Wilderness Hikes
Exploring nature with other people of color
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“First, their whole spiritual practice should be enveloped by the principles of metta (lovingkindness). Then they should be taken out into nature, into beautiful forests or mountains. They must stay there long enough to realize that they too are a part of nature. They must rest there until they too can feel harmony with all life and their proper place in the midst of all things.” – Buddhadasa, Thai Buddhist monk and philosopher
In many spiritual traditions all around the world, people journey into the wilderness for contemplation and (re)connection to the Divine. In honor of the profound healing that we have personally received from the gifts of Nature, Zenyu organizes a monthly hike for People of Color on the 3rd or 4th Saturday of each month in the summer. The date will depend on organizer schedules and the unique gifts of each season (for instance, the September hike may be the 4th Saturday in order to catch the stunning fall foliage in the sub-alpine ecosystem).
We will be exploring and wandering through the mountains, rivers, and ocean wildernesses of Washington. The goal of these wilderness adventures is to bring healing to communities of color through the Original Path: communing with each other and (re)connecting to All Living Beings by being out in nature, feeling the precious gift of your body. There will be no preaching and no dogma, though we do ask that all who choose to come adopt, at least for the day, an attitude of nonviolence, openness and respect. This is nonviolence in thought, word and action toward ourselves and others (individuals AND groups of people). In other words, please don’t talk sh@$ about yourself or anybody else in the presence of the Mother! If you are concerned about not having adequate outdoor gear, we can help you out by lending you rain jackets, fleece jackets, etc. Just holla at [email protected]. ALL ZENYU EVENTS ARE FRAGRANCE-FREE. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US CREATE A MORE ACCESSIBLE SPACE! COSTS: 1) gas money ($5-12 each time, depending on how many folks come and how far we venture) 2) if you have the means, offering to drive when you can 3) dana/love donation for organizing costs NEXT HIKE: Saturday, Sept 6th, 2014. RSVP to [email protected] and/or subscribe to our mailing list below to stay completely updated about these hikes and all other amazing events! |
“Hiking and meditating with other POCs has been tremendously empowering for my relationship to my own body, to exercise, and to building vibrant community among marginalized peoples. I rely on these monthly groups to keep me invested in my commitments.”
“I currently live with a chronic debilitating illness. As a result of this, I am frequently home-bound and limited in my activities and physical abilities. I finally started hiking for the first time under the thoughtful planning and organization of a group hike led by Zenyu. Every detail was carefully communicated to all 14 LGBTQ participants – what to wear, eat, bring, and expect. The hike was a joyous experience of being in nature with lots of people who were new to this activity or had less experience with it, and there was a great deal of support provided to each person by the organizers."
-nitika raj |
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Want to find out about upcoming Zenyu events? Don't worry, we won't spam you. Our mailing list is low-traffic- we'll send you our monthly newsletter to let you know dates and times for hikes & meditations. Every couple of months we may send an update about special events as well! |
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We are located in South Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle, near the Van Asselt Community Center. Contact us at [email protected].
