On Our Way From Misery To Happiness

The photo essay below depicts our initial arrival at Westwind, Oregon, USA. I attended a Buddhist mindfulness retreat along with my two eldest daughters, sister and niece. The Buddhism is in Thich Nhat Hanh Zen tradition.
We drove down from Canada, spent one night in Portland and the next day arrived on the coast of Oregon. I didn't take any pictures of our night in Portland but Mist (below) my sister and I took the Max train down town for the evening and dined at Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant. It was a whirlwind, fun night in Portland. Mist got to try Rock Bottom's homemade rootbeer. It was surreal for me as I'd dined at that exact restaurant in Portland only 8 months earlier. The 14 hour road trip took us through the very beautiful Washington and Oregon States. We arrived, slightly weary but excited travelers, ready to leave our miseries behind...

Mist on the Salmon River, Oregon-- awaiting the ferry crossing.

Tabs--thrilled to have arrived after a 14 hour road trip.

Biologists at play on the Salmon River shore.

Crossing the Salmon River to Westwind.

My niece and I on board the ferry.

Safely on shore. The sand is crunchy on top and soft underneath.

We're on our way---following Duncan's 85 year old mom Fern to the camp site. She is an  inspirational woman full of eloquence, vitality and warmth.

Mistaya, ready to explore the biosphere.

Caught in a sandstorm of emotion (sorry ABBA-it just seemed appropriate).

Duncan Berry, one of the retreat's hosts, explaining the history of the land.

We have arrived in happiness: Westwind--the dining halls.

The steep narrow path to our cabin was the only escape route for the camp.

Toilet on cliff's edge--unbelievable ocean view when sitting in front of this small building, quite challenging finding one's way in the dark.

Our mountain-top sanctuary: Tyee Cabin

I Breathe In Peace

Buddhist Mindfulness Retreat 

The Photographs below are of the Pacific Northwest Coast at Westwind Oregon, USA
by Mix Hart

I had a surreal week in Oregon. The retreat was on the North Pacific Coast in a protected United Nations Biosphere: where the Salmon River meets the Pacific Ocean. The area has a Tsunami every 300 years. One is due. An earthquake off the coast of Washington last week left me a little nervous—I kept this from the children. I felt blessed though, that our rustic cabin (Tyee) was high on a mountain top above the beach—along the designated Tsunami escape route—at least we were safe while we slept. At night, we climbed the steep mountain path to our cabin. Only three of the cabins were located on our mountain—so quiet and secluded. There were no artificial lights to guide our way—we used a flashlight. The toilet was an outhouse on the edge of a cliff with amazing view of the ocean. One false move in the dark and over the cliff you went!

The Monastics attending the retreat were from the Deer Park Monastery in San Diego, California. They practice Zen Buddhism and follow the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh of Plum Village, France. Thich Nhat Hanh’s Buddhism is new to me. He has successfully transformed and packaged Buddhism to attract North Americans. This type of Buddhism is very accessible to me (as a North American with a family). The focus is on living a good life full of compassion, awareness, and connectedness with others and nature along with daily meditation (but not the several hour long meditations as I have been accustomed).

I traveled with my sister, her daughter and my two eldest daughters. The girls had the time of their lives: meeting new friends, exploring the coast and learning a little dharma. As well, the girls received new Dharma names.

It is difficult to summarize the retreat in blog post. It was an amazing week of unbelievable natural beauty and wonder, combined with intimate social connections and Buddhist Dharma. I spent the entire week bare foot. Modern society was so very far away—existing in a parallel universe.

It was a joyful celebration of nature and human connections. We sang many songs, ate healthy, natural foods and practiced meditation, dharma talks and Qi Gong (dance-like style of martial arts). It was also challenging on many levels and revealed to me some personal fears and the route of some personal anxiety.

In the next few posts I hope to capture a glimpse of my experience through photographs. 

United Nations Bio-Sphere

Picture from www.mindfulnesscamp.org

I am leaving the country for a short while. This is where I am going to (above pic). I am attending a Buddhist mindfulness camp inside a United Nations Biosphere on the Oregon Coast. The mindfulness camp is organized in collaboration with the monks and nuns from the Deer Park monastery who practice under the Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. We have to reach the Salmon River by Thursday morning and then will be escorted by ferry to the site of the camp.  
I'm afraid there is no internet at the camp. 
I will update Modernista Mama on my return...
Much Metta