Buddhist Peace Camp

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Sitting for World Peace is our prime directive.

Are you fit to sit?

Our meditation tent is located within camp’s public space. The presence of this opportunity allows us to contemplate us as students and practitioners, how might each one of us might practice meditation, and attain concentration and oneness to serve all beings? Starting with ourselves, we may cultivate inner peace and happiness through the practice of meditation. And through our own peaceful thoughts, words and deeds, we may inspire others to do the same creating an outward spiral that reverberates worldwide. Like the Buddha who sat in meditation committed to his spiritual quest, we sit as a symbol of our commitment to our part in cultivating peace, harmony and happiness for all beings.

Sit with your family, sit with your buds, sit with a stranger, sit just you. Any way you sit, just sit…be there all the while bending your mind towards peace.

So once a year we hold space for that practice.

As part of this tradition we gift handmade bracelets to each other. The bracelets are meant to be worn until they fall off naturally, usually fairly close to the next year’s ceremony. This tradition goes back over 6,000 years with a special holiday in India, called Raksha Bandhan, that celebrates the special bond between siblings.

At our Art Tent we will provide embroidery floss in various colors for you and your family to use to make bracelets for each other. Or you are welcome to make your bracelets ahead of time at home before camp even begins. There are many tutorials online for how to tie “friendship bracelets” or you can do a simple braid. Each member of your family will want to make one bracelet for every other member of the family. During the ceremony we will tie these bracelets on.

The bracelet serves as a promise that you will do your best to take care of your loved one. As long as they wear it, it will remind them of you and your promise.

You may also consider writing a special note or letter to each member of your family to share with them. Feel free to get creative but remember the most important thing is to speak from your heart.

If you are attending Peace Camp without members of your family you can still participate in the Beginning Anew Ceremony. Take this time and space to think of your loved ones and thank them for all that they mean to you. A moment of loving kindness is never wasted.

Explore our list of Bodhisattva Practice Opportunities which need volunteers in either leadership or staff roles. Volunteering does not mean you or one of your campers will be responsible for that area the entire time you are at camp.

Counselors, clergy and committee members by their nature, are Bodhi Roles in themselves and are assigned separate Bodhi tasks from these super camper Bodhi roles.

And, camper groups with one adult plus one or more child 5 years or under are essentially Got-My-Hands-Full Bodhis. If you fit in this category, then you will simply select the appropriate option.

You may sign up you and/or your campers for a Bodhi role at the time of registration. Camp is successful when everyone puts a little energy into Turning the Wheel of What’s-Right-In-Front-of-You. Thank you for making this year’s Peace Camp successful by contributing your time, your creativity, and your hands. Many Hands Make Light Work.

Classic Bodhi Positions for the Buddha in You

• 6 am – 8:30 am Coffee and Tea Bodhisattva
• Beverage Station Bodhistattva (Water, Lemonade)
• Morning Snack Bodhisattva (Select & set out)
• Afternoon Snack Bodhisattva (Select & set out)
• Compost Buckets Bodhisattva (Empty)
• Recycling Out Bodhisattva (Sort and Take Out)
• Meal Clean-up Supervisor Bodhisattva
• Meal Clean-up Support Bodhisattva
• Dish Washing Station Supervisor Bodhisattva
• Art Tent Tidy Bodhisattva
• Campfire Bodhi (Prep, start, put out, restock)
• Anything, Anywhere, just tell me what to do Bodhi

We are tasked with the activities that ensure Peace Camp is run well and delivers the outcomes for which it has been created.  As with our regular family program, the Peace Camp Committee leverages our core values to guide us to achieve our shared vision and mission.

OUR CORE VALUES

• Respect. A realization that we share the same true nature and that all people are fundamentally good.
• Compassion. A deep practice of humility and support of others with a realistic hopefulness.
• Awareness. An effort to be mindful and fully present in each moment.
• Acceptance. A belief that difficulty and struggle are essential ingredients to developing equanimity, ease, and patience.
• Inclusiveness. Working together to create a space that nurtures open discussion and values all guidelines (precepts)
• Integrity. An embodiment of honesty and fairness.
• Authenticity. A modeling of our true nature as honed through our practice.
• Curiosity. An attitude that supports deep questioning and enthusiastically encourages “don’t know mind”

Committee members are active members of Zen Buddhist family of temples from various levels of the clergy, dharma student, the society Sangha, and past or present Peace Camp participants who have taken on responsibilities beyond that of a usual camper. The Peace Camp Committee actively recruits membership from our Zen Buddhist Temple of Compassionate Wisdom clergy pool, our Zen Family Program leadership, from the greater society’s Sangha, and from active and contributing Peace Camp campers.

2025 PEACE CAMP COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Gagbul, Vanessa Sly Thoburn
Haju Sunim, Linda Lundquist
Ilbi, Katie Brower
Ilch’a, Carole Kokola
Ilga, Simon Fishman
Ilnyun, Hunter Ellis
Konghae, Debra Markovitz
Karima Robinson
Kusun, Ztasie Bradley
Magamok, Mike Umbriac
Maum, Gloria Cox
Patha, August Nilssen
Payoga, Nikki Flores
Beth Christensen
Nojak, Bill Solomonson
Abe Thomas
Steve Fishman
Tana, Thom Vacca
Theresa Lesperance
Wonch’O, Laura Rowe
Sanum, Stu Greenspan
Chidan, Aubrey Thomason

Is it a vacation? Hmm. No, Peace Camp is a super-fun, meaningful, character-building retreat. Campers are expected to participate in all age-appropriate camp programming. Programming spans the entire retreat and includes times when campers are all together as a Sangha, split out into age groups for age-appropriate activities, and alone time for individuals and/or families. Each day includes a quiet time where all campers take a rest, and an unstructured block of time for campers to do what they wish.

Campers make and break camp together; prepare, eat and clean up together; sing, dance, swim, laugh, meditate and reflect together.