Healing and Liberation
Vasubandhu's Yogacara Sesshin
Led by Ben Connelly
Yogacara is a path of integrating early Buddhist psychology with the altruistic emphasis of the Mahayana.
Ben Connelly will lead this sesshin where we will explore how these teachings open a path to healing the wounds of the world and ourselves, and freeing our minds and our communities from patterns and systems of harm.
Sesshin starts Thursday, March 5 with registration & oryoki (mindful eating) instruction between 4-6pm, and ends Sunday, March 8 with our regular Sunday program, where Ben will give our 11:45 am Dharma Talk.
A full sesshin schedule will be available shortly.
Registration is open. A schedule will be available shortly.
Cost
All teachings at Jikoji are freely offered. Sesshin costs cover overnight accommodations and meals; scholarships are available, upon request, for those who need them.
Accommodations and all meal fees for the full sesshin – 4-days (Thursday - Sunday), 3-nights – are $180. For those staying only a portion, fees are $60/per overnight, and $25/per day for daytime visits (no overnights) and include meals.
Meals
All food is vegetarian and prepared by the head of the kitchen known as the Tenzo. Sesshin meals will be served oryoki-style in the dining hall of our 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. You may also learn the basics by watching the video and reading instructions supplied at www.jikoji.org/oryoki. For a complete list of meal times please see the schedule. Oryoki instruction will also be offered on arrival day, an hour before the evening meal, and by arrangement with the Sesshin Ino.
Accommodations
Jikoji offers separate female and male dormitory style beds with shared bathrooms. If you have any special needs please let us know through the registration form. Bedding and linens are provided, but you are encouraged to bring a sleeping bag/extra blankets and pillow if taking the "campsite" option.
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/footwear that are easy to remove after walking between buildings
A change of clothes to work outside (weather permitting)
Umbrella
Flashlight
Toiletries
Towel
An open mind
ABOUT BEN
Ben Connelly is a Soto Zen teacher and Dharma heir in the Katagiri lineage. He also teaches mindfulness in a wide variety of secular contexts including police training and addiction recovery groups. Ben contributes to Tricycle magazine, and is the author of Inside the Grass Hut, Inside Vasubandhu's Yogacara, and Mindfulness and Intimacy. He is based at Minnesota Zen Meditation Center and travels to teach across the United States. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
OUR SCHEDULE
THURSDAY
4 - 6 pm Registration / Oryoki Instruction
5 -7 Dinner and clean up
7:30 zazen
8:10 opening remarks
8:40 3 Refuges and 9 bows
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
5:30am wake-up bell
6:00 zazen
6:40 Robe Chant and kinhin
6:50 zazen
7:20 service
7:35 Breakfast
8:05 Soji
8:15 *break*
9:10 zazen
9:50 kinhin
10:00 Dharma Talk
11:00 zazen
11:25 kinhin
11:30 zazen
12:00pm Lunch
1:30 Zazen
2:10 kinhin
2:20 zazen
3:00 Dharma Talk - discussion
4:20 zazen
4:50 kinhin
5:00 zazen
5:30 Dinner
7:10 zazen
7:50 kinhin
7:50 zazen
8:30 Three refuges & 9 bows
SUNDAY
5:30am wake-up bell
6:00 zazen
6:40 Robe Chant and kinhin
6:50 zazen
7:20 service
7:35 Breakfast
8:05 Closing Remarks in Zendo
Clean-up
Dishes, Pack Personal, zendo
Regular Sunday Program
10:00 10:00 Zazen
10:40 10:40 Kinhin
10:50 10:50 Zazen
11:20 11:30 Service
11:40 11:40 Dharma Talk, Ian
12:30 Social Lunch in Community Bldg