The BCA Center for Buddhist Education sponsored its first Family Dharma Summer Retreat on the weekend of July 20 to 22 at the Jodo Shinshu Center. The overall theme for the weekend was getting to know more about Shinran Shonin. The retreat began with an energetic ice breaker to introduce everyone to each other. CBE Director Rev. Kodo Umezu conducted the opening service and introduced CBE Resource Committee member Brian Nagata who delivered the morning’s Dharma message and spoke on the various types and combinations of families and their importance in the 21st century Buddhist sangha.

Retreat participants were shown a short animated video on the life of Shinran Shonin, followed by a discussion on the founder of our tradition and our lives as Shin Buddhists.

Children’s activities were coordinated by Maya Lawrence, Mimi Kagehiro and Janet Umezu while Rev. Umezu led the adult Dharma discussion session. Several hours of free time in the afternoon was provided to the families to go out and explore Berkeley and the Bay area as a family.

That evening, the popular animated film “Cars” was shown to the retreat participants with special guest Cameron Miyasaki in attendance. Miyazaki, who grew up in the Oakland Dharma School, now works for Pixar Films and had a role in developing the “Cars” movie as well as Pixar’s more recent hits. After the film, the children discussed the Buddhist teachings which were evident in the film’s story line.

Several of the retreat participants commented on how rare it is for their families to have a chance to do something together as a family without outside distractions, and that this CBE Retreat was a good program to facilitate this important family time for their families.

This program is the first of many more programs, seminars and retreats which will be sponsored by CBE to bring the Nembutsu teachings to more of the diverse Sangha of our BCA temple membership.

In addition to the above mentioned people, CBE Resource people Judy Kono and Ken Tanimoto and Berkeley temple members Lena and George Yin, Karen Kato, Emiko Katsumoto, David Watanabe and Mrs. Taye Oda volunteered their time and efforts to assist with this first Family Summer Retreat program at the Jodo Shinshu Center.