Sesshin
Silent Zen Meditation Retreat led by Ron Hogen Green, Sensei
January 19-25, 2020. Staveley, Canterbury, NZ.
January 19-25, 2020. Staveley, Canterbury, NZ.
Registrations are closed for this event.
Sunday, January 19, 2020, 5pm - Saturday, January 25, 2pm You can join sesshin any time up until Thursday evening. Characterised by silence and deep introspection, sesshin is recommended to anyone who is sincerely interested in experiencing intensive Zen training and deepening their meditation practice. Sesshin is an unbroken stream of aware spiritual practice. We wake up each day before dawn to begin a schedule that includes 7 to 10 hours of zazen, chanting services, formal silent meals (oryoki) in the meditation hall, silent caretaking (e.g. preparing meals or cleaning), and talks by the teacher and senior student. Sesshin is an opportunity to receive personal guidance in private interviews (daisan) with the teacher, Hogen Sensei. During sesshin we draw from the tremendous strength and encouragement of practising together as a group. Because the week-long sesshin is a very intensive retreat, those wishing to attend the full week should have prior experience in meditation. Those who have never participated in a sesshin or who are newer to Zen practice/meditation are encouraged to join in, however we recommend beginning on Friday for the weekend portion of the retreat. This is a great way to get a taste of sesshin and to develop your meditation practice. Sesshin may be joined at any stage during the week, as late as Friday evening. If you are a first-time sesshin participant, you will be interviewed by phone before confirming your particpation in the retreat. This is to help ensure that sesshin is a good fit for your personal circumstances. Once you join sesshin, you are asked to stay until the conclusion of the retreat. |
Hogen Sensei is the co-Director of the Zen Center of New York City. He has been engaged in formal Zen practice since 1978, and was in residential training at Zen Mountain Monastery for twelve years before returning to lay life. He lives in rural Pennsylvania with his wife and family. This will be his fifth teaching visit to New Zealand.
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• warm sleeping bag, pillow, (earplugs optional)
• towel • toiletries • torch • raincoat • woollen hat and gloves • outdoor clothing and footwear for work practice • loose-fitting clothing for meditation, dark or muted in colour. Shirts should cover the shoulders (e.g. T-shirt and shirts). Please wear long trousers rather than shorts. Please note that Staveley Camp is in a sub-alpine region and can get very cold (especially overnight) and very warm. Bring extra layers to ensure you are dressed suitably for indoor and outdoor work. |