Tag: Retreat

Posted on

February 2023 Daylong Retreat

February 18th, 2023, 4:50am to 9pm (PST)

Please join us for a full day of practice as we begin the Winter Training Period this February 18th. During this retreat we will be continuing our study of Torei Enji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School wrapping up the chapter on Faith and Practice and continuing on to the next chapter on The Realm of Delusions. Information and previous talks on this text can be found here.

All of the events of this retreat are open for in-person and drop-in attendance if you are fully vaccinated.  We continue to broadcast these retreats via Zoom for those unable to join us in person.  We will begin the online broadcast during regular Friday evening zazen and conclude after Sunday’s Zazenkai allowing for one to be able to extend ones practice beyond the full day. 

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: Daylong Retreat Schedule
• The sutra book we will be using can be downloaded here: Virtual Sutra book
• Information and talks on the Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp can be found here.
• 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.

Broadcast Schedule

Saturday, February 18th
5am to 7am: Choka; Zazen
10:30am to Noon: Zazen
2pm to 4:00pm: Dharma Talk; Zazen
6:00pm to 8:45pm: Zazen 

Zoom Link: [Event has passed]

Continue reading “February 2023 Daylong Retreat”
Posted on

Tahoma Closed During September Sesshin

Tahoma Zen Monastery will be closed to the public during the September Sesshin.

This closure will run from September 5th through 15th.

During this time there will be no public events and no visitors. We ask that all respect this closure as we hold retreat and attempt to maintain a safe and healthy environment for all participants.

We will return to our regular schedule on September 16th.

Thank you.

Posted on

Tahoma Closed During May Retreats

Tahoma Zen Monastery will be closed to the public during the May Sesshin.

This closure will run from May 9th to May 23rd.

During this time there will be no public events and no visitors. We ask that all respect this closure as we hold retreat and attempt to maintain a safe and healthy environment for all participants.

We will return to our regular schedule on May 24th.

Thank you.

Posted on

May Samu KoSesshin 2022

May 9th-12th, 2022
-In-person with online options-

Please Note that the monastery will be closed to the public during sesshin.
We will resume public events May 24th.

The Spring Training period culminates with our May intensive retreats. Before the rigors of the weeklong OSesshin we will engage in a four day Samu KoSesshin. This retreat will be an opportunity to deepen your practice and give back to the monastery in this time when the grounds are so demanding. Whether you take part in this retreat as a focused period of integrated meditative and work practice or as the beginning an extended period of training this is an opportunity to set aside mundane affairs and deeply investigate this great matter.

This is a Samu KoSesshin which means that work practice is a major component of the retreat. This means that this is essentially an in-person retreat. However the in-zendo portions of the retreat will be broadcast over zoom. Those who are unable to join us in person are encouraged to take part in the online retreat. The emphasis will be on the in-person retreat and during the long samu period those taking part online should engage in self-directed work practice.

Sesshin Information

Dharma Talks
Over the Spring Kessei we have been examining the Three Essentials of Zen Practice: Great Confidence, the Fury of Great Determination and Great Uncertainty.  We began with Torei Enji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen school in our exploration of Great Confidence. We followed this with a deep dive into the Chan Whip Anthology by Jeffery Broughton with its emphasis on Great Determination. Now we turn to Great Uncertainty. We will continue to work with The Chan Whip supplemented with Dahui’s Treasury of the Eye of True Teaching translated by Thomas Cleary as we begin to explore this most vital of the Three Essentials.

Essential Information
• Download the full schedule: Samu KoSesshin Retreat Schedule
• Download updated text for Outside Practices: Outside Practices
• Instructional Talks covering aspects of retreat practice: Instructional Talks.

Online Retreat

Online participants are encouraged to commit for as much of the retreat as they are able to do. Once you’ve committed to a schedule stick to it.  The schedule that will be followed at the monastery can be found here which you can use to coordinate self-directed work practice, physical practice, meals and breaks.  Observe noble silence throughout, for sesshin is a retreat from words and language as much as anything else. In all activities take the single minded approach of practice.

Broadcast Schedule
5am to 7am: Choka; Zazen
2pm to 4:00pm: Dharma Talk; Zazen
6:00pm to 8:45pm: Zazen 

Essential Information
• Download the sutra book: 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}

Continue reading “May Samu KoSesshin 2022”
Posted on

April 2022 Daylong Retreat

April 16th, 2022
-In-person and Online-

Each month during the Spring Kessei we deepen our practice, ramping up toward our May Sesshin. On April 16th, we gather for a full day of practice. For this day we will follow our spring retreat schedule, which allows for more samu time as the demands of the ground in the spring are unrelenting.  We will continue our examinations of the three essentials of Zen (Chan) Practice: Root of Great Confidence, Fury of Great Determination and Great Apprehension and Uncertainty. We will use Torei Enji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School and the Chan Whip Anthology by Jeffery Broughton as our primary texts.

All of the events of this retreat are open for in-person and drop-in attendance if you are fully vaccinated.  While one can drop into any of the periods without prior notice, if you wish to attend the whole day, or through any of the meals you must  contact us in advance. This will also be the first event since the summer for which we will be open for residential stays for those fully vaccinated. If you’d like to make it a weekend event from Friday through Sunday or an overnight please contact us to make arrangements.  

We will continue to broadcast these retreats via Zoom for those unable to join us.  We will begin the online broadcast during regular Friday evening zazen and conclude after Sunday’s Zazenkai allowing for one to be able to extend ones practice beyond the full day.

Essential Information for those Joining Online
• Download the full schedule: Daylong Retreat Schedule
• 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 Virtual Events mailing list.

Broadcast Schedule

Friday, April 15th
6:30pm to 8:20pm: Zazen

Saturday, April 16th
5am to 7am: Choka; Zazen
10:30am to Noon: Zazen
2pm to 4:00pm: Dharma Talk; Zazen
6:00pm to 8:45pm: Zazen 

Sunday, April 17th
5am to 6:30am: Choka; Zazen
8:00am to 9:30am:: Zazenkai

Zoom Link: [Event has passed]

Continue reading “April 2022 Daylong Retreat”
Posted on

Vernal Equinox 2022 Daylong Retreat

March 19th, 2022
-Online Only-

Join us online for a day of practice as we celebrate the start of Spring. Pushing on into the Spring Training period after our kickoff with our Winter Retreat we strive to keep up the pressure. We will continue to ramp up our practice as we head into the May Training month.  For this day we will follow our spring retreat schedule, which allows for a bit more samu time as the demands of the grounds in the spring are unrelenting.  We will continue our examinations of the three essentials of Zen (Chan) Practice: Root of Great Confidence, Fury of Great Determination and Great Apprehension and Uncertainty. We will use Torei Enji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School and the Chan Whip Anthology by Jeffery Broughton as our primary texts.

Essential Information
• Download the full schedule: Daylong Retreat Schedule
• 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 Virtual Events mailing list.

Broadcast Schedule
5am to 7am: Choka; Zazen
10:30am to Noon: Zazen
2pm to 4:00pm: Dharma Talk; Zazen
6:00pm to 8:45pm: Zazen 

Zoom Link: [ Event has passed]

Continue reading “Vernal Equinox 2022 Daylong Retreat”
Posted on

Winter Retreat 2022

February 14-20th, 2022
-Online-

We begin the Spring Training period with a virtual weeklong winter retreat recommitting ourselves to our great vow. For this retreat we will focus on the foundations of our practice. There will be a morning instructional talk that will emphasize right view, the condition of our minds that facilitate practice, right effort, the way that we direct our attention and energy to fruitful practice and the cultivation of being in alignment with what is. There will be opportunities throughout the week for feedback, questions and dialog during this period. The afternoon dharma talks will build on the morning instruction with discourse on the essentials of practice: great trust, the fury of great determination and great uncertainty.  We will use numerous sources for these topics, but the Chan Whip Anthology by Jeffery Broughton will be the primary text.

Participants are encouraged to commit for as much of the retreat as they are able to do. Once you’ve committed to a schedule stick to it. We can get as much out of a virtual retreat as any period of sustained practice, but it is up to us.  The schedule that will be followed at the monastery can be found here which you can use to coordinate self-directed work practice, physical practice, meals and breaks.  Observe noble silence throughout, for sesshin is a retreat from words and language as much as anything else. In all activities take the single minded approach of practice.

Broadcast Schedule
5am to 7am: Choka; Zazen
9:30am to Noon: Instructional Talk; Zazen
2pm to 4:00pm: Dharma Talk; Zazen
5:30pm to 8:30pm: Zazen 

Essential Information
• Download the full schedule: Winter Retreat Schedule
• Download updated text for Outside Practices: Outside Practices
• Download the sutra book: Virtual Sutra book
• Instructional Talks Archive: Instructional Talks.
• Read these posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.
• To receive the links for Virtual Events by email: Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

Zoom Link:  [Event has passed]

Continue reading “Winter Retreat 2022”
Posted on

November 20th Daylong Retreat

Saturday, November 20th, 2021

Staying with the practice, moment by moment, fully engaged throughout the ninety day training period we will build on our momentum with a daylong retreat in November. The last event before Rohatsu it is a perfect way to work out the kinks and acclimate to online practice. As with the rest of the Autumn Kessei we will continue to investigate the Letters of Dahui and his teachings for lay practitioners without ready access to a teacher. Truly valuable teachings for these times and for lay practice in general.    This retreat is offered virtually with limited in-person attendance, restricted to those in the local area, contact us if interested.  

Essential Information
• 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 Virtual Events mailing list.

Zoom Link for Online Retreat: [Event has Passed]

Continue reading “November 20th Daylong Retreat”
Posted on

October 2021 Weekend Retreat

October 22nd-24th, 2021

Keeping ones practice solid, energetic and ever deepening is why we push hard during the training period. Keeping up the momentum in October we offer a long weekend retreat. Two full days followed by a half day on Sunday to deepen or renew your commitment.  We will continue our investigation of the Letters of Dahui and his teachings for lay practitioners without ready access to a teacher. Truly valuable teachings for these times and for lay practice in general.  This retreat is offered virtually with limited in-person attendance, restricted to those in the local area, contact us if interested.  

Essential Information
• Download the full schedule: October Weekend Retreat Schedule
• 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 Virtual Events mailing list.

Zoom Link for Online Retreat:  [Event has passed]

Continue reading “October 2021 Weekend Retreat”
Posted on

2021 Autumnal Equinox Retreat

September 20th-26th, 2021

The Autumn Training period begins with our Autumnal Equinox Retreat starting Monday September 20th. This will kick off a 90 day period of intense practice where ones primary focus is training. This is a time to give oneself over completely to ones method. This retreat is offered virtually with limited in-person attendance, restricted to those in the local area, contact us if interested.  

The online retreat will have four major broadcast blocks throughout the day:
5am to 7am: Choka and Zazen
10:30am to Noon: Zazen
2pm to 4pm: Dharma Talk and Zazen
6pm to 9pm: Zazen

Continue reading “2021 Autumnal Equinox Retreat”