Tag: zazen

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Rohatsu Retreat and Bodhi Day Ceremony

Rohatsu Retreat and Bodhi Day Ceremony
December 1st-8th, 2024

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 1st through the 8th with extended practice during our regular schedule leading up to a stretch of full-time, practice and culminating in the Bodhi Day Ceremony during regular Sunday Zazenkai.

The Bodhi Day ceremony 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 in the past for 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). 

The Rohatsu Exhortations talks will consider practice as Hakuin exhorted his monks to engage in, but will also consider practice from several angles including what we in this retreat are doing right now. Further information on this, as well as recordings of each days talks will be posted on the Drafty Mountain Hut practice blog.. I particularly encourage those taking part in the retreat to listen to the first nights talk as in it both the retreat is introduced as well as a parallel text that we will consider along with the Rohatsu Exhortations.
Rohatsu Exhortations Talks: A Pluralistic Approach.

All of the practice periods during this week are open to drop-in attendance and during the full-time intensive period, 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.  

Residential Retreat Options
The full time intensive training will take place December 5th-8th, with residency available. Please note that one can stay overnight from Saturday to the Bodhi Day Ceremony on Sunday for a full day intensive option. We need to know at least a few days in advance if you wish to stay here overnight. Please contact us if you would like to register for residential practice or if you have any additional questions.

Rohatsu Daily Schedule

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

Day 2: Monday, December 2nd 
6pm: Uninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7pm: Rohatsu Exhortations reading; Zazen; Kinhin
8pm: Zazen

Days 3&4: Tuesday December 3rd and Wednesday December 4th 
5am: Choka; Zazen; Kinhin
6am: Zazen
6pm: Uninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7pm: Rohatsu Exhortations reading; Zazen; Kinhin
8pm: Zazen

Days 5-7  Thursday, December 5th – Saturday, December 7th
5am: Choka; Zazen; Kinhin
6am: Zazen
10am: Zazen; Kinhin
11am: Zazen
2pm: Dharma Talk; Kinhin;
3pm:  Zazen
6pm: Uninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7pm: Rohatsu Exhortations reading; Zazen; Kinhin
8pm: Zazen; kinhin
9pm: Zazen
[Each day runs longer; please download the Schedule for complete details.]

Day 8: Sunday, December 8th
5am: Zazen; Kinhin
5:45am: Closing Sutras; Closing Remarks
8am: Zazenkai and Bodhi Day Ceremony
9:45am: Bodhi Day Celebration (in-person only)

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
• 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: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84377657503?pwd=xDpLjYsEQSaT3cJpHGsZfKmnGFQmuf.1

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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November Zazen Intensive

November Zazen Intensive
November 9th, 2024


As we deepen our practice during the Autumn Training period please join us for a full day of Zazen. The day will run from 9:50am to 8:30pm in three blocks. One can come for as much or as little as one wishes. The schedule is such that people can easily travel here for the event and thus there is no residency option. There will not be meals served, but one is of course free to bring food or have meals off campus.

All periods are open for drop in attendance. Each hour will include zazen followed by kinhin, with the zazen periods following the schedule below. One can stay for as many periods as one is able. Please arrive/depart during the kinhin (walking meditation) periods which begin 10 minutes prior to the next period.

Broadcast Schedule
10am – noon: Zazen/Kinhin
2pm – 4:00pm: Zazen/Kinhin
6pm – 8:30pm: Zazen/Kinhin

We will continue to broadcast the sitting periods via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. The Zoom link will be posted in the days before the event. For those attending online please read this posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events .

Zoom Link: [Event has Passed]

Continue reading “November Zazen Intensive”
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October Zazen Intensive

October Zazen Intensive
October 19th, 2024


As we ramp up our practice during the Autumn Training period please join us for a full day of Zazen. The day will run from 9:50am to 8:45pm in three blocks. One can come for as much or as little as one wishes. The schedule is such that people can easily travel here for the event and thus there is no residency option. There will not be meals served, but one is of course free to bring food or have meals off campus.

All periods are open for drop in attendance. Each hour will include zazen followed by kinhin, with the zazen periods following the schedule below. One can stay for as many periods as one is able. Please arrive/depart during the kinhin (walking meditation) periods which begin 10 minutes prior to the next period.

Broadcast Schedule
10am – noon: Zazen/Kinhin
2pm – 4:00pm: Zazen/Kinhin
6pm – 8:45pm: Zazen/Kinhin

We will continue to broadcast the sitting periods via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. The Zoom link will be posted in the days before the event. For those attending online please read this posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events .

Zoom Link: [Event has passed]

Continue reading “October Zazen Intensive”
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Reduced July Schedule

TAHOMA MONASTERY DAILY SCHEDULE JULY 2024

We will be following a reduced schedule for the remainder of July.


Tuesday through Saturday Morning
No morning events

Tuesday through Saturday Evening
Evening Zazen: 6:30 p.m. – 7:25 p.m.

Sunday July 21st
No Zazenkai

Sunday July 28th
No Zazenkai

Regular schedule resumes August 4th with Zazenkai.

Always check our calendar before coming, if there isn’t an entry for a given day then there is no event that day.

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Summer Solstice Intensive

Summer Solstice Zazen Intensive June 22nd, 2024


In commemoration of the summer solstice please join us for a full day of Zazen. The day will run from 10am to 8:45pm in three blocks. One can come for as much or as little as one wishes. The schedule is such that people can easily travel here for the event and thus there is no residency option. There will not be meals served, but one is of course free to bring food or have meals off campus.

All periods are open for drop in attendance. Each hour will include zazen followed by kinhin, with the zazen periods following the schedule below. One can stay for as many periods as one is able. Please arrive/depart during the kinhin (walking meditation) periods which begin 10 minutes prior to the next period.

We will continue to broadcast the sitting periods via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. The Zoom link will be posted in the days before the event. For those attending online please read this posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events .

Zoom Link: [Event has passed]

Continue reading “Summer Solstice Intensive”
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May 2024 OSesshin

The May 2024 OSesshin with Harada Roshi at Tahoma Zen Monastery begins with kokuho on the evening of Wednesday, May 15th and concludes the evening of Wednesday, May 22nd. 

OSesshin: Wednesday, May 15th – Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024

  • Kokuho is Wednesday evening, May 15th.
  • Full-time participation is required. OSesshin concludes the evening of Wednesday, May 22nd.
  • The link to the OSesshin application is near the bottom of this email. 
  • The fee is $480. $450 is for the OSesshin, and $30 is for covid testing supplies and masks. Information about our covid protocol is below.
  • Donations to support financial aid are welcomed. Information about financial aid is provided on the application.

The application deadline for OSesshin is Sunday, April 14th. You will receive an email regarding your acceptance or wait list status soon after the deadline date of April 14th. Please send your sesshin fee once you have been notified of your acceptance. Payment information will be included in the acceptance email.


IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS OSESSHIN  

  • After a covid outbreak during our February Osesshin, we updated our safety protocol, which will include vaccination with the latest booster, a self-testing protocol, and masking. Please note that your application for Osesshin will be considered only if you have gotten or commit to getting the most recent booster (released in the Fall 2023) and provide documentation. In addition, you must self-test before leaving for sesshin and mask consistently during public transportation.

Please note that if you require a Covid-19 booster you must get it two or more weeks prior to traveling for sesshin.

  • Any help with set up before or clean up following OSesshin would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to arrive a day or two before sesshin and/or stay a day or two after sesshin please contact the monastery to make arrangements. The monastery email address is tahoma@tahomazenmonastery.com
  • We hope that we will be able to conduct our May 2024 OSesshin but recognize that our plans, as well as the dates, may need to change suddenly and without notice. If you are purchasing airline tickets please be prepared to cancel your reservations.
  • There may be a wait list for this OSesshin. Those on the wait list will be contacted immediately as spaces become available.

Apply here: [Event has passed]
 

Thank you,
Rozan Lenny Gerson
Osesshin registrar
Tahoma Zen Monastery
tahomaapplication@gmail.com

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April 27th Zazen Intensive

Please join us for a full day of Zazen. The day will run from 10am to 8:45pm in three blocks. One can come for as much or as little as one wishes. The schedule is such that people can easily travel here for the event and thus there is no residency option. There will not be meals served, but one is of course free to bring food or have meals off campus.

All periods are open for drop in attendance. Each hour will include zazen followed by kinhin, with the zazen periods following the schedule below. One can stay for as many periods as one is able. Please arrive/depart during the kinhin (walking meditation) periods which begin 10 minutes prior to the next period.

We will continue to broadcast the sitting periods via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. The Zoom link will be posted in the days before the event. For those attending online please read this posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events .

Zoom Link: [event has passed]

Zazen Intensive Schedule

9:50amSeated in Zendo; Gosei
10:00amZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
11:00amZazen; Zazen
12pmMidday Break
1:50pmSeated in Zendo; Gosei
2:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
3:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
4:00pmZazen
4:30pmEvening Break
5:50pmSeated in Zendo; Gosei
6pmUninterrupted Zazen
7pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8pmZazen; Zazen
All times Pacific Time. Please arrive/tune in ten minutes before scheduled events.
Events in Bold will be streamed

To receive events notifications and the zoom links for Virtual Events by email: Tahoma Events mailing list.

Please email us with any questions: Contact Information


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March 2024 Day of Practice

March 16th, 2024, 4:50am to ~8:45pm (PST)

Update 03.15.24
• Please note that due to circumstances we are changing this retreat to a day of zazen with an extended period of samu in the morning. Please see the schedule below.

Please join us during the Spring Training period for a day of practice.  This is opportunity to keep the practice fires burning between retreats, or to begin to add more intensive investigation to your current practice. This retreat offers practice throughout the day and  is open for drop-in or online attendance .  We will begin the online broadcast Saturday morning and run throughout the day following the below schedule. As always Sunday’s Zazenkai will be broadcast if one wishes to extend their practice.

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.

Broadcast Schedule

Saturday, March 16th
5am to 7am: Choka; Zazen
2pm to 4pm: Zazen
6pm to 8:45pm: Zazen 

Zoom Link: [Event has passed]

Continue reading “March 2024 Day of Practice”
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November 2023 Daylong Retreat

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

This first weekend of November we will dive into intensive investigation of this great matter with a period set aside for extended practice.  This weekend event, centered on Saturdays full day of practice, is open for residential and drop-in attendance. If you would like to stay on campus and make the most of this weekend of practice please contact us to make arrangements. Please be aware that there is a minimum number of attendees required for us to support residential practice. We request that everyone who intends to join us beyond dropping in for a single period contact us with your plans.

Additionally we will 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
• 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

Friday, November 3rd
6:30pm to 8:15pm: Zazen 

Saturday, November 4th
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 “November 2023 Daylong Retreat”
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Tahoma Schedule Update

TAHOMA MONASTERY DAILY SCHEDULE OCTOBER 2023


Please note there will be no morning service from October 2nd – 21st. Evening Zazen and Sunday Zazenkai will continue as normal.

Monday through Saturday
Evening Zazen: 6:30 p.m. – 6:20 p.m.
Evening Zazen: 7:30 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.

Sundays
Zazenkai (community practice): 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.. 
Followed by informal tea to around 10a.m.

Always check our calendar before coming, if there isn’t an entry for a given day then there is no event that day.