Tag: Virtual Sesshin

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2021 Summer Solstice Retreat

June 20th-27th, 2021

Our weeklong retreat commemorating the Summer Solstice begins on June 20th. There are plenty of options for people to take part. People can sign up for full time attendance until June 20th, or for part-time attendance up to the day before you intend to attend. Please contact us if you’d like to take part in person (full vaccination required):
tahoma@tahomazenmonastery.com

Drop-In Attendance
All of the events are open to drop-in attendance for the fully vaccinated. Simply arrive ten minutes before the scheduled event, find an unoccupied place in the Zendo and take part. Drop-in attendees are expected to not attend meals. If you’d like to include a meal in your list simply contact us in advance and you can do a day, or half a day of part time practice.

Online Retreat
We are also offering this retreat online for those unable to come to the monastery. Online retreats can be as rigorous as an in-person retreat if you approach the self-directed activities with as much commitment as those broadcast.  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 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

Zoom Link for Online Retreat: [event has passed]

To receive the links for the Virtual Events by email: Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

For this retreat we will be working on practices and approaches to training for retreat, daily practice and amidst the furor of daily life. Rooted in traditional practice, the approach we will be studying extends into the natural world with simple practices we can engage in beyond the zendo. The primary text for this retreat will be Dewdrops on Stinging Nettles a practice guide we have put together. This will be supplemented with classic texts throughout the tradition. Copies of the text can be acquired here: Dewdrops on Stinging Nettles.

Essential Files
• Download the full schedule: Summer Solstice Retreat Schedule
• The sutra book we will be using can be downloaded here:: Virtual Sutra book
• An excerpt of our text covering the outside practices can be downloaded here: Dewdrops on Stinging Nettles – Outside Practices

Retreat Schedule

Sunday, June 20th

5:00pmInformal Dinner; Cleanup
6:00pmOrientation [in dining hall]
7:30pmZazen
8:00pmOpening Sutra (sutras p.16);
Introductory Talk
8:45pmKaichin [in kitchen]
All times Pacific Time. Please arrive/tune in ten minutes before scheduled events.
Events in Bold will be streamed.

Monday June 20th – Saturday June 26th

5:00amChoka  (sutras p.3-14); Sampai; Han
5:40amZazen (short period); Kinhin
6:00amZazen; Zazen
7:00amBreakfast; Cleanup; Break
8:15amSamu [meet on kitchen deck]
10:30amOutside Zazen; Kinhin
11:30amZazen;
11:55amLunch; Cleanup; Break
2:00pmDharma Talk; Kinhin
3:00pmZazen; Zazen
4:00pmOutside practice [meet at zendo]
5:00pmDinner (informal, optional); Cleanup; Break
6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin;
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pmZazen; Zazen
8:45pmSarei (tea); 
Han; Closing Sutra (sutras p.17); Sampai
9:00pmKaichin
All times Pacific Time. Please arrive/tune in ten minutes before scheduled events.
Events in Bold will be streamed.

Sunday, June 27th

5:00amAbbreviated Choka (sutras p.3, 4, 10, 12, 13); Han;
5:20amZazen (short period); Kinhin
5:45amZazen
6:15amClosing Sutra (sutras p. 6,7); Closing Talk
6:30amBreakfast; Cleanup; Break
8:00amZazenkai  (sutras p.3, 10, 14)
9:30amInformal Tea [on kitchen deck]
All times Pacific Time. Please arrive/tune in ten minutes before scheduled events.
Events in Bold will be streamed.

 Please email us with any questions, or for registration information: tahoma@tahomazenmonastery.com

This retreat is offered without charge, however there are costs to us for food, utilities, printing and operations. So please do consider making a donation online or in person with this in mind.

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Virtual Rohatsu 2020

Rohatsu is the traditional peak of the practice year and commemorates the Buddha’s enlightenment.  The classic story is that after his years of ascetic practice the Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree vowing to sit there until complete awakening. Nine days later on seeing the morning star (Venus) he penetrated to the depths.  Rohatsu Sesshin commemorates this with an eight day sesshin that models a single day of practice. We play the Han as we sit on the first day and not again until on the eighth morning we conclude this one long single day with the Kaimei Han. The amount of sitting increases as the sesshin wears on and it is expected that one sits through the night on the final day.  

Tahoma will hold a Virtual Rohatsu Sesshin on the traditional days, December 1st through 8th.  While we are not able to gather in person, we can all dedicate ourselves to an extended week of zazen. This is an intense schedule and while participating virtually one is not as held by the social pressure we encourage those who can to take full advantage of this opportunity. The broadcast simply provides a structure just as attending a sesshin in person does. The commitment is up to the individual.  If one is able commit to doing the entire sesshin, prepare yourself a space where you can minimize distractions. Have your meals planned out and the shopping completed. Work out a way to do kinhin and physical practice. Then just flow along with the schedule.

Dharma Talks will be from Torei Enji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School. This text is rarely engaged with in the west but presents a complete description of Rinzai Zen Training in the Hakuin tradition. If you’d like your own copy you can purchase the book here (scroll down) or download a free PDF of it here (45MB pdf).

Before taking part in a Virtual Event at Tahoma please read these posts:
Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.

Schedule Notes
Monday November 30th: No evening zazen
Sunday December 6th: No Zazenkai
Wednesday December 9th: No scheduled events

Sesshin Schedule

Tuesday, December 1st – Monday, December 7th

5:00amChoka (morning sutras); sampai
5:40amZazen [short period]; Kinhin
6:00amZazen; Zazen
7:00amBreakfast / samu / cleanup
9:30amUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
10:30amZazen;Zazen; Kinhin
11:30amZazen
12:00pmLunch / break
2:00pmDharma Talk; Kinhin
3:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
4:00pmBanka (afternoon sutras); sampai
4:30pmOutside/Physical Practice
5:00pmDinner / Break
6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pmZazen; Zazen;
8:45pmKaichin / Yaza
All times Pacific Time. Please tune in five minutes before scheduled events
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed
As the sesshin progresses the schedule runs later. Download the full schedule for details.

Tuesday, December 8th

5:00amChoka (abbreviated sutras); sampai
5:40amZazen [short period]; Kinhin
6:00amZazen; Zazen
6:50ambreak
7:00amBodhi Day Ceremony
7:30amClosing Remarks
All times Pacific Time. Please tune in five minutes before scheduled events
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed.

Download the full schedule here: Rohatsu Sesshin Schedule.
Updated for Rohatsu Sutra book: Virtual Sutra book

To receive the links for the Virtual Events by email:
Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

There is no fee for participating in this event but do be mindful that virtual events also utilize resources and the monastery does have regular expenses in order to keep open. We wish to facilitate the practice and promote the dharma as widely as possible, thus our practice of putting on these events without cost. This is especially important in these times with so many out of work and confined to home. For those who are able to offer support, we appreciate your including us in your consideration. Thank your for your continuing support and please email us with any questions: Contact Information.

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October Virtual KoSesshin

Our October Virtual KoSesshin for 2020 begins October 16th at 5am and runs through Sunday October 18th. Friday and Saturday will utilize our standard virtual KoSesshin schedule (see below) and Sunday will incorporate Zazenkai and conclude at noon with an open Q&A.

For the Dharma Talks we will be reading from Torei Enji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School translated by Yoko Okuda from Tuttle Publishing. Download a PDF of it here (note: links to a 43MB pdf). This has been the reading material for our Autumn Kessei and you can find notes and recordings of the previous discussions here: Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp.

Before taking part in a Virtual Event at Tahoma please read these posts:
Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.

You can download the sutra book that we will be using here: Virtual Sutra Book

The opening day of the sesshin is Friday October 16th at 5am. We request that everyone join all of our events a few minutes early so that you have time to start up the connection and settle in before things begin.

 Zoom Meeting: [event has passed]

Schedule

Friday, Oct. 16th – Saturday, Oct. 17th

5:00amChoka (sutras p.3-13); sampai
5:40amZazen (short period); Kinhin
6:00amZazen; Zazen;
7:00amBreakfast / Samu / Break
10:00amUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
11:00amZazen; Zazen
12:00pmLunch / Break
2:00pmDharma Talk; Kinhin
3:00pmZazen; Zazen
4:00pmPhysical/Outside Practice / Dinner / Break
6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin;
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pmZazen; Zazen
8:45pmKaichin
All times Pacific Time. Please tune in five minutes before scheduled events
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed.

Sunday, Oct. 18th

5:00amChoka (abbreviated sutras); sampai
5:25Zazen (short period); Kinhin
5:45amZazen
6:30amBreakfast / Break
8:00amZazenkai (sutras p.3, 10, 13)
10:00amZazen; Zazen; [short break]
11:00amQ&A/Discussion
All times Pacific Time. Please tune in five minutes before scheduled events
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed.

To receive the links for the Virtual Events by email:
Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

Thank your for your continuing support and please email us with any questions: Contact Information.

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Autumnal Equinox Sesshin Essential Information

The Autumnal Equinox Virtual Sesshin for 2020 begins September 21st at 6pm. In this post you can find all of the vital information that you will need to take part in the sesshin.

Sesshin Zoom Link: [event has passed]

You can download full monastery schedule here:
Autumn Equinox Sesshin Schedule.

You can download the sutra book that we will be using here:
Virtual Sutra Book

In the Dharma Talks we will be reading from Torei Enji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School translated by Yoko Okuda from Tuttle Publishing. Download a PDF of it here (note: links to a 43MB pdf). We will begin with the Preface by Torei Enji and Daibi Zenji on p. 11. Do read the two forwards beforehand.

Before taking part in a Virtual Event at Tahoma please read these posts:
Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.

The opening day of the sesshin is Monday September 21st at 6pm. We request that everyone join all of our events a few minutes early so that you have time to start up the connection and settle in before things begin. The schedule for the opening day is:

Monday, Sept. 21st

6:00pmOpening Sutra (p.15) ;  Introductory Talk; Zazen; Kinhin;
7:00pm Zazen; Zazen; Kinhin; Zazen; Zazen
8:45pmClosing sutra (p. 16); Sampai
All times Pacific Time. Please tune in five minutes before scheduled events

The Schedule from Tuesday through Saturday will be our standard virtual sesshin schedule. Locals can drop-in for the late morning and evening Zazen periods (masks required).

Tuesday, Sept. 22nd – Saturday, Sept. 26th

5:00amChoka (sutras p.3-13); sampai
5:40amZazen (short period); Kinhin; Zazen; Zazen;
7:00amBreakfast / Samu / Break
10:00amUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin; Zazen; Zazen; Kinhin
12:00pmLunch / break
2:00pmSutras (p.14); Dharma Talk; Kinhin; Zazen; Zazen
4:00pmPhysical Practice / Dinner / Break
6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin;
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin; Zazen; Zazen
8:45pmClosing Sutra (p.16); Sampai
All times Pacific Time. Please tune in five minutes before scheduled events
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed.

The final day, Sunday will be quite different. Morning Sutras will be abbreviated and we will end zazen a little early. There will be no samu period, but our regularly community Zazenkai. Sesshin attendees should tune in to Zazenkai as this will incorporate the final Dharma Talk on the Inexhustible Lamp. After Zazenkai there will be a break and then our concluding activities. After sesshin has ended there will be an hour for Q&A on any topics but especially on the study material. Note: no in-person attendance at any of these events.

Sunday, Sept. 27th

5:00amChoka (abbreviated sutras); sampai; Zazen (short period); Kinhin
6:00amZazen (One 45′ period); kinhin
6:30amBreakfast / Break
8:00amZazenkai (sutras p.3, 10, 13)
10:00amZazen; Zazen; Closing Sutra (p.5)
11:00amQ&A/Discussion
All times Pacific Time. Please tune in five minutes before scheduled events
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed.

To receive the links for the Virtual Events by email:
Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

Thank your for your continuing support and please email us with any questions: Contact Information.

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May Virtual Sesshin Essential Information

May 12th-16th: Virtual Sesshin
Tahoma Zen Monastery

Now in Progress. See the Schedule below and use the Zoom Link to Join.
Read the Orientation Post on how to best take advantage of this opportunity.

Zoom Meeting Link: [Event has concluded]

Sesshin Schedule

5:00amChoka (Sutras); sampai
5:40amZazen [short period]; Kinhin
6:05amZazen; Zazen
7:00amBreakfast / samu / break
11:00amUninterrupted Outside Zazen  [weather permitting]
12:00pmLunch / break
2:00pmDharma Talk; Zazen; Kinhin
3:00pmZazen; Zazen
4:00pmOutside Practice
5:00pmDinner / Break
6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pmZazen; Zazen;
8:50pmClosing Sutra [Tahoma Sutra Book, p. 17]
9:00pmKaichin / Yaza
All times Pacific Standard Time.
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed.
Download the full schedule here: May Sesshin Schedule.

Download the sutra book here: Tahoma Sutra book
Dai Segaki can be found here:  Chant booklet

Before taking part in a Virtual Event at Tahoma please read this post:
Guidelines for Virtual Events

To receive the links for the Virtual Events by email:
Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

Thank your for your continuing support and please email us with any questions: Contact Information.

Notes and sources for the Dharma talks will be posted here, after the end of session.

Posted on

May Virtual Sesshin: Orientation


May 12th-16th: Virtual Sesshin
Tahoma Zen Monastery

We are holding a five day sesshin at Tahoma Zen Monastery with four blocks broadcast online throughout the day. All are welcome to tune in the broadcasts (links below) as they are able. While we hope that some are able to adopt the Sesshin Spirit and participate as if they were here in person, we encourage everyone to use this time as best serves them. Anyone can join in for any of the periods on any of the days as they are able.

How to best take advantage of the Virtual Sesshin
Think of the sesshin just as you would one that you are attending in person. Leave behind non-essential activities. Maintain sesshin spirit throughout the day and avoid media, non-functional conversation, casual entertainments and other distractions. During the samu period engage mindfully, as you would at the monastery, in cleaning your residence, working in the garden, perhaps even into the community. Sesshin always comes down to ones aspiration, commitment and dedication. Fully throw yourself into the practice, vow to awaken during this sesshin, turn off your notifications and just sit.

Sesshin Approach
This sesshin’s theme is Empty Awareness and is oriented around solitary practice. In this time of quarantine, stay at home orders and lockdown we are not able to practice in person with the sangha and interact with the teacher. In Zen working with the teacher is essential, at the very least, as a check on where we are at. Other practices such as koan study depend completely on engagement with the teacher. But there are myriad practices that are very fruitful on ones own and can be consistently used in conjunction with working with a teacher. This has been the orientation of all of our recent instruction and we will continue and deepen our exploration of this approach in this sesshin.

Outside Practice
One of the essential approaches we will work with is Being Outside. In classical Ch’an there was little distinction made between landscape and practice and there were myriad practices to move beyond that sense of separateness we feel from the natural word. Some of these practices will be explored and there are times on the schedule for working with these practices. If you are able to walk around outside, in your neighborhood, or in a nearby woods, beach or field, we encourage you to take advantage of that and engage in these practices. During the outside seating, we encourage you to take your phone or other device and sit on a deck, porch or just in front of a window.

Adapt to these as you are able: use your windows, porches, decks, backyards as you have them. Put on a mask and walk around your neighborhood. Maintain Physical Distancing. Your safety is the upmost importance so do everything as it makes sense. We would encourage a physical practice that can be done inside, if there are no outside options available: Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga, Stretching, etc.

Choka (Sutras)
We will chant a shortened version of the Tahoma Sutras. These are done in the order printed in the Tahoma Sutra book beginning with the Maha Prajna Parmita Sutra (Heart Sutra) through to the Four Great Vows, skipping the Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo. After the Four Great Vows we will chant Dai Segaki for the victims of the virus pandemic. This can be found in our supplemental chant book. After this will be sampai (three prostrations), before we begin zazen.

Kinhin
Kinhin, (walking meditation), periods will be held every fifty minutes, except when a block ends. This practice is one of both mindfulness as well as its own empty awareness practice. Do this as you are able, walking around the room, or through your house, or outside even. Keep the volume up on your computer or device to be able to hear clappers and announcements. This is of course the time for bathroom breaks. As with all of these practices you will get out of this what you put into it.

Technical Considerations
We are using Zoom Meeting software for this Virtual Sesshin which is available for all devices and platforms. Zoom is meant for virtual meetings and we are pushing its limitations for these events. It manipulates audio when it gets too loud and tries to eliminate background sound. Look into your audio settings and turn on ‘Original Sound’ and turn off noise-cancelling options. Be sure to keep your microphone off at all times. You do not need to display your own video and it will help with bandwidth to keep it off. If you set a profile picture that image will be sent instead of video and is a nice, low bandwidth option.

The most important thing is to simply accept that there will be technical difficulties. Sometimes the sound will drop out or the app will crash. We must just roll with it and put our training to use in not being pushed around by it. We will do our utmost to keep things flowing and reset things as there are issues. But when in doubt, just keep sitting and mind the schedule. We can’t help with technical issues during broadcasts but do email with any questions.

Sesshin Schedule

5:00amChoka (Sutras); sampai
5:40amZazen [short period]; Kinhin
6:05amZazen; Zazen
7:00amBreakfast / samu / break
11:00amOutside Zazen  [on zendo deck, weather permitting]
12pmLunch / break
2:00pmDharma Talk; Zazen; Kinhin
3:00pmZazen; Zazen
4:00pmOutside Practice
5:00pmDinner / Break
6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pmZazen; Zazen;
8:50pmClosing Sutra
9:00pmKaichin / Yaza
All times Pacific Standard Time.
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed.
Download the full schedule here: May Sesshin Schedule.

Zoom Meeting Link:[Event has concluded]

Before taking part in a Virtual Event at Tahoma please read this post:
Guidelines for Virtual Events

Download the sutra book here: Tahoma Sutra book
Dai Segaki can be found here:  Chant booklet

To receive the links for the Virtual Events by email:
Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

Thank your for your continuing support and please email us with any questions: Contact Information.

Notes and sources for the Dharma talks will be posted here, after the end of session.

Posted on

Virtual Sesshin May 12th-16th

Virtual Sesshin May 12th-16th
Sesshin provides a container for sustained practice, a container that most of us need in order to reach that level of intensity. At sesshin we are able to go deep into our zazen knowing that we simple need to sit, stand, walk, eat and do tasks as directed.  In this time where gathering together for sesshin is impossible, it is still of immense value to have a period of increased intensity.  Thus we here at Tahoma will offer a Virtual Sesshin.  

This event will stream throughout the day following the usual activities one would expect in a sesshin. In between these periods in the zendo, those of us at the monastery will follow a regular sesshin schedule while those of you at home will have to take on those activities yourself.  This allows for the container of sesshin, the motivation of knowing there are structured times for zazen, while still being able to hold ones individual practice. There is still a self-directed aspect of course and one is free to do as little or as much of the activities as one can or desires to do.

We will post further details along with a finalized schedule in the days before the session but it will basically follow our Day of Practice Schedule:

5:00am-6:00amChoka (Sutras); Zazen; Kinhin
6:00am to 6:55amZazen; Zazen
7:00am to 11:00amBreakfast / samu / break
11:00am-11:50amUninterrupted Zazen
12pm-1:30pmLunch / break
2:00pm-2:50pmDharma Talk; Zazen; Kinhin
3:00-3:50Zazen; Zazen
4:00pm-5:30pmOutside Practice / dinner / Break
6:00pm-6:50pmUninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7:00pm-8:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pm-9:00pmZazen; Zazen; Closing Sutra
Events in Bold will be streamed, events in Italics are self-directed.

Before taking part in a Virtual Event at Tahoma please read this post:
Guidelines for Virtual Events

To receive the link for the Virtual even please join this mailing list:
Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

Download sutra book here: Tahoma Sutra book
Dai Segaki can be found here:  Chant booklet