[Blindtlk] Buddhist meditation retreats

[Jewel]

Thank you for the advice. When I decide to go, I am going to ask them to send me any handouts, menus, and the like by email so I can emboss it ahead of time since I have my own embosser. I am also going to talk to my guide dog school about training my dog to work in complete silence. She already knows quite a bit with hand and foot signals, but I want to train her to hand signals for finding seats and doors. I already know I will be using my iPhone while there for accessibility apps. I am very excited about this and plan to do it next summer. When I go, I will most certainly share my experience. I think this is something every Buddhist should try to do at least once. 
-Jewel 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 2, 2013, at 8:48 AM, "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com> wrote:
> 
> Jewel,
> 
> I have not been to a retreat, but I have been strongly considering it for a couple of years.  Anyway, most of the websites I've looked at all have statements like this one:
> "San Francisco Zen Center welcomes diversity. People of every race, nationality, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability — all are welcome."
> 
> So that sounds pretty encouraging to me.  I'd give them a call, explain your situation and see how it goes.  Usually I don't announce my blindness and the guide dog ahead of time, but I think in this situation it would be appropriate.   I'd ask for the marker board schedule info by email because that is less expensive and easier for them to do than Braille.  It also allows for faster turn around time if there are changes to the schedule.
> 
> If you go, please share your experience.  this is definitely something I will do  in the future.
> 
> Julie
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Jewel
> Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2013 6:10 PM
> To: blind-mentalhealth at yahoogroups.com ; Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: [Blindtlk] Buddhist meditation retreats
> 
> Dear all,
> As a practicing Buddhist, I do meditation daily and try to incorporate mindfulness into my life. I do not have a center to attend. There is one in Raleigh, but neither bus or paratransit will go there and I have tried and failed to get someone to volunteer to drive me there each week. I really think the best option for me to learn from a teacher is to attend a retreat. There is one in Asheville that sounds nice. Has anyone gone on one of these retreats? If so, I would like to know about accessibility. How receptive were they to having a blind participant? If you have a guide dog, how did they feel about you bringing him or her? How did you communicate with teachers during the days of silence? The one I am considering says they communicate through a message board on days of silence? Did the retreat staff provide these messages in Braille?
> Any stories of experience would be appreciated. I really think a meditation retreat would help my mental health a lot.
> -Jewel
> 
> 
> reply://herekittykat2@gmail.com
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
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