Sesshins at the AZSZC can last from 3 to 7 days. A Sesshin is an extended meditation that includes sitting meditation, chanting, oryoki (a formal, meditative way of eating), Dharma talks, work assignments, (samu) and Dokusan (a private meeting with the teacher). There is a nominal fee of $85.

Sesshin literally means "collecting the mind." Per Robert Aitken Roshi, "the word sesshin is a compound sino-Japanese term made up of two ideographs, setsu and shin. Shin means mind. Setsu has several meanings - touch, receive, convey. Usually sesshin is literally translated to touch the mind, but it also means to receive the mind, to convey the mind". During sesshin, or at any time in our daily lives, turning our full attention to the activity of the moment is to collect the mind. This means when it's time to eat, just eat, and when it's time to sit, just sit. Usually when we do a given activity, our attention is elsewhere. The quiet environment and simplified schedule of sesshin allows us to concentrate on a single activity.
Sesshin is an opportunity to cultivate concentration and awareness. We step back and slow down from our usual busy lives to engage with full attention, whatever it is we are doing. Please tend to outside personal business before taking up this sesshin opportunity.
Participants are required to stay for the entire duration of the sesshin.

What do you need to bring?

Loose, comfortable, clean clothing
Oryoki bowls (provided if necessary)
Work clothes (they may get dirty)
Sleeping bag, pillow (for those planning to stay overnight)
Extra clothes for work and meditation (for sesshins three days and longer)
Toiletries
Hand towel & shower towel

Do not bring:

Alcohol
Tobacco products
Any non prescription drugs
Charms, fortune telling supplies, or talismans
Candy, snacks, gum, mints unless medically required

It is a time to put everything aside, to forget everything and to focus all one's enquiring spirit through the practice of Zen.
Each Sesshin will have it's own schedule. Please check out times etc. on the calendar.

A typical Sesshin day:

4: 30 am Wake Up Bell
5:00 am Zendo - Zazen, Kinhin, Zazen, Kinhin
6:15 am Morning Service
6:45 am Breakfast - Buffet
7:15 am Samu
9:30 am Zendo - Zazen, Kinhin, Zazen, Kinhin
11:00 am Dharma Talk
12:00 pm Lunch - traditional
1:00 pm Samu
2:40 pm Zendo - Zazen, Kinhin, Zazen, Kinhin
4:00 pm Dharma Talk
5:00 pm Dinner - Buffet
6:00 pm Samu
7:00 pm Zendo - Zazen, Kinhin, Zazen, Kinhin
9:15 pm Evening Service
9:45 pm Retire

We strongly recommend that you attend at least 1 Zazenkai prior to attending a Sesshin.

Schedule of Guest Priests