The 5th annual Soul Food for the Activist Retreat sponsored by Shinnyo-en Foundation was held on Saturday, April 10, 2010, from 9:30am to 5:30pm at Senior Hall on UC Berkeley campus. This annual day-long retreat is designed for people interested or engaged in service and activism to reflect, rejuvenate, and connect with others doing similar work. This year’s focus was on exploring peace building: how to create greater harmony in ourselves, with each other and in our local and global communities. This year’s Soul Food for the Activist Retreat was organized by Shinnyo-en Service & Peace Fellows, Sara Mizner and Farrah Moos.

The retreat welcomed about 60 UC Berkeley students and activists from local nonprofit groups. The event opened with an introduction of Shinnyo-en Foundation Fellowship program and the Six Billion Paths to Peace initiative by Shinnyo-en Foundation staff, followed by a 50-minute workshop titled “You Can’t Change the World If You Are Burnt-Out Shell of a human Being” led by the keynote speaker Phil Porter, Co-Director of Interplay and Body Wisdom. Phil spoke about how changing the world takes all of our emotional, intellectual and physical part acting together cohesively, working in a web-like structure and creating connection with the people and the world at different levels comes from exercising the power we have within to manifest what we have internally.

Megan Voorhees, Director of Cal Corps, led the second workshop titled “Spiritual Practice: An Essential Strategy for Creating Change.” During the workshop, each participant reflected on what “Spiritual Practice” is to them, and explored why spiritual practice is important. Participants were encouraged to explore what their “Soul Food” was, and to think about what they can do as their own “daily spiritual practice.” It was an interactive workshop during which participants shared their thoughts on what they can do to reserve their strengths and nurture their spirit while living through hectic daily lives. The participants gained techniques on how to ground themselves in the present moment and connect with their bodies, to pay attention to the greater good, to be creative and have hope, and to take a moment “to breathe” in order to maintain connection between their mind and bodies. Megan shared her own practice to think about and create a list of what’s important to her, and going back to that list on a daily basis. She also spoke about how spiritual practice is a “practice” and therefore takes certain amount of discipline. She suggested making a decision on what appeals the most and balance them with the “have to” aspect of the practice. Lastly, she introduced three elements: “it has a sense of awe, sense of surrender and it comes from the heart” as a good guideline to a spiritual practice.

It was a beautiful day that gave all participants an opportunity to share their personal experiences and values through small group discussions and various workshops. Participants gained knowledge and techniques on how to stay connected to their mind, body and spirit as well as to the outside world, which is the key element to maintaining energy for an on-going effort to be an element of positive change in this world.