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The View from Loose Leaf Hollow ~
creating a space for grace and the dance

Both Buddha and Jesus were asked this question: "What are you?" Not who are you, but what are you! They thought both men to be gods, demigods or the like. The Buddha replied simply, "I am awake." And Jesus, likewise, referred to himself as simply, "the human one." Both men knew what a great thing it was to be a human being who had awakened.

And both men spoke of awakening to a universe of abundance! Buddha called it "Bliss-Void Indivisible." Jesus called it "The Kingdom of God." And both taught that this gracious realm is available here and now to any human being who awakens from the dream of a life as a struggle with scarcity.

Neither of these two great world teachers believed in "the bottom line." Both believed the "infinite life" of ongoing spiritual evolution was the only life worth living. And both men taught this to their disciples by example.

Both Jesus and Buddha put a high priority on periods of retreat from the hustle and bustle to accelerate their own spiritual evolution. Both men awakened from the trance that tells us that fame and fortune, or security and comfort, is what life's all about. The trance that promises us that "Whoever dies with the
most toys wins!"

One of my favorite poets, Hafiz, puts it this way: You have been invited to meet the Friend. No one can resist a Divine Invitation. This narrows down all your choices to just two— you can come to God dressed for dancing, or be carried on a stretcher to God's ward!

"The Friend" will do what's necessary to wake you from the trance— even if it requires a serious illness, death or disaster. Personally, I've opted to be "dressed for dancing!" And that
is why my mission in life is simply to create a space for grace and the dance— and to invite as many people as I can to take the time for a retreat.

People are at so many different places in the evolutionary path that I've always felt it was important to offer a full range of retreat options. So our formal Integral Retreats run the gamut: from the Day of Natural Great Peace, to the Wisdom of Compassion and Ennegram Weekends, to the five-day Breakthrough with Thomas Merton.

And in addition to these formal scheduled retreats, you can schedule your own private or guided retreat during the week if that fits your schedule or needs.

So I encourage you to decide today to create a space for grace and the dance in your life! And if any of our retreat offerings can aid you in your awakening— please don't hesitate to contact us. Wishing you the abundant blessings of Spring.

The Morning Sesshin
The muddy mind
If you can
Just let it be
Will become clear

Sometimes, we find ourselves living in an increasingly tight time schedule—where even the thought of catching your breath, taking “a day of retreat,” seems virtually impossible. Yet, perhaps there is still a way to learn how to let the mind be, to let the mud settle.

Using the “know how” of the ancient Zen Masters, you can learn how to clarify your mind, heart and life is a single morning!

This ancient format of meditation is called sesshin. The Zen term sesshin means “to clarify the mind and heart.” And it is my pleasure to now offer Morning Sesshin at Loose Leaf Hollow. The format is as follows:

Morning Sesshin
7:00 Orientation
7:30 Zen Round
8:30 Light Breakfast
9:15 Conference
10:00 Zen Round
11:10 Open Floor
11:40 Sit
12:00 Go in Peace

Zen Round
20 min sit ~ 5 min walk
20 min sit ~ 5 min walk
10 min freewrite

Suggested Donation $30

If this time-frame and approach appeals to you, please contact me to reserve your spot.
Wishing you clear mind,
Joe

Joe Zarantonello
Loose Leaf Hollow
1766 Barnes Road
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 348 - 0201