2009 NONA Retreat

The 2009 NONA retreat was sponsored by the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Greater New England. The week was filled with practice, study and friendship.

Aryaloka Buddhist Retreat Center, Newmarket New Hampshire

(Center front row)

Rev. Kumakura (New York) Rev. Faulconer (New England) and Rev. McCormick (San Francisco) were the instructors for the 2009 retreat.

The Hondo (Main hall) would see practice in the form of Morning Service, Hokke Senbo, and Shodaigyo practice. As you can tell in the photos, the retreat center is two buildings with geodesic domes on the top floors. The Hondo is located in one of the domes.

The dining hall and one of the lecture areas were together at the facility in the opposite domed building.

Shakyo (Sutra copying) practice. Here we see the verse section of Chapter 16 being copied in Chinese characters.

Every morning after breakfast the group would walk around the property while chanting the Odaimoku. In the evenings the group would infomally walk around the property to keep everyone limber during the retreat.

Beginner and Intermediate level lectures were given during the retreat. On the left is Rev. Faulconer in the Hondo with the beginning class and to the right Rev. McCormick giving a lecture to the Intermediate class.

While chanting the Odaimoku, participants used hand Taiko (drums). This retreat center is usually quite but the chanting could be heard in the area by the staff and a couple of neighbors. Everyone enjoyed the sound of our chanting and the beating of the drums.

Offering incense during service.

Members of the retreat would practice Suigyo (water purification) practice in the morning before going to morning service. The members would take turns with clean up in the different areas of the center including the dorms, main hall, dining room and kitchen. Walking chanting practice was done to keep everyone limber. Even though the schedule was full there was plenty of time for getting to know other members and making long time friends. The retreat had members from Houston, New England, New York and Seattle.