training and activities (samu), we will explore how to update the way in the daily gestures in the vegetable garden.

The teacher : Raimund Olbrich is a Zen monk, gardener and market gardener. He was responsible for the Gendronnière vegetable garden for several years. Since 2018, he has been working on it again as part of the "permaculture project".

Registration and prices

WORKSHOP Room 4-5 363 euros / Room 2 persons 435 euros / Single room (subject to availability) 544 euros

WORKSHOP " The 34 sounds of zen, Permaculture, kesa " Room 4-5 286 euros / Room 2 persons 342 euros / Single room (subject to availability) 428 euros

SESSHIN ( zen meditation's retreat ) Room 4-5 122 euros / Room 2 persons 153 euros / Single room (subject to availability) 191 euros

SAMU Room 4-5 99 euros / Room 2 persons 118 euros / Single room (subject to availability) 148 euros