zen retreats & activities

In Zen Buddhism, meditation retreats are called sesshin, which quite literally means “touching the mind” (see teaching below).

Our retreats are open to all. They provide an opportunity for novices and experienced practitioners alike to plunge into the heart of Zen meditation and to experience daily life in a temple of the Sôtô Zen tradition.

During sesshin, which generally lasts from two to seven days, there are four daily sessions of zazen (Zen meditation). The days are structured around these meditation times. You'll also take part in ceremonies, rituals and samu, or community service. Meals are, for the most part, held in silence.

The prefixed schedule of a Zen monastery allows you to devote yourself entirely to the practice of zazen.

Certified teachers lead the sesshins. They give teachings on meditation and Dharma (the Buddha's doctrine) and offer practitioners the opportunity to ask questions.

 

 

See also:

 

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A teaching from zen master Evelyne Reiko de Smedt

Ses: to touch, to unite
Shin: heart, mind
Sesshin means, then, to touch directly, to become intimate with the Mind, with original Mind, with the Buddha-nature that exists in all of us, but which is often concealed by troublesome thinking and emotions. These obfuscations are the fruit of long-term conditioning.
Awakening ourselves to the real nature of our body-mind, uncovered when our ignorance dissipates, is the core of all spiritual practice.
During retreats, we can experience everyday Zen teaching through the four types of action: walking, standing, sitting and lying down. This means that all things are Zen practice.
During a sesshin, every act is the continuation of zazen. Beyond our personal consciousness, we follow the day’s program, focused on each act indicated by the sounds, living each moment fully.
This is how body and mind rediscover true peace. It is the return to the original state, the realization of true freedom."