Tanjo-e Sesshin 2019
“Sitting meditation is the gateway to total liberation.”
Sesshin is translated to mean “Embracing Mind.” For seven days you’re invited to dive deeply into silence, meditation, and mindfulness. This is an opportunity for both new & seasoned meditators to practice side-by-side. For people new to Zen this is the chance to engage with an experienced teacher and establish a regular Zazen (sitting) practice.
During a period of seven days you will learn and practice through the timeless traditions of sitting meditation (zazen), walking meditation (kinhin), mindful eating (oryoki), and mindful work (samu). All of these are designed to extend the practice of zazen beyond the meditation cushion and into our everyday embodied experience.
Daily tea and dharma talks will be led by a teacher and you’ll also have the opportunity for a private one-on-one meeting (dokusan).
This particular sesshin falls during the time of year when the birth of Buddhism’s founder, Gautama Siddhartha, is celebrated. The retreat will end on Sunday at the beginning of the Buddha’s Birth Celebration. A ceremony will be performed and lunch will be served. All sesshin guests are invited to stay and attend.
Meals
All food is vegetarian and prepared by the head of kitchen known as the Tenzo. Meals during sesshin will be served oryoki-style in the dining hall of the Jikoji Community Building. Oryoki is an integral part of the sesshin experience and an extension of our Zendo forms. If you need to learn oryoki instructions please indicate so on the registration form. Instructions will be provided either Friday or Saturday morning before our first Oryoki meal. You can also learn the basics by watching a video and reading instructions supplied here: http://www.jikoji.org/oryoki/ For a complete list of meal times please see the schedule.
Accommodations
Jikoji offers separate women’s and men’s dormitory style beds with shared bathrooms. Campsites are also available. If you have any special needs please let us know through the registration form, or writing to info@jikojizencenter.org. Bedding and linens are provided.
What to bring
Comfortable loose-fitting clothes good for sitting for long hours (ideally without logos and slogans)
A warm sweater and other warm layers (mornings and evenings can be chilly)
A warm rain resistant coat
Shoes that you can work in
Shoes that are easily to remove after walking between buildings (ideally that you can slip into)
A change of clothes to work outside (weather permitting)
Umbrella
Flashlight
Toiletries
Towel
An open mind
Cost
The full sesshin – 7-days (Monday - Sunday), 6-nights – is $360, including all meals and overnight accommodations. For those staying only a portion, it is $60/per overnight, and $25/per day for daytime visits (no overnights.)
Register for Tanjo-e Sesshin here.
Schedule
We engage a full schedule to maximize our time in the zendo and on the cushion: we recommend participants to join each period if possible. If you'll be missing a substantial portion of the day, please let the Ino know. After the last evening zazen period, it is recommended to move towards sleep, making it easier for yourself and others to be awake and alert for morning practice.
Tanjo-e Sesshin Schedule 2019
(subject to minor changes)
Monday, April 1 - Sunday, April 7
Monday
4- 6:00pm Registration
5:00 - 6pm Oryoki Instruction
6:00 Dinner & Cleanup
7:30 Zazen
8:10 Opening Remarks
Tuesday - Saturday
5:30am Wake-Up Bell
6:00 Zazen
6:40 Kinhin
6:50 Zazen
7:20 Service
7:35 Breakfast
8:05 Soji
8:15 End Soji
*break*
9:10am Zazen
9:50 Kinhin
10:00 Zazen
10:40 Outdoor Kinhin
11:10 Zazen
11:50 Kinhin
12:00 Lunch
*break*
1:45 work practice
2:45 work period ends
3:10 tea and discussion
4:20 Zazen
4:50 Kinhin
5:00 Zazen
5:30 Kinhin
5:40 Dinner
*break*
7:10pm Zazen
7:50 Kinhin
8:00 Zazen
8:30pm Prostrations
Sunday
5:30am Wake-up Bell
6:00 Zazen
6:40 Robe Chant, Kinhin
6:50 Zazen
7:20 Service
7:35 Breakfast
8:10 Closing Remarks
Clean-up
Dishes, Clean-up Kitchen
Pack Personal Belongings
Clean-up Zendo
10:00 Zazen
10:40 Kinhin
10:50 Zazen
11:20 Service
11:40 Dharma Talk
12:30 Social Lunch
1:10 Kitchen &
Community Bldg. Clean-up,
Set-up for Buddha's Birthday
2:00pm Buddha's Birthday Ceremony,
Celebration