Please Register for the Bearing Witness to Racism in America Retreat

Published on January 9, 2025

BEARING WITNESS TO RACISM IN AMERICA
APRIL 24 - 28, 2025

 

 

 

May we always have the courage to bear witness, and to see ourselves as others and to see others as ourselves.
The Lynching Museum in Montgomery, Alabama has created individual time and place markers of the brutal murders of 805 Black American persons hanged because of racial difference.

Join us to bear witness in Alabama to our ongoing racial genocide in America

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

When We Participate in a Zen PeacemakerBearing Witness Retreat,
We Participate in a Peacemaking Process.

 

To Bear Witness is to have a strong glimpse into the truth that the life of the other is actually our own life itself, that we are indeed, one body.

Our Bearing Witness retreats take place in places where deep human trauma occurred and where healing is endlessly needed. With our retreats we intend to contribute to this healing.

To do this we rely on the Three Tenets of the Zen Peacemakers. All aspects of the retreat are founded on these Three Tenets:

NOT-KNOWING
letting go of fixed ideas about ourselves, others, and the universe.

BEARING WITNESS
to both the joy and the suffering of the world.

TAKING ACTION
that arises from Not-Knowing and Bearing Witness.

These will be our anchors to which we will return throughout each day of the retreat. They are a powerful way to live one’s life and to respond to the needs of the world.

While a Bearing Witness Retreat cannot precisely be a Zen Sesshin, we do create a container of intention and awareness we all share responsibility to maintain. Moving as one, sharing meals, adhering to the schedule, and attending all activities are part of this. Everyone is asked to maintain presence and attention throughout the retreat as each setting allows.

Often, we experience strong emotions and reactions in these places of profound human trauma. Our retreat is designed to support us, with Council practice, meditation periods, prayer sessions, and the presence of senior Spirit Holders who are available to you if you need. All of us should remain vigilant for how our fellow participants are doing. These reactions can be transformative, and we want to protect the space to fully experience them.

Please prepare to arrive with this spirit in heart and mind.