Talk: Friday, Feb. 19th at 7 - 9pm
Retreat: Saturday, Feb. 20th from 10am - 6pm
(all times CDT)

We all tend to look for answers we can count on, some ground on which to stand, scrambling for knowledge while squandering wisdom. What's the purpose? Why are we born, why do we die, why is life so difficult, why are we always longing for something else? What do we really know of our mysterious and fleeting experience? We sometimes recognize, as one often does in spiritual practice, that we have what we need all along, only we don't know it. The way is right beneath your feet, and in every blade of grass.

But what does this all mean and how can we make use of it for our lives? This will be our practice question — our koan — for this retreat. Our practice path will provide the opportunity for real intimacy by going beyond ordinary knowing which is the direction in which Zen points. Please join us on this sacred pilgrimage.

About Flint Sparks
Flint is a Soto Zen teacher who leads retreats throughout the United States and Europe. His traditional Zen training began at the San Francisco Zen Center and continued at the Austin Zen Center which he founded and nourished as a leader in its early years. He was ordained in 2001 by Zenkei Blanche Hartman of the San Francisco Zen Center and was given Teacher Acknowledgment in a ceremony at the Austin Zen Center in 2007. Flint is currently a Senior Teacher at Appamada in Austin, Texas and the Guiding Teacher at the Open Door Zen Community in Madison, Wisconsin. He is also the Guiding Teacher for Just This, a consortium of Zen practice groups in the UK.

Retreat and Talk Fee: $150
Talk-only Fee: $25
Scholarships are available, apply to donations@ebslr.org.

The retreat and talk will be held on Zoom. A link will be emailed to you after registration.

For more info about the retreat and Flint Sparks: visit this page.
To register for the retreat: visit this page.