We are fortunate to have an ample building and two dedicated teachers making it possible to accommodate up to 24 people for regular live-in, multi-day retreats known as sesshin.  There is no question but that sesshin is the highest expression of Zen training and a vehicle second to none for developing a focused, concentrated practice.  

We offer sesshin four to five times a year, ranging in length from two to six days.  Participants live at the center, take part in daily cleaning and cooking activities, and spend upwards of ten hours a day in formal zazen.  The day is broken up by meals, a work period, a calisthenics period and a rest period.  Two chanting services are held, and teisho is offered daily.  Dokusan is generally offered twice in the course of a normal sesshin day.

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Most anyone who has established their practice at the Center may take part in sesshin, and we welcome practitioners from other Zen centers.

 

While full-time attendance is optimal, we understand that work and family commitments may make such attendance difficult, and it is possible to attend sesshin part- or short-time.  (Part-time attendance means that one will attend for only certain blocks, e.g. evening, of the sesshin days.  Short-time attendance means that one will attend complete sesshin days, but not all of the days of sesshin, e.g. Friday-Sunday rather than a full Wednesday-Sunday.)

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For more specific details, consult our Sesshin Guidelines.

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