All Blog Posts (18)

Dear Friends,

On this Sunday, January 8th, we will be placing a monument In Andrei's memory at the location here where his ashes are buried on Blue Heron Ranch.
Please join us.

Francesca Gershwin
Andrey's sister

As the days go by, I try to come to some sort of agreement with the other family members who have an interest in the Blue Heron Ranch.

The security of this land and the Zendo and retreat center on it have been threatened these past few months. That's only as far as I have been aware of it, but it may have roots earlier.

I asked my mother and father what plans they have for the land, more than a year ago. And they didn't have any, except to continue to live on it, and hope to keeping.… Continue

What I plan:

Dear Friends of the Blue Heron Retreat. 

Over the past 20 years, there have been various events on this property.

Well, we homeschooled here, for one. So that is schooling in an unusual way.

Some of them were child-oriented ( I became friends one summer with the head councilor at Tracker Kin survival camp, they came to…

Continue

Dear Friends of Blue Heron Retreat:

I am truly upset about an incident that has taken place here this weekend.

I would appreciate your input as regular sesshin-goers and friends of the place here.

While this is long, I am not sure what to leave out in making this story as accurate as…

Continue

Who Is Your Teacher?

The real purpose of practice is to discover the wisdom which you have always been keeping with you. To discover yourself is to discover wisdom; without discovering yourself you can never communicate with anybody. In everyday life, we can pick up some glimpse of wisdom, as the polished tool of the carpenter expresses that there is wisdom in the arm of the carpenter. It is invisible; you cannot draw it and show it.

Wisdom doesn't come from anywhere; it is…

Continue

As you may know, Kobun Chino Otogawa established Blue Heron Zendo here in 1990 at our family ranch, along with the family as directors (http://blueheronretreat.org/page/history-1)

He established a center at the home of Steve Jobs and his wife Laurene Powell in 1991.

In the below video is a moment about 3 minutes through where there is footage of Kobun presiding over their marriage ceremony…

Continue

Enjoyed the full moon a couple days ago.

Upcoming:

Some of you have been asking what the schedule is for the upcoming year.

Well, the first upcoming event is by Enrico Natali, "The Road to Freedom 2"

on September 10, 2011

enriconatali@me.com

 

followed by Nadia Natali's first Dance Workshop of the season:

on September 24, 2011

nadia.natali@me.com

 

Keep posted for more events coming up!

 

<br /><small><a href="http://blueheronretreat.org/photo/photo">Find more photos like this on <em>Blue Heron Retreat Center</em></a></small><br… Continue

I enjoy photographing the surrounding nature on my morning walks and jogging.

 

The sounds are not included in this visual but, as you may imagine, the birds and running water are very…

Continue

We can also be found online at http://www.facebook.com/blueheroncenter

 

you can sign in here with your facebook id as well!

 

WELCOME!

This is the tree under which Andrei Natali's ashes are buried

May he rest in peace.

 …

Continue

Memorial Day, May 30, 2011---The day was sunny at Blue Heron Retreat in Matilija Canyon, and the 20-or-so participants at the gathering “Celebrating-Remembering Andrei Natali” included local Ojai-ans, his friends, friends of the family, as well as immediate family (the event was organized by Francesca Gershwin, Andrei’s eldest sister, with her husband Dmitry Alyakrinsky and five young children, who are currently residing at Blue Heron); also in attendance…

Continue

Marica Natali Thompson, sister, with her husband Justin Thompson; Vincenzo Natali, brother, with his wife Kana Koido: All sent messages of support and love.

Martin Casado, a cousin on a trip to Japan, promised to drink a cup of Sake and have some sushi with thoughts of Andrei---Japanese cuisine was one of Andrei’s favorites, especially the California-originated cucumber role.

From more cousins and other relatives: Chris Hume,…

Continue

Japanese Maple

Curlie Bark

Japanese Maple was captured at the Blue Heron Zen…

Continue

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169390219787368

Renewing this website!

While the grownups were sitting, there were many grandchildren present to hold space for the July 4th sesshin as well!



From the oldest, a just-ten-year old boy, to the almost-four-month old boy, there were eight kids in all!



Marica, the mother of the oldest boy as well as a seven and five-year old, cooked up a storm all weekend for the hungry zen practitioners



Francesca, mother of four-month old George, enjoyed the presence of her five, as well as her three nephews… Continue