From September 18th until 21st, over sixty practitioners in the Shunryu Suzuki lineage, from various sanghas in North America, met at Villa Maria del Mar, a retreat center in Santa Cruz, California, in order to exchange experiences and share friendship under the theme TRANSITIONS. We realized that we had all undergone various transitions, including losses of beloved teachers through death or retirement, and many other changes that had been happening during the year.

We met in a new open space format, foregoing a keynote speaker and allowing all participants to choose topics for small group meetings in several time slots. This proved to be highly appreciated, as many found their voices who would otherwise have been silent.

There were also evenings of entertainment, with a former poet laureate of Santa Cruz, and a hilarious No-Talent Show.

Our hosts, the Sisters of the Many Holy Names, an order that is financially independent from the Catholic Church, did a fantastic job, looking after us with loving care. The vegetarian and vegan food was phenomenal and plentiful, what cannot always be expected in this kind of place.