Retreat daily schedule

A Zen meditation retreat (Sesshin, literally "touching the heart") is held in silence and consists of multiple twenty-five minute periods of seated meditation with walking meditation in between.

The practice also includes:

daily Zen talks
optional one-on-one meetings with a teacher
work practice and personal time

The two-day and five-day Sesshins include introductions to Zen practice and welcome both newcomers to meditation and longtime meditators.

Sesshin enables you to intensify your Zen practice. The community of meditators and the teachers will guide and support you during this process.

It is only when we silence the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.

-K.T. Jong

Sample daily schedule

6:00 am Wake-up call / Arrival for commuters

6:30 am Zazen with dokusan

8:00 am Breakfast

9:00 am Samu

10:00 am Coffee/tea

11:00 am Zazen

12:30 pm Lunch

2:30 pm Zazen with dokusan

3:30 pm Coffee/tea

4:00 pm Zazen

4:30 pm Teisho

5:30 pm Dinner

7:30 pm Zazen

Sesshin: period of intensive Zen meditation

Zazen: seated meditation (on cushions, sitting benches or chairs)

Dokusan: personal meeting with the teacher, optional

Kinhin: walking meditation

Samu: selfless work practice such as drying dishes after the meals or brushing the mats and cushions

Teisho: Zen talk