Seeing Through Obstacles – Inner Critic Weekend Retreat

Most Zen retreats are built around long stretches of silent sitting. This one is built differently: it pairs meditation with inner-critic and shadow work — an approach common in Western Buddhist settings, where practices adapted from depth psychology sit alongside traditional sitting practice. The listing's framing ("dis-identify from obstacles to Dharma practice") tells you this is a hybrid of meditation and facilitated group inquiry, not a traditional sesshin.

The stated components are silent and guided sitting meditation, and group facilitations "exploring shadow elements and developing compassion for difficult parts of oneself" — "shadow" here meaning the parts of ourselves we tend to reject or hide. Note that despite the word "silent," this is not a retreat held in noble silence; the silence refers to the sitting periods, and group facilitation is conversational by nature. That distinction matters if you're weighing this against a traditional silent retreat.

The dates run Thursday, February 4 through Sunday, February 7, 2027 — four days, slightly more than the "weekend" in the title implies. Format is listed only as "in-person," with a single price of $200.

What the listing doesn't say

• Teacher: none is named. If the teacher matters to your decision, ask the center before registering.
• Eligibility: no statement about who may attend or whether prior meditation experience is expected.
• Schedule: the center hasn't published a daily timetable — wake times, session lengths, and the balance between sitting and group work are unknown.
• What the $200 covers: the price comes with no breakdown. Whether lodging or meals are included isn't stated, and nothing on the listing describes living arrangements.

Contact the center via the listing (zendust.org) for any of the above before registering.