A wonderful, small retreat was led by Grahame White at the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center in Santa Rosa, California, last month. The center is located among the vineyards of Sonoma County, on a hill overlooking the Napa Valley. The staff and residents of the center were very hospitable and provided us with excellent vegetarian food.

Grahame gave straightforward instructions and Dhamma talks in his usual informal style, and the atmosphere among the yogis was one of relaxed but firm effort. The building of mindfulness and concentration was palpable over the course of the retreat.

Because of the beautiful rural setting, the care of the Zen center folks, the guidance of the teacher, and the effort of the yogis, we all hope that this was the first of an annual tradition.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark Nokes