Category: Kessei

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Bodhi Day Ceremony

Bodhi Day Ceremony (zazenkai)
December 10th, 2023

Bodhi Day celebrates the awakening of the Buddha. It culminate the week long end of year Rohatsu retreat. The Bodhi Day ceremony this year is open to all, whether you took part in any of the rest of the retreat or not, and at the very reasonable hour of 8am. I would like to encourage all in the community, especially those who haven’t come to Zazenkai in while, to consider coming for this ceremony and connecting (or reconnecting) with the local sangha.
We will follow the usual Zazenkai schedule and hold the ceremony in the second half of the program.   The whole morning will be broadcast via Zoom (details below

Celebration
 We will follow the Bodhi Day ceremony with a casual celebratory gathering in the Tahoma Dining Hall. This is open to everyone, no participation in any of the week, or even days events required. We would like to celebrate with all in our community. We will provide hot and cold drinks and sweet and savory snacks. If you want to bring something to share, by all means please do. But just bringing yourself will suffice. We ill be in the Dining Hall around 9:35am.

Sunday, December 10th Schedule

Day 8: Morning Schedule
5am; Zazen; Kinhin; Kaimei Han
5:45am: Closing Sutras (p. 3, 7); Sampai; Closing Remarks
6:25am Breakfast

Zazenkai and Bodhi Day Ceremony Schedule
8am: Chanting (p. 3, 11)
8:15: Zazen;
8:35: Break
8:45: Bodhi Day Ceremony
Han;
Chanting (p. 24, 25, 3, 7, 10, 14)
Sampai, Incense Offering, Reading, Closing Remarks

Essential Information for those joining online
• Please tune in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time so you can be settled.
• The sutra book we will be using can be downloaded here: Virtual Sutra book
• Read these posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.
• To receive the links for Virtual Events by email: Tahoma Events mailing list.

Zoom Link: [ Event has passed. Thanks to all who took part!]

Please email us with any questions: Contact Information

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Rohatsu Retreat and Bodhi Day Ceremony

Rohatsu Retreat and Bodhi Day Ceremony
December 3rd-10th, 2023

The autumn training period culminates with the Rohtasu sesshin commemorating the Buddha’s awakening.  This is always the most intense training period of the year in which one brings a years worth of training to bear.  This year Rohatsu at Tahoma will run from December 3rd through the 10th with extended practice during our regular schedule leading up to a weekend retreat and culminating in the Bodhi Day Ceremony during regular Sunday Zazenkai. The Bodhi Day ceremony this year is open to all and at the very reasonable time of 8am. I would like to encourage all in the community, especially those who haven’t come to zazenkai in while, to consider coming for this ceremony and connecting with the local sangha.  We will follow the Bodhi Day ceremony with a casual holiday gathering in the Tahoma kitchen.

This follows the pattern we have utilized with Rohatsu at Tahoma where our days get longer and more intense as we go through the week as well as acknowledging the realities of practice here at this time. Likewise as is our tradition each evening of the retreat in the first period after golden hour we will read from Hakuin Zenji’s Rohatsu Exhortations (available here). 

All of the practice periods during this time are open to drop-in attendance and during the weekend retreat, residential practice. Additionally the entire retreat will be broadcast via zoom. The Zoom link will be posted on the website in the days prior and sent out in the Tahoma Events weekly mailing.  Please contact us if you would like to take part in residential practice or if you have any additional questions.

Schedule Overview

Day 1: Sunday, December 3rd
8am – 9:30am: Zazenkai and Rohatsu opening with reading from Rohatsu Exhortations.

Day 2: Monday, December 4th 
6pm – 8:45pm: Zazen with reading from the Rohatsu Exhortations around 7pm.

Days 3-5: Tuesday – Thursday December 7th
5am: Choka; Zazen (short period); Kinhin
6am: Zazen; Zazen
6pm: Uninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7pm: Rohatsu Exhortations reading and Zazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8pm: Zazen; Zazen

Days 6:  Friday, December 8th
5am-7am: Choka and Zazen
11-noon: Zazen
2pm – 4pm: Dharma Talk and zazen
6pm – 9:25pm: Zazen with reading from the Rohatsu Exhortations around 7pm.
Please see the Rohatsu Sesshin Schedule for these days.

Day 7:  Saturday, December 9th
5am-7am: Choka and Zazen
10am-noon: Zazen
2pm – 4pm: Dharma Talk and zazen
6pm – 10pm: Zazen with reading from the Rohatsu Exhortations around 7pm.
Please see the Rohatsu Sesshin Schedule for these days.

Day 8: Sunday, December 10th
5am; Zazen; Kinhin
5:45am: Closing Sutras; Closing Remarks
8am – 9:30am: Zazenkai and Bodhi Day Ceremony

Essential Information for those joining online
• Please tune in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time so you can be settled.
• Download the monastery schedule: Rohatsu Sesshin Schedule (Updated 12.07.23)
• The sutra book we will be using can be downloaded here: Virtual Sutra book
• Read these posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.
• To receive the links for Virtual Events by email: Tahoma Events mailing list.

Zoom Link: [ Event has passed. Thanks to all who took part!]

Please email us with any questions: Contact Information

This retreat is offered without charge, however there are costs to putting it on, so please consider making a donation online or in person with this in mind.

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Rohatsu 2022

Rohatsu Sesshin 2022

December 4th-11th, 2022


The autumn training period culminates with the Rohtasu sesshin commemorating the Buddha’s awakening.  This is always the most intense retreat of the year in which one brings the years worth of training to bear.  This year Rohatsu at Tahoma will run from December 4th through the 11th.  As has been the case with all Rohatsu’s at Tahoma the days get longer and more intense as we go through the week. For this year, the first three days of this retreat will be drop in only with periods in the morning and evening. The remaining days will be our regular full time Rohatsu schedule with drop in and residency options. All in-person attendance requires you to be fully vaccinated with the booster. The entire retreat will be broadcast via zoom. The Zoom link will be posted on the website in the days prior and sent out in the Tahoma Events weekly mailing 

Each evening of the retreat in the first period after golden hour we will read from Hakuin Zenji’s Rohatsu Exhortations (available here). During the full days of retreat the dharma talks will be from Torei Zenji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School continuing with the chapter on Faith and Practice. Previous talks on this text can be found here. Day 6 and 7 will feature 10am instructional talks continuing the Autumn Training period theme of Calming and Contemplation. The previous talks can be found here.

Continue reading “Rohatsu 2022”
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Autumnal Equinox 2021 Sesshin


September 20th-26th, 2021
Tahoma Zen Monastery Online

 
The changing of the seasons into Autumn heralds the start of the most intense period of practice in the training year. Please join us online from September 20th though 26th, for a weeklong retreat. This retreat is offered virtually with limited in-person attendance, restricted to those in the local area, contact us if interested.  With a virtual retreat one can take part as ones schedule, energy and interest allows. But, as always, we recommend committing to what you are able to attend and then holding fast to the sesshin spirit for that period.  Sesshin is always and only as deep and powerful as you make it.

I encourage those who are able to give themselves completely to this week as they would to any sesshin. While of course everyone is welcome to attend events as circumstances allow, if you are able do engage in the full days schedule and maintain sesshin spirit throughout the self-directed portions.  While there are many periods where one has to be the master of their own practice, set a routine for meals and engage in work around your place that coincides with the practice schedule. Undertake your own physical practice or follow the outdoor practice during periods when that is offered.  Some suggestions and procedure for getting the most out of a virtual sesshin can be found in our Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.

The retreat begins Monday September 20th at 5am and concludes Sunday morning after Zazenkai. All days apart from the final day with follow this basic schedule:

General Broadcast schedule (all times PDT)
5am to 6:55am: Choka and zazen
10:30am to noon: Zazen
2pm to 4pm: Dharma Talk and Zazen
6pm to 8:45pm: Zazen

The full, final schedule for the retreat with all the activities we will engage in at the monastery will be posted in the days before the retreat as well as mailed out in a stand alone email. This post will also include all of the essential information, Zoom Link and etc.  Please email us with any questions: tahoma@tahomazenmonastery.com

As we wish to share the dharma with everyone we are not setting a fixed cost for the retreat. However there are costs to us for food, utilities and operations. So please do consider making a donation online or in person with this in mind.

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May Weekend Intensive Schedule

May 28th-30th, 2021
Tahoma Zen Monastery


Join us in person at Tahoma Zen Monastery or online this May for a weekend retreat as we continue with the Spring Training Period.

For all in-person attendance you must be be fully vaccinated (two weeks past the final shot). For those interested in participating in-person please contact us to express your interest so we can accurately plan meals. For those who would like to stay on campus for the weekend please contact us to arrange accommodations

To participate online please download the Virtual Sutra book and check out these posts for getting the most out of a virtual sesshin:  Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.

Zoom Link:   [event has passed]

Retreat Schedule

Friday, May 28th

6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin;
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin;
8:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:45pmKaichin
All times Pacific Time. Please arrive/tune in ten minutes before scheduled events.
Events in Bold will be streamed.

Saturday May 29th

5:00amChoka  (Sutras p.3-14); Han; Kinhin
6:00amZazen; Zazen
7:00amBreakfast Break
8:15amSamu
10:30amOutside Zazen; Kinhin
11:30amZazen;
11:55amLunch Break
2:00pmDharma Talk; Kinhin; Zazen; Zazen
4:00pmPhysical/Outside practice
5:00pmDinner Break
6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin;
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pmZazen; Zazen
8:45pmKaichin
All times Pacific Time. Please arrive/tune in ten minutes before scheduled events.
Events in Bold will be streamed.

Sunday, May 30th

5:00amChoka  (sutras p.3-7,10,12,13); Han; Kinhin
6:00amZazen
6:30amBreakfast break
8:00amZazenkai  (sutras p.3,10,14)
9:30am“Tea” – Conversation and questions
All times Pacific Time. Please arrive/tune in ten minutes before scheduled events.
Events in Bold will be streamed.

Download the full schedule: Weekend Intensive Schedule

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Autumn Kessei 2019

Intensive training sessions known as sesshin continue for periods of eighty, ninety, and one hundred twenty days. Since the goal of all those who take part is to clarify the great matter, while the sesshin is in progress no one leaves the temple gates, and no one speaks unnecessarily. Practice is carried on with a spirit of dauntless, indomitable courage.
-Hakuin Zenji

Autum Kessei 2019
The autumnal equinox opens the Autumn Kessei, a three month training period that runs through Rohatsu sesshin. While we don’t do sesshin every month here and Roshi is only here to lead us at the beginning of the autumn kessei, intensity is much more a decision we make, an orientation toward practice, than anything else.  In this spirit those of us at Tahoma will rededicate ourselves to the practice and offer a greater opportunity for practice during this period.  We will switch to the Autumn/Winter schedule for our Practice Day’s in October, November and December which offers more zazen as well as officially beginning earlier on the previous Friday to encourage and deepen a three day weekend retreat. Periodically will offer other days more devoted to zazen, keep an eye on this site for details as they are announced.  We will again observe Rohatsu Sesshin (dates and details forthcoming) and will conclude the year with our annual New Years potluck and all evening zazen concluding with a midnight bell ringing.  Details for all of these events will be post here as we work out the details as well as in forthcoming issues of our newsletter.  But let me reiterate that intensity is a state of mind and all of us can begin right now. Dedicate yourself to deeply investigating your true nature this autumn and do so with great sincerity and determination.