Men's Dharma Weekend: The Return Journey

The Return Journey: Men's Dharma Weekend, June 27, 6pm to June 29 2:30pm

Often, the spiritual life is described as a journey, or even a mythic journey. In Buddhism this is expressed in many ways. There is the Buddha’s own story of Going Forth in search of the end of human suffering. There is the silk road pilgrimage of Xuanzang, the journey from Japan to China and back again of Kukai, there is Sudhana’s journey in the Avatamsaka Sutra, and many more. And it may be that you have our own pilgrimages to places of great beauty or spiritual significance; you may even experience your life as a mythic journey.

In the White Lotus Sutra there is a chapter dedicated to the Parable of the Return Journey in which a poor man wanders lost in a confusing and frightening world until he comes into a great and unexpected inheritance. On this retreat we will explore the meaning of this parable from the perspective of the Buddhist tradition, as well as what it means to us in our own journey. 

The retreat schedule will include meditation, discussion, friendship, time in nature and creative ritual. Participants can expect to engage with the myth of the spiritual journey in a way that will illuminate the path forward and inspire integration and growth. 

“...the religious life is not just a personal affair in a negative limited sense, but part of a cosmic adventure – and this is what we too have to try to realize. Religion, when properly understood, is not something remote from life, not just a dull, churchy little backwater, but life become conscious of its own upward tendency, its own tendency to grow and develop. And whether we know it or not, we are all involved, directly or indirectly, in this upward tendency of life. Each one of us is the poor man in the parable, the son who has run away; but each one of us also, if we only knew it, is the rich man, the father. And each one of us is making, even at this very moment, the return journey.” From ‘The Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment’ by Sangharakshita

This retreat is for men of all levels of experience on the Buddhist path, from beginner to elder.

This retreat is residential and meals/housing are included in the price. Please see the note below about donations for teachers.  You can access helpful information about attending retreats at Aryaloka here.
 

A Culture of Generosity and Support
In the tradition of passing on the Dharma freely, our Dharma retreat and workshop facilitators offer their work without charge and are not paid. We recognize the value in what they do and want to thank them for their time, energy and wisdom. A financial gift can help support our facilitators to afford them the opportunity to lead. Please consider making a donation towards their support. There is often a cash collection and a thank you card that is passed on the retreat, though one can also make a donation directly to facilitators with a check, and some use money transfer services such as PayPal or Venmo. Thank you for your generosity.


At Aryaloka, we strive to make our programs available to everyone regardless of their financial circumstances. Our fee structure allows you to pay according to your means. 

The Event Rate is our actual fee for the event. It is for people paying their rent or mortgage, and who can afford occasional or regular leisure expenses such as dining out. Any payment above the advertised fee is a tax-deductible donation. 

The Mid-Level Reduced Rate is for those who are paying their mortgage or rent, though experience a consistent tightness in budget that makes extras like leisure activities or unexpected expenses difficult or impossible. 

The Base-Level Reduced Rate is for those without an income or with an income low enough that making ends meet is a challenge. 

Those whose circumstances are not included above can email the office to make other arrangements. info@aryaloka.org