Upcoming Events: Retreats and Conferences
As many of you know, some events have been changed, reformatted, or cancelled due to the current circumstances of COVID-19, so we have compiled an update on the following events:
The BYR Retreat
DANA Retreat
TechnoBuddha Conference
College YBA and Senior YBA Conference
1. BYR: Buddhist Churches of America Youth Retreat
by Koichi Mizushima
In the summer of 2018, the BCA hosted a one week retreat for high school age students at the Jodo Shinshu Center in Berkeley. 21 participants from California, Washington, and Denver registered for this one week adventure.
The first day began with nervousness and excitement, but within hours this group of strangers became a group of lifelong friends. The rigorous schedule of instruction, activities, and services became a new way of life for these summer students.
This amazing week was filled with classes, field trips, group activities, youth discussions, services, talks, and so much more. Many of the participants started referring to the retreat as BYR ( BCA Youth Retreat). We all liked the name so much that it stuck.
I was hired as the BCA Center for Buddhist Education Youth Coordinator in the fall of 2018 after helping with the first BYR retreat. After the success of the first BYR Summer Retreat, we hosted a BYR Leaders Retreat, BYR & Friends Event, and BYR Reunion events. And we hosted the 2nd annual BYR Summer Retreat in 2019, which ended up being another wonderful event with 14 participants in attendance.
This summer, we were looking forward to hosting the 3rd annual BYR Summer Retreat, but due to the novel Corona Virus, all large group events have been cancelled. So we decided to host a BYR Virtual Retreat. Here is a flyer with more information:
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1yYalQgSPR-zfjxp94WfI2UVpY6747YLuz0D7qYRafek/edit?usp=sharing
And although we are unable to meet in person this summer, I am confident that we will all still have a wonderful experience. I will look forward to the day when I can meet all of our BYR Virtual students in person. Until then, let us all support and care for one another to help us get through this very difficult time.
Namo Amida Butsu,
Koichi Mizushima
2. Dharma And Nembutsu Always (DANA) Retreat
The DANA Retreat is a leadership and life skills event that is hosted by the DANA Retreat Committee. The goal of this retreat is to help the youth experience Buddhism in different aspects of their life, while also preparing them for their future after high school. We have had a great turn out the past 2 summers, with our second year being extended from a weekend to a week long retreat. Those in attendance participated in various workshops, ice breakers, and discussions. They were also given the opportunity to listen to different guest speakers throughout the week. The Mountain View Buddhist Temple has graciously hosted our event both years, and we hope that they will extend the invitation to us again. Unfortunately, we will be cancelling this year's retreat, but are working on picking back up in the Summer of 2021. We hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy, and look forward to next year’s DANA Retreat!
Note: The link to register cannot be accessed within the flyer photos. Please use the link provided within the text
3. TechnoBuddha Conference
The TechnoBuddha Conference has been postponed for now. A new date is being worked out for Fall 2020, but more updates will be coming at a later time.
4. College YBA and Senior YBA - CC Conference: Communication and Connection
College YBA is a national organization that hosts yearly conferences, socials, and other activities for college-aged Jodo Shinshu Buddhists. Most of our members reside in California, however, we welcome all who are interested in Buddhism. At our events, we discuss topics of Buddhism and how they relate to our daily lives as well as build new connections between our members.
Sr. YBA is an acceptive and active organization based in Seattle, Washington for college-aged young adults to start or continue their involvement in the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist community. Sr. YBA actively attends weekly services and religious workshops and fundraises money for community service projects/social events. By providing numerous leadership and innovative opportunities for young adults, people of diverse and exciting backgrounds create relationships with one another!
The CC Conference is our first virtual conference held over Zoom that will be co-hosted by College YBA and Senior YBA. We will be discussing the themes of Communication and Connection and how it relates to being in college as well as a young adult amid COVID-19. Everyone in attendance can expect workshops, icebreakers, and group collaboration projects led by both College YBA and Senior YBA cabinet members. We will also be hearing from a keynote speaker, Reverend Matt Hamasaki from Sacramento Betsuin. Whether you are new to Buddhism or you are an avid participant, we welcome all who are interested to come ~Communicate and Connect~ will fellow college-aged Jodo Shinshu Buddhists.
Details:
Where: Online, Zoom link will be provided upon registration
When: Saturday, June 27, 2020 | 1:00pm-5:30pm
Who: Participants must be between the ages of 18-24 years old*
*High School Seniors are welcome; they do not need to be within this age range.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to us:
cabinet.cyba@gmail.com | Facebook Group: College YBA | Instagram: @college_yba
CYBA President: KC Mukai | (559) 836-0242
Instagram: @seattlesenioryba
SrYBA President: Emily Ko | (425) 351-5325
We hope to see you online on Saturday, June 27th!
Note: The link to register cannot be accessed within the flyer photos. Please use the link provided within the text
