Spring Ango 2026

An ango is a traditional three-month training period in Zen practice, historically observed during the monastic rainy season but increasingly offered as an extended practice commitment for lay practitioners. This online version asks you to establish a daily zazen practice over twelve weeks, anchored by periodic group study sessions and teachings—a middle ground between a single retreat and the unstructured rhythm of regular sitting at home.

Hongzhi (1091–1157) was a Caodong (Soto) Zen master known for teaching shikantaza or "just sitting"—practice without an object of focus, without trying to achieve a particular state. His teachings are central to how contemporary Soto Zen centers frame zazen. Studying his work during an ango gives structure and continuity to your sitting, connecting it to a lineage rather than sitting in isolation.

Online ango works differently than residential sesshin. You're not in silence with others; you're sitting at home, holding the container yourself. The scheduled sessions—likely study meetings, dharma talks, and possibly group zazen—create touchpoints and accountability. The price is entry to that structure and access to teaching, not room and board.

This format suits people who can't leave home for three months but want more than casual sitting—a deliberate commitment that fits daily life. You'll need a quiet space for zazen and the discipline to show up consistently without the container of a retreat hall around you.