National Veterans Foundation

"Processing chaos through story and poem, the writer shapes and forms experience, and thereby, I believe, changes the past and remakes the existing world. The writer becomes a new person after every story, every poem; and if the art is very good, perhaps the reader is changed, too. Miraculous transformations!" --Maxine Hong Kingston. Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace (Koa Books, 2006)

Sustained by silence, community, and meditation, this annual Veteran's Day Retreat is dedicated to the art of peacemaking. Practicing sitting and walking meditation, mindful movement, sharing meals in silence, writing in community, and dialogue, we will learn ways to strengthen ourselves and give voice to what is difficult.

This retreat is open to all. Veterans and their families and friends and those who work with veterans are especially invited.

Maxine Hong Kingston is the national award-winning author of The Fifth Book of Peace, The Woman Warrior, and many other books. She has been leading writing and meditation workshops for veterans of war and peace since 1991. Wendy Johnson is a meditation teacher, organic gardener, and the author of Gardening at the Dragon's Gate (Bantam, February 2008. Therese Fitzgerald is a meditation teacher. As director of the Community of Mindful Living, she helped Maxine Hong Kingston form the veterans writing group. Jim Janko and Clare Morris are active members of the veterans writing group.

The retreat will begin on Friday, November 9 at 8:00 a.m. If you are unable to arrive Friday morning, please arrive by late afternoon on Friday, in time for dinner and orientation Friday evening. The retreat will end at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 11.

The registration fee of $175 ($160 if you register before October 20) covers shared, overnight accommodations and vegetarian meals. During the retreat, participants will be invited to contribute "dana" to support the retreat leaders. Financial assistance toward the registration fee is available. Contact the registrar to let her know your need. Donations toward the Scholarship Fund are most welcome.

If you will be flying in for this retreat, the nearest airport is San Jose. San Francisco and Oakland are also good. For driving directions, see www.quakercenter.org/Pages/ContactUs/Directions.html

Please make checks payable to "NorCal CML Retreat Fund" and mail to Karen Hostetler, 1525 Hillside Drive, Boulder Creek, CA 95006.
For further information about registration and logistics, call Karen at 831-338-8026. For information about the veterans writing program, contact dharmafriends@aol.com.

Maxine Hong Kingston, Wendy Johnson, Therese Fitzgerald, and Jim Janko will also be leading a retreat from October 5-7, for Veterans and Their Families in the Marin Headlands, Northern California. Contact Dharma Friends, 808-875-7995, DharmaFriends@aol.com for more information.