A Spiritual Journey With Cuong Lu A Journey to the Source of Silence Vietnam: Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Ha Long A 15 Days Trip Including 5-days retreat in 5-stars resort 3 t/m 17 Augustus 2018 All-in, Excluding Flight ticket: 1780,-
Including: 1. 7 nights staying in hotels (4 stars). 2. 5 nights staying in Emeralda Resort (5 stars). 3. 13 days traveling by deluxe touring car in Vietnam. 4. Boat trip on Ha Long Bay (8 hours) 5. Boat trip in Tam Coc. 6. Boat trip in Trang An. 7. Boat trip to Perfume Pagoda. 8. 11 x buffetbreakfasts (warm food) 9. 12 x lunches (warm food) 10. 11 x diners (warm food) 11. 1 ticket for Ca Trù (Ca Tru music). 12. 1 ticket for Water Puppetry. 13. 1 spa treatment. 14. Tickets for Ngọc Sơn Temple The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology The Imperial Academy Tam Cốc Tràng An Ha Long Bay Yên Tử Mountain. 15. 2 tickets cable cabs for Yen Tu Mountain. 16. Translator (English). 17. Guide (English Dutch). 18. Guide for cultural and spiritual explanation during the trip (Dutch and English). 19. 1 x tea meditation. 20. 12 x sitting meditations in the morning. Excluding: 1. Return ticket Amsterdam (Holland) Hanoi (Vietnam); Hanoi (Vietnam) Amsterdam (Holland). 2. Cost for visa. 3. Travel and cancellation costs. 4. Health insurance. 5. Personal expenses. Introduction: Vietnam is often known by its war with the Americans. But Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh has been able to show the other side of the country: spirituality. Engaged Buddhism which is the foundation for Mindfulness nowadays had had it root in Vietnam. In this trip, we will be guided by Zen master Cuong Lu to visit, discover and understand the roots of Engaged Buddhism. We will visit the place where this Engaged Buddhism has been born. We will understand the beauty of this very special form of Buddhism. We will get in touch with the heart of the Vietnamese culture. The two kinds of music that we will get introduced their roots in hundreds year ago and are recognized by Unesco as World heritage. We will have a taste with Vietnamese food that has more and more become popular and appreciated in the world. The trip
will be combined with 5 days retreat in the heart of beautiful scenic landscape complex of Ninh Binh that was inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Travel information: 1. Chùa Một Cột (One Pillar Pagoda) Ha Noi. The One Pillar Pagoda is a historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi. The temple was built by Emperor Lý Thái Tông, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. It is built of wood on a one single stone pillar 1,25 m in diameter, and is designed to resemble a lotus blossom.
2. Văn Miếu (The Imperial Academy) Hanoi. Văn Miếu is the Vietnam s first national university. It was built in 1070 during the time of Emperor Lý Thánh Tông. It was the place where talented scholars were trained under the guidance of the wisdom of Confucius and his successors.
3. Hồ Hoàn Kiếm (Hoan Kiem Lake) Đền Ngọc Sơn (Ngoc Son Temple) Cầu Thê Húc (The Huc Bridge) Tháp Bút (Thap But Pagoda) Đền Bà Kiệu (Ba Kieu Pagoda) Hanoi. 1428, Emperor Lê Lợi returned on this lake the magic sword, which he has received from by the Heaven, represented by a Legendary Turtle. Ngoc Son Temple was erected in the 18 th century. It honors the 13 th century general Tran Hung Dao, who has successfully freed his country from the Mongolian invasions. The Huc Bridge was built in 1865. It brings us to the Ngoc Son Temple. Thap But Pagoda was also build in 1865. It has 5 levels. It represents the scholar s pen, which expresses the wish to let go of the sword and make use of the pen in order to build a peaceful society.
4. Chùa Kim Liên (Kim Lien Temple) Hanoi. Kim Lien Temple belongs to one of the ten most ancient architectures of Vietnam. It was built in 1443.
5. Chùa Trấn Quốc (Tran-Quoc-Tempel) Hanoi. The temple is 1500 years old. It is one of the most ancient temple of Hanoi. It has been a Buddhist centre in many centuries of Vietnamese Buddhism.
6. Làng Gốm Bác Tràng (Bat Trang Pottery and Porcelain) Hanoi. Bát Tràng is famous for producing a unique style of ceramics called Bát Tràng. Bát Tràng is well known throughout Vietnam for its beautiful ceramics.
7. Chùa Thầy (Thay Temple) Hanoi. It is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Vietnam. The temple was established in the 11 th century during the reign of Ly Nhan Tong (1066 1128). The teacher Từ Đạo Hạnh has practised in this temple.
8. Hoả Lò (Hoa Lo Prison) - Hanoi. Hỏa Lò Prison was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. Prisoners of War during the Vietnam War. During this later period, it was ironically known to American POWs as the Hanoi Hilton. The prison was demolished during the 1990s, though the gatehouse remains as a museum.
9. Chùa Hương (Perfume Pagoda) Hanoi. The Perfume Pagoda is a vast complex of Buddhist temples built into the limestone Huong Tich mountains.
10. Chùa Tiêu (Tieu Temple) Bac Ninh. In this temple, the Zen master Van Hanh (938 1025) has raised up a child who became the first emperor of the Buddhist Ly-dynasty. Van Hanh laid the first foundation for Engaged Buddhism.
11. Chùa Dâu (Dau Temple) Bac Ninh. The temple was built in the first century. It is the oldest temple in Vietnam. It belonged to the first Buddhist Centre Luy Lâu. From here Buddhism was brought to China.
12. Núi Yên Tử (Yen Tu Mountain) Quang Ninh. Yen Tu Mountain became a Buddhist Center when the king Tran Nhan Tong resigned his Throne and became the monk Truc Lam Dai Si. Tran Nhan Tong was the founder of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb6fygpgk_o
13. Hoa Lư Tam Cốc Bích Động Ninh Bình Hoa Lư was the old capital of Vietnam in the 10th century. Vietnam became free after 1000 years of Chinese invasion. This is also a very beautiful place, one of the most popular tourist destinations of Ninh Binh Province. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2892_synyv4
14. Tràng An Tam Quan Ninh Bình. The Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex was inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx_vowsh-kc
15. Ha Long Bay Quang Ninh Ha Long Bay is a Unesco World Heritage Site. It has an area of 1553 km2, including 1969 islets. It is a beautiful site you need to see when you visit Vietnam. Ha Long Bay is home of 14 endemic floral species and 60 faunal species. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g2suidcjti
16. Phố Cổ Hà Nội Hanoi Old Quarter. The Hanoi Old Quarter was used to be a residential, manufacturing and commercial centre. The quarter is an attraction for people interested in the history of Hanoi, where each street was specialized in one specific type of manufacturing or commerce.
17. Ca Trù Ca Tru is an ancient Vietnamese genre of music. It is inscribed on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2009 by Unesco. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqezlh85j6g
18. Múa Rối Nước Water Puppetry Water puppetry is a tradition that dates back as far as the 11th century. Today s Vietnamese water puppetry is a unique variation on the ancient Asian puppet tradition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb7nzpd7qqq
19. Bảo Tàng Dân Tộc Học Việt Nam The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. It is museum in Hanoi, which focuses on the 54 officially recognised groups in Vietnam.
Retreat Program Emaralda Ninh Binh Resort (5-stars) Engaged Buddhism: The Source of Midfulness 5-days retreat with Zen master Cuong Lu (8 augustus - 12 augustus 2018) In de 11e eeuw heeft zenleraar Van Hanh het Geëngageerd Boeddhisme gesticht om boeddhisme naar de wereld te brengen in plaats van de wereld naar het boeddhisme. Zijn werk is afgerond door Zen Master Tran Nhan Tong in de 13e eeuw die alle boeddhistische tradities in Vietnam heeft verenigd. Deze wijsheid en praktijk worden in de 20e eeuw door Zenmaster Thich Nhat Hanh naar het westen gebracht, die bekend staan onder de naam Mindfulness. In deze retraite gaan we terug naar de wortels van Mindfulness om haar schoonheid te herontdekken. Photo: 5-stars resort Emeralda Locatie Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort (five stars) Khu Bảo Tồn Vân Long, Xã Gia Vân, Huyện Gia Viễn, Tỉnh Ninh Bình, Ninh Bình Vietnam Website: www.emeraldaresort.com
Date and time 8 t/m 12 Augustus 2018 Program During the retreat, a Dharma talk is given by Cuong Lu every day. We practice together sitting meditation, walking meditation, tea ceremony, eating in silence, question and answer, Dharma sharing and other Buddhist exercises. Experience in Buddhist exercises is not necessary. Program sample: 05:30 am Wake up 06:30 am Sitting meditation 07:30 am Break fast 09:30 am Dharma talk 11:30 am Walking meditation 12:30 pm Lunch 03:30 pm Dharma sharing 06:30 pm Diner 08:00 pm Sitting meditation Extra information: 1. Visa: To enter Vietnam, you need to have a Vietnamese visa. The form and the fee can vary by country, so please check directly the Vietnamese embassy or consulate to which you are applying. 2. Passport: in order to enter Vietnam, you will need a valid passport the requires more than 6 months to be left on the date when you are coming back. 3. Dana: you need to bring cash to practice generosity to the teacher at the end of the retreat. 4. Raincoat: You really need a good raincoat for the rainy season in Vietnam. 5. Mountain shoes: you do need mountain shoes to climb the Yen Tu mountain. 6. Swimming suits: please don t forget this since we have beautiful swimming pools in Vietnam. 7. Mosquitoes spray: this can give you the needed protection during your stay in Vietnam. 8. Meditation cushion: you need to bring your own cushion if you don t want to practice meditation on a chair. 9. Let us know if you are not a vegetarian.
Ticket Ticket Information: Flighttnr. Date From To Departure Arrival CX 270 3-8-2018 Amsterdam Hongkong 13:10 6:20 KA 297 4-8-2018 Hongkong Hanoi 8:30 9:35 KA 297 16-8-2018 Hanoi Hongkong 19:45 22:35 CX 271 17-8-2018 Hongkong Amsterdam 00:15 6:40 You can buy ticket through: www.cathaypacific.com