Kesa sawing courses

Kesa sawing - zen soto

A living tradition

We regularly organize kesa sewing weekends at the Gendronnière. These weekend retreats are for beginners or advanced practitioners.

Sewing the kesa is a slow and meticulous practice that allows you to develop your concentration and thus learn to connect with the present moment. It is about making kesas or rakusu, traditional Buddhist clothing, or simply helping others in their work. Sewing is done stitch by stitch, quietly, under the guidance of experienced monks and nuns.

It is possible to come to these retreats without prior knowledge, simply to learn and discover: the peaceful atmosphere of the sewing rooms sows the seeds of another way of life, on a daily basis.

The sewing of the kesa was transmitted in Europe by Master Deshimaru. Today, it is taught by ancient practitioners who contribute, through their commitment, to keeping this tradition alive.

"The Kesa is the garment of Buddha's disciples, given at the ordinations of monk, nun or bodhisattva. Sewing your own kesa or rakusu is important. The right method is transmitted directly from person to person. Sewing the kesa is not just a manual and technical activity. This is part of the practice of the Way and requires a correct concentration and state of mind, quite comparable to those of the practice of zazen. »

Consult the calendar of kesa sawing sessions at the Zen temple of La Gendronnière : HERE.


Important for beginners:

To register, you do not need to be especially skilled or have already sewn before. You can discover the whole thing on site. If necessary, a zazen learning session, zen meditation, will be held upon your arrival.

Registration for kesa weekends : form